Happy Thanksgiving

by John Holbo on November 26, 2015

The older daughter has a Holiday TV Special thought: “Isn’t it ironic that Bill Watterson wouldn’t commercialize his stuff, but Calvin would have loved to have his face plastered on everything. Charles Schulz licensed everything about “Peanuts” to go on everything, and Charlie Brown would have hated that.”

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

{ 32 comments }

1

Gary Othic 11.26.15 at 11:44 am

That is a very sharp observation… One that I missed entirely and which I suspect means I can no longer consider myself a dedicated Calvin and Hobbes reader.

2

bdbd 11.26.15 at 3:20 pm

Oh good grief!

3

Donald Pruden, Jr., a/k/a The Enemy Combatant 11.26.15 at 3:34 pm

“Holy cow-a-saurus!”, as Fred Flintstone would have said!

That is SOOO right!

I will spread that insight (properly citing source, of course) every time ACBC airs!

4

Snarki, child of Loki 11.26.15 at 4:07 pm

Why, it’s almost as if authors have different personality and motivation as the characters they create!

5

Lynne 11.26.15 at 4:45 pm

Happy Thanksgiving to the Americans here!

6

MPAVictoria 11.26.15 at 4:46 pm

“Happy Thanksgiving to the Americans here!”

Seconded!

7

geo 11.26.15 at 5:01 pm

But the Americans here (on CT and similar) are so intimately acquainted with America’s endless global and domestic depredations that we can’t possibly be happy and thankful. While those Americans who are happy and thankful can’t possibly be intimately acquainted with America’s endless global and domestic depredations.

Oh well, I tried to construct an irony parallel in structure to your daughter’s, but somehow I don’t think I succeeded.

Anyway, harden your hearts for a day, American CTers, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

8

William Timberman 11.26.15 at 5:22 pm

Ah, I don’t know, geo. The things I’m happy about and thankful for seem to endure despite the global and domestic depredations of our time. As I see it, homo sum, etc., can be an acknowledgment without ever being reduced to an easy excuse, nor an evasion of what we know to be true despite our fondest hopes. Maybe it’s visits with my four-year-old grandchildren (twins) that encourage me to demur. In any case, I remain something of an optimist — much chastened by experience, but an optimist nevertheless.

9

harry b 11.26.15 at 5:37 pm

Well, I’m thankful that America produced geo. And that he comments on CT. Though he’s probably more Charlie Brown than Calvin?

10

The Temporary Name 11.26.15 at 6:55 pm

The things I’m happy about and thankful for seem to endure despite the global and domestic depredations of our time.

Rocks aren’t THAT interesting.

11

Neville Morley 11.26.15 at 6:55 pm

I am wondering how to construct a geo-esque irony parallel about posts one wants to like that have no Like button, whereas the platforms that have Like buttons…

12

Gary Othic 11.26.15 at 7:38 pm

Yes, forgot to say, Happy Thanksgiving!

Although, thinking about it, I suppose Thanksgiving is coming at a slightly awkward moment this year, seeing as how a large section of the American media and political class is roaring about how if they give refugees food and shelter they’ll destroy their civilization…

13

Art Deco 11.26.15 at 7:39 pm

The older daughter has a Holiday TV Special thought: “Isn’t it ironic that Bill Watterson wouldn’t commercialize his stuff, but Calvin would have loved to have his face plastered on everything. Charles Schulz licensed everything about “Peanuts” to go on everything, and Charlie Brown would have hated that.”

Charles M. Schulz sold comics to syndicates for a living. So did Watterson. He also assembled collections in paper back format. So did Watterson. In your daughter’s mind, that’s art but producing animated cartoons for television and screen and licensing images to appear on posters and lunchboxes is somehow dirty. (And retiring at the age of 37 is totes OK).

14

The Temporary Name 11.26.15 at 7:54 pm

I am thankful for telepathy.

15

Omega Centauri 11.26.15 at 8:18 pm

“Rocks aren’t THAT interesting.”
They are to a GEOlogist.
Ice is interesting to a glaciologist.
Snow is interesting to a skier…..

Diversification of interests is a big plus.

16

The Temporary Name 11.26.15 at 9:04 pm

I’d be thankful for a jokeologist.

