Snoopy, Bingo, Doolittle and Me

The Charles M. Schulz Museum celebrated its 12th anniversary with free admission and ice cream cake last night. Had a nice low-key time talking with museum Education Director Jessica Ruskin and two people I'm proud to know a little, Brian Narelle and his wife Robin Goodrow.

Brian is a cartoonist/writer/actor who uses comics therapeutically (I need to hook him up with Graphic Medicine...). In his younger days he was one of the stars of the cult classic sci-fi film "Dark Star" playing Lt. Doolittle, directed by a young up-and-comer named John Carpenter.

Brian drew dozens of sketches for kids, and had a line all evening long.

Lt. Doolittle (on left) looks very concerned. If you haven't seen "Dark Star" I recommend it: low budget, smart, weird, and very darkly funny.

If you were a kid growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 80s and 90s, you may remember Robin as the star of the TV program "Buster and Me." More recently she did a program called "Bingo and Molly." Lots of puppetry and positive messages, very sweet.

At arm's length with Robin.

This was Robin a few years ago, with a great ape named Vanilla. As I posted this photo, it occurred to me that Vanilla is pawing her almost exactly as I am in our selfie, just mirror-imaged. 

Between them they've got some Emmy Awards, and they're two of the kinder and gentler people I know. They also knew Robin Williams, so I spent a few minutes talking with Robin about him. Brian was too busy drawing cartoons for museum visitors; he had a line all evening, so I just had a moment to say Hi to him.

Nice people, nice place.