I realize making fun of Peanuts cartoons is like punching kittens in the face, but something needs to be said about Sunday’s strip. Well, is it really Sunday’s? Aren’t they just reprinting old ones? I don’t know. But anyway, I’m not really gonna make fun of it. I’m just gonna give it a big WTF?!
That is seriously depressing! It’s hard to make fun of because it’s not even like he was telling a joke, and it fell flat. I’m pretty sure the comic represents exactly what he was trying to say, and he does a superb job at it! But really? This comic makes me want to shoot myself in the face. And not just because I’ve had those same dreadful school lunch hours.
Peanuts has sucked for a long time. I remember reading it in the 80′s and wondering how anyone could think it was funny. I started to think that maybe it was like Apartment 3G and wasn’t supposed to be funny. But I think they kept it around because no one had the heart to tell Charles Schulz that it sucked. Then when he died back in 2000 it was sad but I have to admit that one thought that passed through my head was about all the space that would be freed up on the comics page for something that was actually funny. But then they started printing reruns and called it “Classic Peanuts”. WTF!!!! In any case, newspapers are dead so who gives a crap what they put in the comics page anymore.
“But I think they kept it around because no one had the heart to tell Charles Schulz that it sucked.”
Kinda like George Lucas!
Wow, Chuck needs to go talk to the school counsellor. His self-esteem is sucking more than usual. He has shitty parents too. They should be aware of their son’s depression by this point. I’m sure he’s not a barrel of laughs around the house.
Here, maybe this will cheer you up. It’s apparently a shirt you wear when you don’t want to be forced to go shopping by your SO.
Yeah, kinda like George Lucas… Except I think with Lucas, he is surrounded by people that don’t want to piss-off their “CASH-COW”. Just think if one of them have had the courage to say to George, “WTF!!! Anakin Skywalker built C3PO?!!!! Are you serious?!!!” It may have sent Georgy-Boy back to the drawing board and rewrite Phantom Menace and we would not have the stain of episodes 1, 2 & 3 f**king up an otherwise classic trilogy.
What kills me is that this strip could be done today, but Charlie Brown would have to have eyeliner, black clothes from Hot Topic and long bangs as he is totally emo!
I was never a big fan of Peanuts, but the press seemed to love them some Charles Schultz. I never minded him, but when I read this: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2009/11/02/charles-schulz-master-of-fan-relations-and-killing-a-peanuts/ I developed an admiration of him. Love the drawing.
Peanuts is so dated, if this was written now instead of 100 years ago Charlie Brown would be heavily medicated, Pigpen would be in foster care and his parents up on child neglec charges, Linus would have hit Sally with a sexual harassment suit, and Pepperment Patty and Marcy would be sent to “camp” for their forbidden love.
What is this “lunch hour” thing he speaks of. Any fool that has ever punched a clock knows lunch lasts 26 minutes. And in school it was more like 18 minutes, even in the 70′s.
Now I’m a big boy and I get an hour, but I rarely take the whole hour.
Good point Mark. I actually usually eat at my desk but I suppose that makes up for trolling the interneat at …. 9:59 am. Oops.
Tam: “Interneat”, You need to copyright that word. If I had a nickle for every time I’ve eaten at my desk trolling the neat I’d have….a bunch of nickles.
This brings back memories. In the fourth grade, being herded through the lunch line. Scarfing down your lunch so you had time to buy a Push-Up from the ice cream lady….Ahh, to be 26 again!
The only thing good about Peanuts is the TV Christmas Special. Which, as people mention above, could never get made today because of Linus’ retelling of the birth of Christ.
Oh, and It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, that’s pretty cool. Although since the kids don’t get thier candy xrayed before they eat it, yeah, it probably couldn’t get made now either.
HUGS…
Maybe I will copyright that word Mark. Lawyers? Anyone out there?
The only thing I like about the Charlie Brown Christmas is the dancing scene and the scrawny tree. Otherwise it’s boring. I was action, I want excitement, I want Santa shot down by NORAD and rescued by a gay elf and a reindeer.
The gay elf would have to be Hermey. I mean, just check out the hair. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7usbZhBMIjE
Yep, the hair says it all.
They should have a self-help video starring the Peanuts crew for those on the brink of self-extermination called “Don’t Pull the Trigger, Charlie Brown.”
