Thu. 12/08 - The Christmas Classic That Almost Never Aired

<p><strong><em>As we go the first Christmas in over half a century without a network TV airing of </em>A Charlie Brown Christmas<em>, an extended reflection on its staying power, unexpected success, and how CBS originally wished they could get out of having to air it at all because they thought it was so bad.</em></strong></p><p>Sponsors:</p><ul><li>Uncommon Goods, Get 15% off your next gift at <a href="http://uncommongoods.com/cool" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">uncommongoods.com/cool</a></li><li>Up First from NPR, Listen wherever you get your podcasts</li></ul><p>Links:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/12/charlie-browns-interior-christmas-adventure/617484/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Charlie Brown Christmas Special: An Inside Job</a> (The Atlantic)&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://archive.org/details/1221_Economy_Twins_Cigar_Ernie_60-339_Ford_TV_Spot_1960" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Peanuts "Economy Twins" (Ford TV Spot 1960)</a> (Internet Archive)&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF3PJcQ7YHw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ford Falcon - Peanuts (1961)</a> (YouTube)&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/the-most-famous-music-from-a-charlie-brown-christmas-was-originally-written-for-a-different-project/16357/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The most famous music from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" was originally written for a different project</a> (PBS, 2020)</li><li><a href="https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/charlie%20brown.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">“A Charlie Brown Christmas”—Vince Guaraldi (1965)</a> (Library of Congress)</li><li><a href="https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2005-12-05-charlie-brown-christmas_x.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Christmas classic that almost wasn't</a> (USA Today, 2005)</li><li><a href="https://www.google.com/books/editio