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It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown

As a kid, it was a good Saturday afternoon if I had a bowl of Cheetos and a collection of Peanuts comic strips in front of me. Charlie Brown and the gang were friends to me. (I especially identified with Linus.) I really liked the week-long story arcs and the brilliant mix of humor, frustration and perseverance of these lil' folks. And, honestly, I'm a little sad Shermie never took off as a main character. Animated Peanuts was great too. The airing of a Peanuts TV special was a big event in my house. I was pretty young, but I remember seeing RACE FOR YOUR LIFE, CHARLIE BROWN in 1977 in a movie theater. I know I watched A BOY NAMED CHARLIE BROWN over and over on cable. BON VOYAGE, CHARLIE BROWN (And Don't Come Back!) is a wonderful movie, animated or otherwise. And I don't think a year has gone by that I haven't watched the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas specials. I pretty much have the dialogue memorized, much to the chagrin of my wife and kids. To date, Charlie Brown and the gang have appeared in five feature films and dozens of TV specials, including the series "This is America, Charlie Brown" and "The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show". And on this podcast, we're going to watch them all. We'll discover what we liked and what we didn't. What worked and what didn't. There are many layers to a Peanuts special. Even in two dimensions, these characters are fully fleshed-out humans - and one beagle - with all the fears, anxieties, joys and laughs we all experience. Let's explore those together.
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Now displaying: 2020
Dec 15, 2020

Snuggle down deep into your cozy bedclothes with a snack and beverage of your choice. In episode 56, from 2011, we're watching HAPPINESS IS A WARM BLANKET, CHARLIE BROWN. This was the first TV special made without Schulz, Mendelson or Melendez. So is the final product truly happiness or....something else? Tune in to find out.

We've also got a "Peanuts by Schulz" short called "Trust Me" and a Random Strip of the Month.

Thanks to Nick Jones for the use of his song "25% Off".

Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Mining by Moonlight" and "Bass Walker". 

www.carnivalofgleecreations.com is where you need to go to get show notes, episodes and more for this show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN and for my other show ATARI BYTES - one stop shopping for classic game reviews AND original short stories.

The website also has info about books I've written including IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME and the new (very) short story collection HELL'S CEREAL: VERY SHORT STORIES FORTIFIED WITH ESSENTIAL SYLLABLES.

Please consider support the show by subscribing on the IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN page on patreon.com. Subscribers can get episodes EARLY! Even BONUS CONTENT from time to time. It's like Christmas all year long. 

Nov 15, 2020

We may still be in the time of Covid, but episode 55 of the podcast is going to the theatre...virtually. We're exploring Bert V. Royal's 2004 play "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead". It's a self-described "Peanuts parody" imagining the Peanuts gang as teens dealing with LGBTQ issues, substance abuse, violence and issues of identity and place in the world. 

To give us some perspective on why we need this play and why we need it right now, we chat with Muscatine (Iowa) Community College theatre director Alyssa Oltmanns, whose controversial production of "Dog Sees God" premieres virtually on November 20 and 21, 2020. Proceeds of the play go to support Clock Inc. of the Quad Cities.

Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Mining by Moonlight" and "Bass Walker". 

Thanks to Nick Jones for the use of "25% Off".

Thanks to Henry Pope for the use of his "Linus & Lucy Remix". 

Clockinc.org

showtix4u.com

Become a subscriber at the IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN page on patreon.com and you could get episodes EARLY! You could even get BONUS CONTENT! Good grief!

Go to www.carnivalofgleecreations.com for info, show notes, social media and epiosdes of this show, IT'S  A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN, and my other show, ATARI BYTES.

Another holiday season is upon us. (Like Sally, I still haven't eaten all my Halloween candy!) Books make great gifts. And I have some you can buy! Go to the website here to find out about them and just some of the places you can order them. Thanks!

Oct 15, 2020

IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN episode 54! A GREAT episode for a GOOD man!

