"Happiness Is A Warm Blanket" dvd cover courtesy Warner Premiere. (c) Peanuts Worldwide, LLC

Ushering in a new era of PEANUTS-inspired happiness, Bravo’s Andy Cohen, along with Charles Schulz’s wife and son, Jeannie Schulz and Craig Schulz, welcomed the first original PEANUTS animated special in five years, Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown with an early screening and fundraiser at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California, on March 31.

Visitors were delighted by a special visit from Snoopy, who mingled with guests and brought his unique flair to the evening.

Andy Cohen, a lifelong Snoopy fan, an Executive Vice President at Bravo and the host of Bravo’s Watch What Happens: Live, led the festivities with an “animated” panel discussion with Jeannie Schulz and some of the makers of the film, along with the other panel members who shared unique insights on the making of the film and how it was inspired by the original work of Charles Schulz from the 1960s.

“As Snoopy’s number-one fan, it was a great privilege—and huge fun—for me to help launch a new PEANUTS special,” said Cohen. “Seeing all my PEANUTS friends gathered on screen again made me feel like I was a kid watching A Charlie Brown Christmas for the first time.”

Andy Cohen (l.) and Snoopy photo courtesy Jennifer Graylock-Graylock.com (c) Peanuts Worldwide, LLC

“Our whole concept with this new special was to stay true to the PEANUTS characters’ emotions and to the original look of the strip, while still producing a new story,” said Craig Schulz. “And of course my dad’s work remains at the heart of Happiness is a Warm Blanket.”

“I know Sparky would be honored to see his legacy carried on with this delightful special,” said Jeannie Schulz. “Its release is also paving the way as we continue to adapt PEANUTS material into new formats that introduce the magic of PEANUTS to a whole new generation of fans.”

The evening served as a fundraiser for the Charles M. Schulz Museum’s educational programs, which serve young people from preschool through high school with activities designed to involve and excite children about cartooning and art. The Museum’s mission is to offer these programs to all children regardless of income level, and with the support of Northern California’s generous donors, this private fundraiser will allow the Museum to continue this mission.