Unpacking Peanuts

The show where three cartoonists take an in-depth look at the greatest comic strip of all time-- Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz. Undeniably one of the most influential cartoonists in history, Unpacking Peanuts examines Schulz’s contributions to art, storytelling, and pop culture. Hosts Jimmy Gownley, Harold Buchholz, and Michael Cohen bring their lifelong love and admiration of Peanuts to the conversation. The interaction between the hosts is genuinely funny and insightful as they discuss the strip’s impact on the medium and the world.

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Your Hosts

Your hosts for Unpacking Peanuts are Jimmy Gownley, the cartoonist behind Amelia Rules, The Dumbest Idea Ever, and Seven Good Reasons Not To Grow Up;  Michael Cohen, cartoonist behind A Gathering of Spells, Tangled River and Strange Attractors as well as composer for the band Complicated People, and this podcast;  and Harold Buchholz, executive producer and writer of Mystery Science Theater 3000, former vice-president of Archie comics and cartoonist behind the Instagram strip Sweetest Beasts. Unpacking Peanuts is produced and edited by Liz Sumner.

Episodes

5 days ago

The Legendary cartoonist of MUTTS, the comic strip Charles Schulz once said was “the last great strip of the 20th Century,” stops by to talk about Charles Schulz, the craft of cartooning, comics history and more in this fun conversation. Don’t miss it!
For more about Patrick visit MUTTS.com
Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com
Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 
For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  
Thanks for listening.

Thursday Jan 01, 2026

Happy New Year and welcome to all our new listeners! Here is a little intro to the show along with a look at one of our favorite strips of all time - July 11, 1954.
Sample some of our early interviews in It's A Clip Show Charlie Brown - https://shorturl.at/kOX0f. 
Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 
For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  
Thanks for listening.

Tuesday Dec 23, 2025

Everyone’s favorite abstract bird doodle takes center stage for this episode-long look at Snoopy’s relationship with his “friend of friends” Woodstock. 
Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com
Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 
For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  
Thanks for listening.

Tuesday Dec 09, 2025

The gang takes on the epic task of discussing Snoopy’s many visual changes and go on a few cartooning-related side quests as well… discussing Leonard Starr, Stan Drake, Hal Foster, Harold Gray and more.
Link to Snoopy image:
https://peanuts.fandom.com/wiki/Snoopy?file=Image_2022-06-02_120907435.png
Link to Scott McCloud's pyramid:
https://www.scottmccloud.com/4-inventions/triangle/index.html
Preorder 25th Anniversary Amelia Rules:https://bookshop.org/shop/Gville
Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com
Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 
For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  
Thanks for listening.

Tuesday Nov 25, 2025

Comics legend Mark Evanier stops by to discuss his work on the amazing new book The Essential Peanuts. We discuss Mark’s life in comics including his relationships with icons like Jack Kirby, Jim Davis, and of course, Charles Schulz. 
Mark's Blog https://www.newsfromme.com/
Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com
Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 
For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  
Thanks for listening.

Tuesday Nov 11, 2025

The gang takes a closer look at Michael’s favorite era of Snoopy. Fourth wall breaks, funny punchlines, and a healthy dollop of Beagle violence are all discussed. Then we answer the question…. Who is the GOAT-- Linus or Snoopy?
Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com
Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 
For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  
Thanks for listening.
 

Tuesday Oct 28, 2025

Today, the gang welcomes Andrew Farago: Curator of the Cartoon Art Museum, and author of several books on comics and two on Peanuts in particular. We discuss Andrew’s approach to crafting Snoopy’s “autobiography,” his love of comics in general, and his work on properties from Dune to the Ninja Turtles.
Andrew's book and other museum events are available here:https://www.cartoonart.org/store/snoopy-the-story-of-my-life-the-myth-the-legend-the-beagle
Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com
Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 
For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  
Thanks for listening.

Tuesday Oct 14, 2025

We are thrilled to welcome Paige Braddock, the Creative Director Emeritus for the Schulz Studio. Hired by Charles Schulz himself as Creative Director in 1999, Paige is also the talented cartoonist behind Jane’s World, Peanut, Butter, & Crackers, and more. 
Paige recommends the book Love Letters to Jane's World as a place to start. https://janesworld.us/janes-world/Her current work, Peanut Butter & Crackers, is available from Penguin Books and from Nosy Crow in the UK.https://peanutbutterandcrackers.com/
Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com
Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 
For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  
Thanks for listening.

Sittiin’ in the Mailbox #1

Tuesday Oct 07, 2025

Tuesday Oct 07, 2025

The gang answers your emails in this special fun-sized bonus episode!

Thursday Oct 02, 2025

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of Peanuts, Michael, Harold, and Jimmy each pick their top ten Peanuts strips of all time! Who picks what? Will one character dominate? One Decade? Listen to find out what is the toppermost of the poppermost in Peanuts five decade run of brilliance.
You Tube interview Jimmy mentions: https://youtu.be/s_vmm4JW61U?si=lNs3Cqh-aQTz9D6FOur original discussion of Be Of Good Cheer was in our 1955 Part 2 episode from May 24, 2022 at 0:54:42.
Transcript available at UnpackingPeanuts.com
Unpacking Peanuts is copyright Jimmy Gownley, Michael Cohen, Harold Buchholz, and Liz Sumner. Produced and edited by Liz Sumner. Music by Michael Cohen. Additional voiceover by Aziza Shukralla Clark. 
For more from the show follow @unpackpeanuts on Instagram and Threads, and @unpackingpeanuts on Facebook, Blue Sky, and YouTube. For more about Jimmy, Michael, and Harold, visit unpackingpeanuts.com.  
Thanks for listening.

Copyright 2026 Jimmy Gownley, Harold Buchholz, Michael Cohen, and Liz Sumner. All rights reserved.

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