UPDATE, December 15, 2009: ABC aired A Charlie Brown Christmas with the scenes cut from the December 8 airing restored.
Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales, from 2002, aired immediately following the 1965 special so there was an hour allotted in ABC's prime time schedule, permitting ample time for plenty of commercials without taking a hatchet to the beloved original holiday classic.
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Last Tuesday, A Charlie Brown Christmas was scheduled to air at 7:00 PM CT on ABC.
When Obama trotted off to West Point to deliver his prime time address on his war in Afghanistan, Charlie Brown was bumped from the lineup and rescheduled to air at the same time on the following Tuesday.
I always look forward to the annual airing of the program. It doesn't seem like Christmas without it. With the Christmas tree lit and huge snowflakes falling outside, I thought all would be right with the world for a brief 30 minutes as I watched the holiday classic.
Wrong.
ABC chopped it up, omitting memorable scenes, to fit in more commercials.
Sacrilege!
Where was the scene where Sally asks big brother Charlie Brown to help her write her letter to Santa?
Where was the scene where they catch snowflakes on their tongues?
Where was the scene where they throw snowballs at the can on the fence?
Where was the scene where Schroeder and Lucy discuss the merits of Beethoven?
Where was the scene where Lucy struggles to get Schroeder to play a version of "Jingle Bells" on his piano that's to her liking?
Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone.
It was very sleazy of ABC to chop up the special so dramatically. It was deceptive of ABC to advertise that it was airing A Charlie Brown Christmas. ABC aired an inexcusably condensed version.
At least the network left Linus' recitation of the story of the birth of Jesus according to the Gospel of Luke intact.
I wonder who decided to cut up A Charlie Brown Christmas to sell more commercial spots. What a scrooge!
It's sad that this beloved holiday program, which condemns the commercialism that eats away at the true meaning of Christmas, fell victim to it.
ABC, don't mess with A Charlie Brown Christmas. 
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
ABC: Charlie Brown Christmas, Scenes Cut
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12 comments:
Ironic - isn't it. I guess the top brass at ABC really didn't learn the whole idea that this show was trying to teach us.
Next year, ABC will air the "special" version of Charlie Brown Christmas. It will be 24 minutes of previews and commercials and fast-forwarded version of the show that airs in 3 minutes. They will also replace the Vince Guarldi soundtrack with the Black-Eyed Peas hip hop version of "Christmastime is Here". Mazel tov!
ABC WILL here from me!!!!
that was just Wrong!!!!
ABC chopped it up, omitting memorable scenes, to fit in more commercials.
Sacrilege!
Where was the scene where Sally asks big brother Charlie Brown to help her write her letter to Santa?
Where was the scene where they catch snowflakes on their tongues?
Where was the scene where they throw snowballs at the can on the fence?
Where was the scene where Schroeder and Lucy discuss the merits of Beethoven?
Where was the scene where Lucy struggles to get Schroeder to play a version of "Jingle Bells" on his piano that's to her liking?
I just might boycott the rest of thier programing
billy
charlotte NC
It was only a couple of seconds but they also cut Shermy complaining about being a shepherd again too.
I agree. This was blasphemy. We all need to let ABC know how upset we all are.
I was also upset about ABC's editing of A Charlie Brown Christmas. I didn't realize it until I noticed the "Jingle Bells" scene was cut out. It also appeared that some scenes were sped up. I make sure I watch this classic every year. What ABC did is an outrage.
Thank you for noticing! I was upset by this too! Just isn't the same without Lucy asking for deck them halls and all that fa la la.
I totally agree. As soon as the program finished, I emailed ABC (not that it will do any good) to say it was very ironic that the meaning of the program was about Christmas being commercialized and they cut it up to sell more commercials.
That's right! Shermy's line about always being a shepherd was cut.
My kids and I noticed the sync was off by a fraction of a second, too. Voices were just a tiny bit later than the animation. Probably due to all the cutting. Too bad.
Supposedly, ABC is airing the unedited version on Tuesday, Dec 15th. My cable guide shows it as being scheduled, though it doesn't mention what version it is. It does run a full hour instead of 30 minutes, though, so it could be true.
I was appalled by the cuts. I'd rather see it on YouTube. No commercials or cuts at all!
The 12/15 version damn well BETTER be the full piece.
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