A school district in Florida has banned more than 300 books over the past year as part of Governor Ron DeSantis‘ tireless efforts to convince people to never want to move or visit the Sunshine State. He’s doing a good job. The list of titles affected by the alarming ban includes literary classics like Anna Karenina, Slaughterhouse-Five, and On the Road, as well as works from authors Stephen King, Judy Blume, Mary Higgins Clark, Neil Gaiman, Toni Morrison, Joyce Carol Oates, and Steve Martin. Yes, that Steve Martin, the comedian, actor, and musician who published a novella, Shopgirl, in 2000.
In response to the ban, the Only Murders in the Building star wrote on Instagram, “So proud to have my book Shopgirl banned in Collier County, Florida! Now people who want to read it will have to buy a copy!”
I haven’t read the novella, but the movie it’s based on includes “several sex scenes, some delicate and others overtly comic (one features handcuffs); stereotypically busty rock groupies; a brief image of a man masturbating (his hand inside his boxers), and discussion/images of condoms.”
No wonder DeSantis is trailing behind Trump in every poll — he’s too busy saving Florida’s youth from overtly comic sex scenes.