IMO, he’s a whinebag that should grow a pair, walk up to that red-headed whore and just donkey punch the shit outta her. Romance!
Josh: Hopeless romantic you….
Paul: Forbidden love = lol! I wonder if Velma would have been their camp counselor?
I work with a guy who reminds me of Hermey, including the hair. To my knowledge, he doesn’t want to be a dentist.
John: I have LOTZA grrrlfriendz. They love me.
I think most people, exposed to Peanuts primarily through TV specials, fail to realize how dark Schultz was.
Ugh, I HATE Peanuts. I had a job in high school working for ‘Sparky’ at the local ice arena he owned. Contrary to what the article John linked to says the man was a total ass. He was never pleasant to his employees and was constantly talking down to us. Also, the comics are not funny in the least.
[rant]
It really bugs me that my hometown is a Charles Shultz Mecca; you will see Charlie Brown and Snoopy statues all over downtown and there is a Charles Shultz museum (next door to the ice arena). I don’t get it! I mean, have you ever SEEN anyone actually laugh at a Peanuts comic? Is there some deeper ‘meaning of life’ crap hidden amongst the panels that only the few chosen ones can decipher? Why is something so banal held up as a great american icon? Ugh.
[/rant]
To me Peanuts cartoons are one notch above Family Circus. But I still have a place in my heart for Peanuts because they were a part of my childhood (especially the animated shows).
Tam, that shirt cracks me up.
john – emo Charlie Brown – you might have something there. Like, Garfield without Garfield.
M. Nico – oh, that’s sad. Next you”ll tell me Mr. Rogers kicks puppies.
Did anyone see George Lucas on the Daily Show? I liked his take/attitude on his detractors.
Michelle M: Craig sent me the link to an article that also had the clip to watch Lucas on the Daily Show. Here is the email that I sent to Craig after watching it:
I was glad that Jon Stewart brought up some of the points about episodes 1, 2 & 3 that disappoint many of the original Star Wars fans. But he did it in a funny way and pretty much let Lucas off the hook.
Lucas even insisted that a lot of people like Jar Jar and that newer fans like episodes 1, 2 &3 more than 4, 5 & 6. I yelled at the screen, “YEAH, MY 4 AND 7 YEAR OLD LOVE JAR JAR BUT HOW LONG IS THAT GOING TO LAST!!!!”
I just think that starting with Return of the Jedi that Lucas has sold out and is more interested in appealing to little kids in order to sell toys and make cartoons rather than appealing to serious sci-fi fans.
in the end I agree with the guy that wrote the article when he said: “Lucas inhabits a world where no one ever disagrees with him and only stroke his ego.”
M. Nico: Deep breaths, deep breaths. I thought the article, particularly the drawing gave insight into his character and I’m not surprised he was an ass to the locals.
Michelle M.: Of course his name would have to change too…Azrael or Yuriel or something similar. And of course, his last name wouldn’t just be Brown, it would have to be Black, like the pit of despair he is clearly in.
Adam: good points – I actually agree with you. I cannot stand Jar Jar and in my mind episodes I-III never happened. I just admire how he doesn’t let the critics (who are right : ), get him down. I haven’t read a lot about him, so am just going off this interview. I like his “it’s fiction, either you like it or you don’t” attitude. It reminded me of the Shatner SNL “Get a life” skit.
And I found his point – that adults favor IV-VI because that’s what they grew up with – was somewhat (somewhat, because they are superior) valid. I wonder if I would have enjoyed I-III when I was a child (I’d like to think no).
I liked how that tied in with the John Oliver segment (that the) “best time in American history” is when you are a child. And maybe that’s why I still like Peanuts. Full circle, baby!
Michelle M: You totally shut down the Puntabulous comments section for over an hour and a half… Not sure if it was your defense of Lucas or your love of Peanuts but whatever it was….CONGRATS!!!
Adam: That was an impressive feat by Michelle! She has phenomenal cosmic POWER!
I also think the Clone Wars cartoons are far superior in their story telling than anything Lucas himself has done in quite a while.
Blah blah blah. What’s really important here is the Charlie Brown Christmas album, which is completely awesomesauce! (I can actually listen to it at Xmas time and not wanna spit babies on stakes.) (I’m an ex-professional Christmas caroler. I know over three hundred Xmas carols by heart. I have a VERY SHORT CHRISTMAS MUSIC FUSE.)
