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Bob Ross paintings to be auctioned to raise money for public TV stations after funding cuts

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Bob Ross paintings to be auctioned to raise money for public TV stations after funding cuts


Thirty paintings created by the bushy-haired, soft-spoken Bob Ross will soon be up for auction to defray the costs of programming for small and rural public television stations suffering under cuts in federal funding.

Ross, a public television stalwart in the 1980s and ’90s, “dedicated his life to making art accessible to everyone,” said Joan Kowalski, president of Bob Ross Inc. “This auction ensures his legacy continues to support the very medium that brought his joy and creativity into American homes for decades.”

The 30 paintings to be auctioned span his career. Most were created on-air during single episodes of Ross’ show, “The Joy of Painting.” Ross was known for his calm demeanor. During the show, he often spoke about painting happy little clouds and trees, and making no mistakes, only “happy accidents.” He died of cancer complications in 1995. 

Bonhams in Los Angeles will auction three of Ross’ paintings on Nov. 11. Other auctions will follow in London, New York, Boston and online. Bonhams sold two early 1990s mountain-and-lake scenes of Ross in August for $114,800 and $95,750.

Bob Ross, the host of the classic instruction series “The Joy of Painting,” taught viewers how to create “happy little trees.”

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The auctions of the 30 paintings soon to be sold have an estimated total value of $850,000 to $1.4 million, Bonhams said. 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.”

As desired by President Donald Trump, Congress has eliminated $1.1 billion allocated to public broadcasting, leaving about 330 PBS and 246 NPR stations to find alternative funding sources. 

Many stations launched emergency fund drives. Some stations have received more help than they expected, CBS News previously reported. North Carolina public radio station WQHR raised more than $200,000 in just three days, surpassing the $174,000 they needed to fill. Hawaii Public Radio lost $525,000, but donations raised $650,000.

NPR has also encouraged donors in wealthier areas to support stations in regions that are in greater need. PBS and NPR have also worked to reduce the annual dues stations pay for programming and other services to lower their costs. Some stations are working on collaborations to see if they can share services and reduce costs. 

Still, the federal cuts have had an impact. Not all stations have seen an outpouring of donors. PBS slashed its budget by 21% and laid off about 100 employees in September. Stations have also had to lay off staff and reduce programming, CBS News previously reported. No stations have shut down yet, but operators are worried about what happens if donor money dries up. 

“I am a realist,” PBS president Paula Kerger said in September. “I have to believe that there are some vulnerable stations that are not going to make it.”

National Public Radio president and CEO Katherine Maher told CBS News in July that defunding public media services “is a real risk to the public safety of the country.” 

“Public media, public radio, public television, are a critical part of the emergency response plans of nearly half of the states in this nation,” Maher said in an interview with CBS News. “If these types of emergency alerting go away, you will have fewer outlets to be able to respond in real time” to future natural disasters.    



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Sophie Turner triggers mixed reaction with ‘Tomb Raider’ reveal

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Sophie Turner triggers mixed reaction with ‘Tomb Raider’ reveal


Sophie Turner triggers mixed reaction with ‘Tomb Raider’ reveal

Sophie Turner, actress who is best known for her role in Game of Thrones, has stepped into the iconic role of Lara Croft for upcoming Tomb Raider series on Prime Video.

Amazon MGM Studios recently released first image from the series to mark the start of filming and it quickly sparked buzz online, getting mix reactions debate among fans.

Sophie leads the big cast that includes Sigourney Weaver, Jason Isaacs, Martin Bobb-Semple, Jack Bannon, John Heffernan, Bill Paterson, Paterson Joseph, Sasha Luss, Juliette Motamed, Celia Imrie and August Wittgenstein.

In the show, Lara Croft travels the world on thrilling adventures, solving puzzles and seeking treasures just like in the games.

However, fans shared their different reactions to the first look, with one saying: “It’s giving Halloween shoot sorry,” while other penned, “Go girl give us nothing.”

Another echoed, “Sorry, but Angelina Jolie is and always will be my Lara.”

They appeared to be unsure about her styling if Sophie looked tough enough, while others praised the costume and thought tat it stayed true to the games.

