Camp Shame

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But there were some dark truths behind Camp Shane’s facade of happy, transformed children. Kids were being pushed to their physical and emotional limits as the family that owned Shane turned a blind eye. More than 50 years after its founding, host Kelsey Snelling is bringing the real story of Camp Shane to light.

In this eight-episode series, she unpacks and investigates stories of mistreatment and reexamines the culture of fatphobia that enabled a flawed system to continue for so long. Along the way, she reveals and weighs the heavy price of shame.

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Last refreshed: August 18th, 2025 at 11:11 AM ⓘ

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Episodes

Episode 8: Losing Isn't Everything

Camp Shane is back… and as dysfunctional as ever. Kids are running around unsupervised, counselors are dropping out like flies, and medical supervision is pretty much nonexistent. After an accident that leaves a child in critical condition, Camp Shane’s cover is blown. A state investigation reveals what Shaners have known all along, and this time, David won’t get away with it. References: The Epic Family Feud Behind an Iconic American Weight-Loss Camp for Kids ‘Hoping for a good summer’: Emails ...

Jul 10, 2025•50 min•Season 1Ep. 8

Episode 7: Nobody Believes the Fat Kid

Though Camp Shane is falling apart, kids still love spending their summers there, largely because of the limited parental supervision and endless romantic opportunities. Some counselors do their best to stop the hookups. Others manipulate naive teens for their personal gain. Camp Shane is quickly losing its status as a refuge for overweight kids and becoming a place full of secrets that will haunt campers for decades to come. And one camper is ready to come forward. If you or someone you know ne...

Jul 03, 2025•43 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Episode 6: When the Sh*t Hits the Fan

By the mid 2010s, things at Camp Shane are going downhill: campers are arriving with serious mental health needs, counselors are stretched thin, and untrained “health experts” are running the show. When a key staffer finally leaves, the cracks in the camp’s foundation burst wide open. Facilities are falling apart, oversight is non-existent, and then in a moment that's both unforgettable and disgusting — shit finally hits the fan. References: The Epic Family Feud Behind an Iconic American Weight-...

Jun 26, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Episode 5: Live, Laugh, Lose

**Audio Updated 7/17/25 What do you get when you mix disordered eating, soap-laced Jell-O, and a diet camp stuck in the past? A summer from hell. In this episode, Kelsey returns to 2011, her first and only summer at Camp Shane — where the dysfunction runs deep and the cost is more than anyone bargained for. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal ideation, you can call 988 for free and confidential support, prevention, and crisis resources for you or your loved ones. 988lifeline.o...

Jun 19, 2025•51 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Episode 4: As Big as it Gets

The new millennium brings new trends, new technologies and new ways to spread toxic beauty standards. And Camp Shane is reaping the benefits. The camp grows to new heights and capitalizes on positive press, but a record number of campers puts serious strain on the staff and facilities. Can the camp handle the influx? References: The Epic Family Feud Behind an Iconic American Weight-Loss Camp for Kids Teenage Waistland by Abby Ellin NOVA - The Truth About Fat Fearing the Black Body The Racial Ori...

Jun 12, 2025•47 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Episode 3: The Real Heavyweights

Camp Shane is under new leadership: Selma’s son, David Ettenberg. In the 1990s, David’s reign brings with it more campers, more money, and even a Disney movie inspired by the camp itself. But as diet culture and fat phobia grip the decade, life at Shane gets stricter, stranger, and more dangerous. Selma struggles to hand over control, a disastrous Heavyweights screening becomes legend, and cracks in the camp’s foundation begin to show. References: The Epic Family Feud Behind an Iconic American W...

Jun 05, 2025•42 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Episode 2: A Fat Girl's Vision

To understand Camp Shane, we first need to examine the society that created it. America’s obsession with size had evolved over time, creating a demand for a weight loss camp like Shane to exist by making fatness a problem that needed to be solved. Campers are under fed and over worked, but kids find refuge at Camp Shane. Leading the charge is Camp Shane’s eccentric yet stringent founder, Selma Ettenberg. References: Taste's nutritionist rates the worst fad diets from the 70s and Weight Loss Prog...

Jun 05, 2025•48 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Episode 1: Welcome to Camp Shane

Welcome to Camp Shane — one of the first weight loss camps for kids. In its 50+ years of operation, Shane was a haven for children who felt discarded by the real world. Kids who were bullied, excluded, and ostracized became confident and embodied. Campers gained friends, made romantic connections, and discovered a sense of identity. Celebrity endorsements and media coverage assured parents that Camp Shane was life-changing, but inside its gates, things were far from perfect. Camp Shane—one of Am...

Jun 05, 2025•38 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Introducing: Camp Shame

Camp Shane—one of America’s longest running weight loss camps for kids—promised extraordinary results. Campers who began the summer in heavy bodies were often unrecognizable when they left. In a society obsessed with being thin, it seemed like a miracle solution. But behind Camp Shane’s facade of happy, transformed children was a dark underworld. Kids were being pushed to their physical and emotional limits as the family that owned Shane turned a blind eye. More than 50 years after its founding,...

Apr 15, 2025•2 min

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