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This article originally appeared on 09.01.15

The soft sound of slow-moving water down a creek. The smell of fresh coffee roasting in the morning. A thick blanket resting across your lap during the first snowfall of winter.

Sure, you might find these things soothing. But none of them — none of them — compares to watching (and listening to) Bob Ross paint.

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All GIFs via “The Joy of Painting.”

In case you’ve never experienced Ross, he’s that “soft spoken guy painting happy clouds, mountains, and trees in about 26 television minutes,” as his website explains. And if you think that sounds boring, well, you’re wrong. It’s one magical half-hour of television euphoria. End of discussion.

Ross died back in 1995 (rest in peace, Bob), but you can still catch his show, “The Joy of Painting,” on TV from time-to-time (or you can binge watch it on YouTube after a rough day at work). His website claims it’s the “most recognized, most watched TV art show in history.” And who could argue with that? No one. No one, I tell you.

Although it’s been more than two decades since Ross’ show was canceled, one episode recently resurfaced online.

An especially old one — episode four of season two — made its way onto the front page of Reddit on Sept. 1, 2015. It begins like any other: Ross smiling brightly next to a blank canvas, ready to take us on an endorphin-filled visual journey.

But then, plot twist, as Ross explains, this episode won’t be quite as colorful as the others…

“Anyone can paint.” (I wish he could give me Monday morning pep talks every week.)

In case you want to print out that quote and hang it on your wall or something (we could all use a little more Bob-spiration, after all), here it is in its entirety:

“Just recently I was doing a demonstration in a mall, and I had a man come to me and he said, ‘Bob, I could never paint because I’m colorblind. All I can see is gray tones.’ So I thought today we’d do a picture in gray just to show you that anyone can paint.”

Ross had a wonderful habit of reminding viewers that art is for everyone.

While his talents were extraordinary, Ross never made viewers feel like they couldn’t create their own beautiful works of art, too.

The colorblind fan could have had achromatopsia — a condition that affects roughly 1 in every 33,000 Americans by limiting their vision to see only in grayscale. But Ross was determined to make painting — an activity seemingly dependent on color — an accessible art form for him: “Any color will work, as long as you use the basic method.”

In the episode, Ross goes on to paint his own version of 50 shades of gray, masterfully creating rocky mountains behind a wintry sky.

As Ross explains, he only used various hues of browns and blues mixed together (which end up coming through as various grays), along with white.

“Isn’t that fantastic? That you can make whole mountains in minutes? And you can do it. There’s no big secret to it. All you need is a dream in your heart.”

Bob Ross was incredible.

Not only at painting (and assuring me with that soothing voice that the world is a wonderful place), but at helping everyone feel good about themselves and their own abilities. Thank you, Bob.

Check out the whole episode below:

Bob Ross – Shades of Grey (Season 2 Episode 4)

Bob Ross fans! It’s ‘time’ for some happy trees, and we’ve got just what you need: https://pxlfy.me/BobRossWatchMightyMojoToysBundle up and endure the cold w…

This article originally appeared on 06.07.18

A few nights ago, I was sitting in a dark theater — popcorn in hand and tears leaking down my face — embarrassingly bent out of a shape from a movie trailer. Fred Rogers was to blame.

The whimsical theme song to “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” concluded a short but powerfully nostalgic preview for the new documentary about the soft-spoken star, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” And yeah, I’d morphed into a teary-eyed hot mess in a matter of seconds.

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A question popped into my queer little brain right then, though, and I’m not entirely sure why:

Could Rogers have quietly been a homophobe?

He was a religious dude who grew up in a wildly different era than today. It’s a toxic combination that, if we’re overgeneralizing and I reflect on my personal experience, tends to produce the worst kinds of homophobes. Had the former Presbyterian minister been as saintly to queers like me as he’d been to seemingly everyone else?

I needed answers! So I went searching.