Agreed. The Clone Wars cartoons are way better than the prequel movies in their ability to be fun and adventurous. Good thing Lucas has little to do with their writing and directing!
Adam – I am the mighty thread killer! Bwahahaha!!
goblinbox – that is an awesome album. Do you know “Christmas Shoes” by heart?
You are evil Michelle, evil.
John,
I must give credit for my “forbidden love” comment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS0UEa1lEV4
and of course here is what Charlie Brown’s childhood depression will lead to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt-ePW58-Xw&feature=related
for you john:
http://mmckee.net/pictures/emocharlie.jpg
When I was a little kid Peanuts was a big thing. I remember watching the animated specials. I don’t know if I ever understood them.
When I got older and read the comic strip I found it depressing and uninteresting. Eventually I just started skipping it. I can’t believe they STILL re-run that strip, while dropping comics I LIKED over the years. I can only assume the papers must get it very cheap (since the estate needs it to keep merchandising alive), perhaps they think it is good filler. I won’t shed a tear when Peanuts is forgotten.
Michelle M.: Emo Charlie is hilarious!
Funny Michelle. Well done.
That’s my favorite Peanuts cartoon I’ve ever seen!!!!!
Goblinbox: Professional caroler? I’m not sure if I should be impressed or sorry!
Paul: AWESOMESAUCE! On both counts! Those bits kill me.
Michelle M.: Oh my GOD woman?!!? WHY DON’T YOU HAVE A BLOG OF YOUR OWN?
Michelle: Emo Charlie is hysterical!!!
I simply cannot friggin’ believe how the COMMENTS SECTIONS on this blog are funnier and more interesting and intellectually stimulating than not only almost every other blog out there (excluding those of the puntabugang of course) but than most everything else I read on the interneat.
Adam — you’re 100% right. As far as I’m concerned, there are only two Star Wars movies, the original, and Empire. I was enraged by Jedi when it first came out. Don’t get me started on the Ewoks.
Michelle, in response to your question “I wonder if I would have enjoyed I-III when I was a child (I’d like to think no).” I think the answer *is* no. Not that you might not have enjoyed them at all, but that you would almost certainly not have enjoyed them AS MUCH. When the lights came up after Phantom Menace I was simply stunned. I couldn’t believe how flat and hollow the characters of Qui-Gonn and (the young) Obi-Wan had been. There was more character-development in the Alec Guiness’ version of Obi-Wan’s little finger in 5 minutes worth of the original film than in the entire 2 hours of Phantom Menace. I knew something was wrong in that movie when I found myself mostly paying attention to the marble in the palace than to the story (what story?) or the (boring) action. The first movie is a marvel of storytelling. The characters are vivid, direct, pure. It’s like Homer (sorry, Joshrico, yes, I’m talking about 2,750-year-old literature again).
Craig, you’re wrong, though. People HAVE had the heart to tell Lucas. Bart and Lisa tried to tell him but he just bragged about having perfected digital eyelash rendering. It’s a hopeless cause.
Polt — the Christmas episode and the Hallowe’en episode are still the only ones worth watching.
I cannot believe how hilarious Emo Charlie is. It is, to coin a phrase, “full of teh awesome”
Michelle, meeting you via Puntabulous [feat. your blog-worthy drawingz] was the single greatest accomplishment of mah life.
To be honest…Connie Chung also tried to take George Lucas to task but look what happened:
Chung Barred From Lucas’s Star Wars Bash
Connie Chung and a CNN crew were barred from a press junket on the property of George Lucas’s Skywalker Ranch, north of San Rafael, CA after Chung, in a taped introduction to an interview with Lucas that appeared on CNN on May 7, referred to Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace as a ‘disappointment,’ then alluded to charges that the Jar Jar Binks character represented racial stereotyping, Electronic Media magazine reported today (Monday).
The trade publication’s ‘Insider’ column commented: ‘At CNN, the stance is that Mr. Lucas expected a one-hour love letter and a wet kiss in return for the access CNN was allowed and didn’t feel he got
Adam: Oh, thanks — now the mental image of someone giving George Lukas a wet kiss will be implanted in my mind foreverz. Where’s that unicorn chaser when ya need it?
TwoPi: Try this.