Peanuts turns 75 and still speaks to the child in all of us

For 75 years, Charles Schulz’s Peanuts gang has reflected our humor and hope, as well as our struggle to navigate some of life’s everyday curveballs. How is it that the characters he created so poignantly reflect how we experience other people and the world around us? And why do a ragtag group of comic strip kids who debuted in newspapers in 1950 post-war America, still resonate with children and adults around the world? Andrew Blauner, author of “THE PEANUTS PAPERS: Writers and Cartoonists on Charlie Brown, Snoopy & the Gang, and the Meaning of Life,” sat down with USA TODAY’s The Excerpt to discuss the 75th anniversary of the Peanuts gang and its enduring impact. (This episode originally aired on October 3, 2025.)

Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com. 

Episode transcript available here.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.