For the unversed, Tomb Raider is created, written and executive produced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who co-showruns with Chad Hodge.





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Robert Downey Jr. hails Timothée Chalamet as ‘one of the greats’

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Robert Downey Jr. hails Timothée Chalamet as ‘one of the greats’


Robert Downey Jr. hails Timothée Chalamet as ‘one of the greats’

Robert Downey Jr. gave Timothée Chalamet validation that he has reached the level of excellence he’s been striving for.

The Dune star has long spoken openly about his “pursuit of greatness” and now, he’s gotten a major seal of approval from the legend.

During a recent Q&A for Marty Supreme, the Avengers: Doomsday star didn’t hold back, calling the newly minted Golden Globes Best Actor winner “one of the greats.”

“You’ve talked a lot lately about this,” Downey, 60, said about Chalamet’s great ambitions. “I am literally twice your age. When I was 30, I was making a movie with Norman Jewison.”

He recalled, “It was called Only You. Me and Marisa Tomei. We were on the Amalfi coast somewhere and I just go to Norman Jewison, you know Moonstruck and all these great movies, I go, ‘Norman, I think I am one of the greats.'”

Robert Downey Jr. hails Timothée Chalamet as ‘one of the greats’

“I want you to tell me if you agree with that.” the Iron Man lead continued. “He looked at me like I was nuts. He said, ‘Well, Mr. Downey, that remains to be seen.'”

“And I want to say in front of God and everyone in this audience here with you that as of Marty Supreme, it no longer remains to be seen. Let’s hear it for, Timothée Chalamet,” he added.

For the unversed, the 30-year-old French-American actor openly told the industry about wanting to be a great actor during his acceptance speech at the 2025 SAG Awards.

“I can’t downplay the significance of this award, because it means the most to me,” Chalamet said in his acceptance speech after he won best actor for playing Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown.

“I know we’re in a subjective business, but the truth is, I’m really in pursuit of greatness. I know people don’t usually talk like that, but I want to be one of the greats. I am inspired by the greats,” he added.

It is pertinent to note that Marty Supreme has shattered one record after another since opening over the holidays.

Its latest box office milestone came Tuesday when passing up Leonardo DiCaprio’s rival Oscar contender One Battle After Another to end the day with an estimated cume of $72.27 million, according to A24.

The newly released film Marty Supreme earned Chalamet his first Critics’ Choice and Golden Globe awards, making him a frontrunner for a Best Actor Oscar at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards.





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Ishrat Fatima joins PTV as mentor a day after quitting Radio Pakistan

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Ishrat Fatima joins PTV as mentor a day after quitting Radio Pakistan


Information Minister Atta Tarar (left) meets veteran broadcaster Ishrat Fatima at her residence in Islamabad on January 15, 2026. — Screengrab via X@RadioPakistan

Information Minister Atta Tarar has announced the return of veteran broadcaster Ishrat Fatima to Pakistan Television, where she will serve as a mentor to aspiring newscasters and broadcasters.

The announcement was made during a media interaction at her residence in Islamabad, where the minister appeared alongside the veteran broadcaster. The development comes after Fatima’s retirement, marking the end of her 45-year-long association with Radio Pakistan.

Tarar expressed his gratitude to Fatima for accepting his request to rejoin Pakistan Television as an expert and mentor. He noted that her expertise would be invaluable in training newcomers in the art of news reading and broadcasting under various circumstances.

“She is a seasoned newscaster with an illustrious career,” the minister remarked and added, “Every Pakistani identified her voice as she brings over four and a half decades of experience and service to the nation.”

“Following her retirement from Radio Pakistan, I personally requested her to join PTV to train the next generation and promote the Urdu language. Her return will encourage us all and strengthen PTV as an institution. Throughout her career, she maintained professional integrity without any political associations.”

The minister said there would be a surprise upon her formal return, noting that Pakistan Television is all set to welcome her back.

Speaking to the media, the veteran broadcaster described news reading as her lifelong passion and thanked the minister for honoring her with this responsibility.

Fatima said that she looks forward to teaching the younger generation and contributing to the betterment of the institution. She also urged the government to continue encouraging competent individuals in every field.





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