The good man in question is, of course, our man Chuck Brown. We talk about the history of iconic stage musical YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN. We cover the original 1966 "concept" album to the 1967 off-Broadway production, to Broadway, to TV (including the 1985 animate feature) and beyond. 

We also have a "Random Strip of the Month" and a "Peanuts by Schulz" review. This month's episode is "Amateurs".

Looks like they're dimming the houselights. Get to your seats, sit back, relax, and enjoy as the curtain rises on another episode!

Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Mining by Moonlight" and "Bass Walker".

Thanks to Nick Jones for the use of his song "25% Off".

Go to www.carnivalofgleecreations.com to get show notes, social media and episodes of IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here and my other weekly storytime podcast ATARI BYTES here.

Subscribe to the show on the ATARI BYTES page on www.patreon.com Members can get episodes early or bonus content.

The website also has info and links to some places you can buy my books, like MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS.

Sep 15, 2020

Welcome to IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN, episode 53. Hurry up and listen, then clear your schedules, everybody! There's a new book coming out September 22 with the simple, but no less enticing, title THE PEANUTS BOOK. You are going to want to own and read this one!

And this month on the podcast, we've got the book's author Simon Beecroft! We talk about the book, Schulz and Peanuts. We also talk about Lego and Star Wars. A lot. 

Also this month: A "Peanuts by Schulz" episode titled "A Bad Mood" and another "Random Strip of the Month". And other assorted, peanut-y goodness.

Sam Mason tells us about October's Peanuts Gang virtual reunion. Listen to that and then learn more on Facebook @peanutsreunion. 

he Peanuts Strips That Were Luckily Never Published

Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Mining by Moonlight" and "Bass Walker". 

Thanks to Nick Jones for the use of his song "25% Off".

Go to www.carnivalofgleecreations.com for episode links, social media info and more for this show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN and for my other, weekly storytelling show ATARI BYTES here. 

Support the show by subscribing on the IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN page on patreon.com here. Subscribers at different levels can get early access to episodes or even bonus content!

The website also has info about books I've written and just some of the places you can buy them, like MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS.

Aug 15, 2020

I really need a giant mug of root beer right now. Or maybe Schroeder's mom's slipper full of root beer. (You'll understand after you listen.)

So, here's the thing. The recording of episode 52 went just fine. The post-production? Not so much. BUT, we got the episode out, though you'll notice the audio is glitchy in some places. Sorry about that.

The good news is...SNOOPY'S GETTING MARRIED, CHARLIE BROWN! This 1985 special finds our favorite beagle all set to walk down the aisle. Will he go through with it?

We've also got a couple of "Motion Comics", a "Peanuts by Schulz" titled "Autumn is Here" and another Random Strip of the Month. 

Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Bass Walker" and "Mining by Moonlight". 

Thanks to Nick Jones for the use of his song "25% Off".

Check out www.carnivaofgleecreations.com for info, episodes and social media for this show IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN and my other show ATARI BYTES, which features an original short story by me every single week

The website also has info and links to some places to buy my books like MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS.

Support the show by becoming a subscriber on patreon.com. You could get episodes EARLY or even get BONUS CONTENT!

 

Jul 15, 2020

Episode 51 of IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN is one for the history books!

No, sorry, I meant, it's an episode about how "Peanuts" was shaped by the history happening around it and how "Peanuts" itself IS history. Our guest, historian BLAKE SCOTT BALL, has many thoughts. His forthcoming book is titled: "Charlie Brown's America".

We've also got a Random Strip of the Month and an episode of "Peanuts by Schulz" titled "Strike Out". 

Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Mining by Moonlight" and "Bass Walker".

Thanks to Henry Pope for the use of his "Linus & Lucy" remix.

Thanks to Nick Jones for the use of his song "25% Off".

Show notes, social media and episodes of IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN can be found here at www.carnivalofgleecreations.com. While you're there, check out my other podcast, ATARI BYTES.

The website will also give you info about books I've written here!

Support the show by becoming a subscriber on Patreon.com. If you do, you could get early episode access or bonus content.

Jun 15, 2020

EPISODE 50! We made it!

