Thanks all - I think I appreciate the Bob Ross vibe now. I saw the comparison made several times on tiktok, which I’d assume would be a younger crowd, but his legend clearly lives on.
We had Tony Hart in the UK, but it was more art for kids on children’s tv - he also had a gentle, calm air about him.
For obvious reasons, I thought of this thread when I saw the following video explaining logarithms using happy little trees.
It’s important to note that Bob Ross has two important components to his Bob Rossness: demeanor and technique. His demeanor needs no further explanation. His technique, basically what he’s doing/teaching, is something that may not fit with some “X is the Bob Ross of Y” comparisons.
He’s generally dismissed by academics and “real” artists for producing mass-market or even kitschy paintings of banal scenery using a wasteful and sloppy wet-on-wet painting style little different than paint-by-numbers. The gatekeepers of high art don’t appreciate his democratizing influence and seem to regard him in the same light as theme park caricature artists. The general population however loves him and the empowerment he imbues in them to create their own art.
So who has a similar demeanor and influence, AND is loved by the general population while struggling to achieve acceptance in their field? In that vein, I would say Norm Abram is the Bob Ross of woodworking. He’s broadly popular, though he doesn’t exactly have the ASMR qualities of Bob Ross (who does, besides maybe Mr. Rogers?). He’s not particularly well-liked by other carpenters. I’ve heard criticisms of his overuse of biscuit joinery as lazy and structurally unsound, with an over-reliance on glue, to the point of calling him “Biscuit Man.”
I’m sure there’s some cooking personalities that fit this mould. Maybe Jeff Smith (The Frugal Gourmet) before the unfortunate situation, from around the same time as Bob? YouTubers and TikTokers may not have the same cultural saturation even if they fit the general prototype. I think Julia Child might fit, since she was trying to show that fancy French cooking was possible for “normal” people, but I don’t know that she distilled it down to the level of Bob Ross.
How about Martin Yan? (“If Yan can cook, so can you!”)
I was just talking to a friend who’s an anesthesiologist who was telling me about an eccentric colleague who fits both components. I can’t wait to tell him he works with the Bob Ross of Surgery.
Spanish chef Karlos Arguiñano fits the bill. He’s entertaining to watch because he seems like a nice guy, he’s got solid skills, his target audience are average people, he imparts an optimistic attitude and gives good advice on healthy eating and good habits… and he gets criticized a lot, especially by humorless jerks who sniff disapprovingly when his name is mentioned. You know, to let it be known that “he’s not a real chef and I know the difference.”
ETA: Okay, I tried to post a link that’s not going to work here or apparently anywhere outside of the original website. Look for him on YouTube; he’s worth watching.
Huge numbers of Americans know who Bob Ross was. Not just those of us who are old enough to remember him, even: Bob Ross is a popular cosplay character for Gen Z convention-goers.
You’re asking the equivalent of how can people (i.e. Canadians) compare a band to Rush if no one (i.e. Americans) know who that is?
Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time!
I would rephrase that: His paintings were simple but competent. But the videos of him painting, I would maintain, are some of the greatest works of art of all time. I define art as, basically, that which conveys emotion, and Bob Ross videos are excellent at conveying the emotion of calmness.
@Northern_Piper , Ross has a new generation of fans. Most high schoolers are familiar with him. I assume that they’ve found his videos on YouTube.
Delia Smith (but not when her football team is facing relegation).
I think the current middle-aged version of Jamie Oliver qualifies. He’s done a bunch of series on quick, cheap, one-pan meals, and has a very easygoing, earnest, calm demeanor.
I keep reading the title of this thread as “The Bob Ross of [the site formerly known as Twitter]”
I’m not sure who that would be, but it’s definitely no Elon Musk.
I will throw out a couple.
Foo Fighters are the Bob Ross of rock music. Nothing too edgy, fairly formulaic, but competent and good.
Alan Jackson was the Bob Ross of country music before bro country took over. Competent songwriter, nothing offensive, lots of decent songs.
I think Tom Hanks is the Bob Ross of acting and I mean that as a compliment.
I would consider Ming Tsai to be the more Bob Rossy Asian PBS cooking show host.
I’m going to posit that Joe Biden is the Bob Ross of US Presidents. Especially compared to his predecessor, he is calm, measured, utterly without bombast. Even in comparison to other “calm” POTUSES (Obama, both Bushes) he just exudes this aura of being a polite old man. Like the guy you’d play chess with on Tuesdays.