After the Trump administration gutted funding for public broadcasting, public radio and TV stations have been scrambling for cash to keep themselves afloat. It’s gotten so dire that PBS icon Bob Ross, the soothing afro-clad painter who whipped up pleasant scenic portraits, is posthumously fundraising for the medium that made him a cult icon.
Thirty original Bob Ross paintings are hitting the auction block, and the proceeds are going straight to public TV stations across America. These stations are currently hemorrhaging cash due to a $1.1 billion cut from Republicans in Congress.
That money used to fund the likes of PBS and NPR, but per former President Trump’s request, it’s gone now. Stations are now scrambling to pinch every penny they possibly can. They’re cutting staff, canceling programs, and launching emergency fundraisers to survive.
Bob Ross Paintings Being Auctioned To Support Public Broadcasting After Budget Cuts
Bob Ross has been dead since 1995. But even he has been conscripted in the battle to keep public broadcasting afloat. His company, Bob Ross Inc., has teamed up with auction house Bonhams to offload 30 of his paintings, including some created live on The Joy of Painting.
His tranquil landscapes filled with happy little trees will be auctioned in Los Angeles on November 11. More options are coming down the line in New York, Boston, and London, and there will even be an online fundraiser.
If, like me, you heard that and thought maybe you might join in on the auction to own a little piece of the TV show that brought you so much joy throughout your life, then, like me, you might be scared off by some of the estimated numbers these paintings are going to sell for.
Two Ross originals already sold this year for nearly $115K and $96K. Bonhams estimates the whole batch of 30 could rake in between $850,000 and $1.4 million.
At least it will be going to a good cause. The cash will be earmarked to help smaller rural stations afford licensing fees for beloved public broadcasting programs like America’s Test Kitchen, Julia Child’s French Chef Classics, and, of course, The Best Of Joy Of Painting.
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