Because people think numbers ending in "5" and "0" are significant, and, let's say, in honor of the Peanuts secondary player "5" and because, as Peppermint Patty tells Franklin, "In answer to your question, Franklin, I think we know who the ZERO is..." we thought this month we'd talk to a man steeped in the 70 year (another number ending in zero) history of our favorite comic.

Author/publisher/blogger of the "Aaugh Blog", aboutcomics.com and so many other things, Nat Gertler returns to the show for the first time since episode 13. He has been exploring "Peanuts" filmstrips from 1979 like the ones many of us watched in school. So turn out the overhead fluorescent lights, roll the projector and give a listen. No sleeping or you'll get detention after school. 

We've also got a "Peanuts by Schulz" episode called "The Great Outdoors" and another RANDOM STRIP OF THE MONTH.

Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Mining by Moonlight" and "Bass Walker".

Thanks to Nick Jones for the use of his song "25% Off".

Thanks to Henry Pope for the use of his "Linus & Lucy" remix. Find that and other music on Soundcloud.

Find more info, episodes, social media and more for IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN at www.carnivalofgleecreations.com. There, you'll find the same for my other podcast, ATARI BYTES.

The website also has information and links to some of the places you can buy my books, like MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS and IN THE ST. NICK OF TIME.

If you subscribe to the show via the Patreon project, you could get access to episodes EARLY. You might even get BONUS content. It's true! Do that here!

May 15, 2020

This month in episode 49, we're losing our marbles. No worries, though because we can still have our cake and eat it too.

From 2006, we're watching "He's a Bully, Charlie Brown" and from 1997, we've got "It Was My Best Birthday Ever, Charlie Brown". Will these provide the best viewing experience every or will we have to be bullied into finishing them?

We've also got a review of the "Peanuts by Schulz" episode "Black & White" and another RANDOM STRIP OF THE MONTH. 

Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Mining by Moonlight" and "Bass Walker". 

Thanks to Nick Jones for the use of his song "25% Off".

Thanks to Henry Pope for the use of his "Linus & Lucy" remix. Find that and more of his music here on Soundcloud.

Find info, show notes, episodes and more for IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here, and for my other show ATARI BYTES here on www.carnivalofgleecreations.com

Pick up "Greetings, Fellow Blockheads" shirts and mugs on www.zazzle.com/ab_pod_store 

Support the show by becoming a subscriber on the IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN page on Patreon.com. You could get episodes early! Or bonus episodes! Good grief!

Get info about books I've written and links to just some of the places you can buy them on the website here. www.carnivalofgleecreations.com

Apr 15, 2020

Now that Easter is over and you've had a chance to clean up the mess from the Easter Bunny lobbing eggs over your fence in deference to social distancing, here's episode 48 of the podcast to relax with.

We've got an interview with Gini Holtzman who, back in the day, provided the voice for "Peppermint Patty" in a number of TV episodes, including "Snoopy's Reunion" and the iconic "It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown". What was it like to make these shows? What did Charles Schulz give her? What does she think Peppermint Patty would be like as a grown up? The answers to all of these questions and more are waiting for you inside this episode.

We've also got another installment of "Random Strip of the Month" and a review of another "Peanuts by Schulz" called "School is Out".

No chocolate bunnies though.

Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Mining by Moonlight" and "Bass Walker".

Thanks to Nick Jones for the use of his song "25% Off".

Thanks to Henry Pope for the use of his "Linus & Lucy" Remix. You can find that and more of his music on Soundcloud here.

Get episode info, social media and more for IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here and for the weekly ATARI BYTES, a podcast where we talk about old games and present an original short story more or less inspired by something related to that game. It's all on the website www.carnivalofgleecreations.com 

Support the show by becoming a subscriber on the show page on Patreon.com. If you do, you could get episodes early or even get bonus content! Good grief!

 

Mar 15, 2020

Springtime. And the livin' is easy!

Okay, actually things are kind of brutal out there right now. But that makes this the perfect time to self-medicate with more PEANUTS! And episode 47 is just the tonic you need!