17

Rakesh Bhandari 11.26.15 at 9:22 pm

To properly thankful, do we recall worse times and harder lives to enjoy the contrast effect; or does the recall of worse times and harder lives make us experience them? Or do we begin with putting brandy in the morning coffee, go from there and see how that will turn out.

18

kidneystones 11.26.15 at 9:35 pm

“Charlie Brown would have hated that.”

But what Charlie feels comfortable about really isn’t the only issue. Snoopy would have been thrilled, as would Lucy, and perhaps Sally.

Times change.

19

The Temporary Name 11.26.15 at 9:41 pm

20

John Holbo 11.26.15 at 11:27 pm

“In your daughter’s mind, that’s art but producing animated cartoons for television and screen and licensing images to appear on posters and lunchboxes is somehow dirty.”

Ah, by commercialize – I think that was her word – she meant something like merchandize. She is, in fact, more on Schulz’ side than Watterson’s.

21

ZM 11.27.15 at 12:53 am

I think this is sweet, a Thanksgiving message conveyed by a quietly proud anecdote of your daughter’s observation of an irony.

Happy Thanksgiving to the Americans.

22

Mike Schilling 11.27.15 at 1:33 am

Watterson didn’t retire; he changed careers. Should he have checked with you first, Art?

23

Greg 11.27.15 at 5:35 am

FWIW, with regard to optimism / pessimism I just watched an old interview with Peter Ustinov, and discussing his work with Unicef he had this to say:

“I think pessimism is totally out of date, I think that’s a romantic indulgence. I don’t think anybody can afford to be pessimistic anymore. I mean, there’s so much that can go wrong that optimism is the only thing that’s possible … I’ve always thought that the optimist was a person who knew exactly how sad the world could be and the pessimist finds out anew every morning … I’m optimistic because you simply have to be, it’s an obligation.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfxxEfdmn_Y about 53 mins in.

24

CJColucci 11.27.15 at 4:10 pm

John @20–Admirable restraint in responding to someone who has insulted your daughter. You’re obviously a nicer person than I am.

25

Richard Cottrell 11.27.15 at 4:31 pm

How curious no-one mentioned the upcoming WWIII as America’s thanksgiving gift to the world this year.
Gee. Thanks.

26

dn 11.27.15 at 4:49 pm

The LA Review of Books featured a piece earlier this year on the love-hate relationship between Schulz and Watterson: https://lareviewofbooks.org/essay/selling-newspaper-comic-strip

27

The Temporary Name 11.27.15 at 6:42 pm

Via dn:

Even today, the tension between Schulz’s craft and commerce remains unresolved. Since 2004, Fantagraphics Books, an independent publisher in Seattle, has released two lovingly designed hardcover volumes of the strip’s complete run per year.

The first set has a really long and terrific interview with Schulz, who seemed as agonized as Charlie Brown about everything he did.

The Peanuts movie is fast, mostly free of philosophy, and Charlie Brown triumphs.

28

Ronan(rf) 11.27.15 at 6:50 pm

As always, I agree with ZM

29

John Holbo 11.28.15 at 10:04 am

“Admirable restraint in responding to someone who has insulted your daughter.”

Thanks. I have not the slightest doubt that my daughter could hold her own against Art Deco in aesthetico-philosophical debate about Schulz vs. Watterson. So I can afford to be indulgent in these matters.

30

Mike Schilling 11.28.15 at 4:11 pm

Charlie Brown was a Giants fan during their long period of futility (1954-2010). That leads to a pessimistic outlook, verging on nihilism.

31

Dean C. Rowan 11.28.15 at 9:56 pm

Nice thread. I can only add that the best parts of the best Peanuts shows were dominated by Vince Guaraldi, and that Vince Guaraldi was dominated by a handlebar mustache.

32

Mdc 11.30.15 at 12:34 am

Circa 1950

Panel 1: Charlie Brown : ” Gee, this man is so famous they put his picture on the cover of a magazine.”

Panel 2: Charlie Brown to Patty: ” Patty, do you think I’ll ever be on the cover of a magazine? ”

Panel 3: Patty: “Sure, if it’s a comic magazine! ”

Panel 4: Patty, chased by an enraged Charlie: “Sometimes I get the best of that ol’ Charlie Brown! “

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