Have you ever wanted to own one of the tranquil landscapes of (1942-1995)? Now's your chance to get one for free, during a live game show airing on live shopping marketplace Whatnot ahead of the Super Bowl on Sunday. The event is promising $1 billion in prizes. Ross, the late star of public television's The Joy of Painting, has captivated generations with his soothing voice and cheerful, deftly executed landscapes.
The final results are in for an auction launched on the 2025 finale of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver to benefit public media. As reported by , items including a record-setting Bob Ross painting and a bidet signed by GWAR's Blöthar the Berserker raised a total of nearly $1.54 million dedicated to assisting local public broadcasters by the time bids closed on Monday night.
Bonhams in Los Angeles will auction three of Ross' paintings on Nov. 11. Other auctions will follow in London, New York, Boston and online. All profits are pledged to stations that use content from distributor American Public Television. The idea is to help stations in need with licensing fees that allow them to show popular programs that include "The Best of Joy of Painting," based on Ross' show, "America's Test Kitchen," "Julia Child's French Chef Classics" and "This Old House." Small and rural stations are particularly challenged.