From 1992, we're watching IT'S SPRING TRAINING, CHARLIE BROWN where Mr. Hennessey from CHARLIE BROWN'S ALL-STARS (episode 1!) offers new uniforms to the baseball team. Yay!  All Chuck and the gang need to do is win a game! AAUUGH!

Then we check out two installments of iTunes' 2008 experiment MOTION COMICS, a series of very short episodes produced with "limited animation" (don't let that scare you". We're checking out "The Sore Arm" and "Independence Day". 

We've also got a "Peanuts by Schulz" short "It's Raining, It's Pouring". And, as always, a Random Strip of the Month. This is a good time to remind you to...*ahem*...SEND IN YOUR RANDOM STRIPS OF THE MONTH!

Thank you.

"How Snoopy Became the Mascot of Knott's Berry Farm"

Thanks to Kevin McLeod in Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Bass Walker" and "Mining by Moonlight". 

Thanks to Nick Jones for the use of "25% Off".

Thanks to Henry Pope for the use of his "Linus & Lucy Remix". Find that and other music on Soundcloud here.

Find info, show notes, episodes, social media and more at www.carnivalofgleecreations.com for this show, IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN and for my other show ATARI BYTES, which features an original short story every week here

The website also has info and some order links for books that I've written, like MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS.

You can become a subscriber on Patreon.com and possibly get access to episodes early, or even bonus episodes. 

Pick up "Greetings, Fellow Blockheads!" mugs and shirts at zazzle.com/ab_pod_store 

Feb 15, 2020

February's episode 46 is sweet like the box of candy you and Sally Brown wish your valentine had gotten you. We're watching 1975's BE MY VALENTINE, CHARLIE BROWN and a short documentary extra called "Unlucky in Love: An Unrequited Love Story". Splash on some shaving lotion from your heart-shaped bottle and join us!

We also have a Random Strip of the Month and a Peanuts by Schulz short called "Tennis". Just think of these as the bonus truffles in the gorgeous candy display.  

Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of "Mining by Moonlight" and "Bass Walker". 

Thanks Henry Pope for the use of his "Linus and Lucy" Remix. Find that and other music on Soundcloud here.

Thanks to Nick Jones for the use of "25% Off".

Go to www.carnivalofgleecreations.com for info, show notes and episodes of IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN, as well as the weekly, short story podcast ATARI BYTES.

The website also has info about books I've written like MISERY BANANA: VERY SHORT STORIES INSPIRED  BY OLD GAMES AND ODD THOUGHTS, which is a thing you can buy.

Pick up "Greetings, fellow blockheads" stuff at the AB_Pod_Store on Zazzle.com

Become a subscriber on the IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN page on Patreon.com. You could get episodes early! Get BONUS content!

Jan 15, 2020

Greetings, fellow blockheads! Welcome to episode 45! A new year, a new episode. What more could you ask for?

This month, we've got a special guest. William Johnson is the author of the forthcoming book "A History of Peanuts on Parade", a life-long Peanuts fan, and an occasional Chik-Fil-A cow. I had many questions about these things. Tune in to hear many answers. 

We've also got a Random Strip of the Month and A "Peanuts by Schulz" short called "Like Skates on Ice".

Follow the show on Twitter @itsapodcb, like the show on Facebook and Instagram. Email us at charliebrownpodcast@gmail.com.

Thanks to Kevin McLeod at Incompetech.com for creative commons use of his songs "Bass Walker" and "Mining by Moonlight". 

Thanks to Henry Pope for the use of his "Linus & Lucy" remix. Find that and more here. 

Find info, episodes, social media and more for IT'S A PODCAST, CHARLIE BROWN here and about my other podcast ATARI BYTES, a weekly review of old video games AND original short stories by me here at www.carnivalofgleecreations.com 

Pick up shirts and mugs at www.zazzle.com/ab_pod_store. 

Become a subscriber to the show on Patreon.com and get access to episodes early and bonus content!

Your podcaster is also an author. Find out more about his books here!

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