BBB Etymology - Peanut gallery

The term originated in the days of vaudeville as a nickname for the cheapest (and therefore rowdiest) seats in the theater; the cheapest snack served at the theater would often be peanuts, which the patrons would sometimes throw at the performers on stage to show their disapproval.

In the 1950s, The Howdy Doody Show adopted the name to represent their audience of 40 kids.