But first, let it be known that I respect Rogers and cherish the mark his big-hearted series left on me and generations past; I certainly wasn’t looking for justifications to write a “Mister Rogers” hit piece. In a dark and dreary world, Rogers was a reliably bright light, and I wanted whatever I discovered to confirm my suspicions that the beloved children’s advocate was a benevolent force for good — and nothing else.

But one thing I’ve come to learn as a jaded gay man is that the more flawless a fave of mine seems to be, the harder they fall from the high pedestal I’ve placed them on once their shortcomings inevitably air. Rogers could very well be the latest victim of my hero-worshipping, I warned myself, opening a Google tab with a preemptive cringe.

Here are the two big things I discovered:

1. Rogers’ unfaltering kindness and compassion certainly extended to the LGBTQ community.

Rogers didn’t go on the record with specific opinions about LGBTQ people or the matters that affect them (at least from what I could find). But others have reported their experiences with him on the topic. By putting those puzzle pieces together, I would confidently argue that Rogers saw the humanity in LGBTQ people.

He didn’t let his faith box him into any certain ideology regarding gay people or their rights. Michael G. Long, who authored the biographical “Peaceful Neighbor: Discovering the Countercultural Mister Rogers,” noted Rogers’ church in Pittsburgh was and continues to be inclusive to the LGBTQ community. Rogers’ widow, Joanne, has said her husband had close friends who were gay, according to Slate.

He also stood strong against outside pressures to use his platform to condemn same-gender relationships, according to Vox’s Todd VanDerWerff. Panning homosexuality likely would have been applauded by many parents tuning in, as mainstream America widely embraced homophobic attitudes throughout much of Rogers’ reign.

But doing such a thing on-air never felt right to the sweater-loving saint. “He felt everybody was, in some way, a reflection of God,” VanDerWerff wrote.

2. But Rogers wasn’t immune to the backward views society has held of queer people.

While Rogers hired and befriended Francois Clemmons — a gay man who played Officer Clemmons in the series for 25 years — he didn’t necessarily want the show associated with Clemmons’ sexual orientation, either.

After word got back to Rogers that Clemmons had been spotted in a gay bar, Rogers asked the actor to avoid such venues, fearful Clemmons’ sexuality would bring negative attention to the show.

“It was not a personal statement of how he felt about me,” Clemmons assured UU World in 2016, noting the two remained close friends. “It had to do with the economics of the show.”

Rogers urged him to stay in the closet, believing Clemmons’ sexuality may alienate viewers. He encouraged him to marry a woman, too. Clemmons did — and the relationship ended in divorce a few years later.

It’s difficult to reconcile the harmful actions of an icon who lived in a different time.

I wish Rogers had addressed Clemmons’ predicament differently, of course. I wish he’d celebrated Clemmons’ queerness on screen and off and allowed the actor to sashay his way on stage one trailblazing episode, rainbow flag held high.

But that’s the thing: The rainbow flag wasn’t associated with LGBTQ pride when Clemmons considered leaving the closet, because LGBTQ pride wasn’t even a thing in those pre-Stonewall days (at least in the mainstream). It’s not reasonable for me to expect a straight, cisgender man — even a superhero like Rogers — to possess a visionary moral compass and will to champion queer rights half a century before same-gender marriage even became normalized.

Rogers was extraordinary — but he wasn’t a social justice clairvoyant.

Mister Rogers’ empathetic nature pushed him, and his viewers, to be bold and continually grow in wonderful ways.

It’s what has helped enshrine my appreciation for him and his show.

He adored kids and relentlessly fought for their wellbeing. His show regularly took on important and tough topics, like racism, the messiness of divorce, and the importance of inclusion. In many ways, Rogers was well ahead of his time, boldly pushing boundaries in the right directions.

Even on queer issues, Rogers evolved as time went on.

As Long wrote for HuffPost in 2014, Rogers’ perspective on Clemmons’ sexuality shifted throughout the years:

“Rogers evidently believed Clemmons would tank his career had he come out as a gay man in the late 1960s. But — and this is a crucial point — Rogers later revised his counsel to his younger friend. As countless gays came out more publicly following the Stonewall uprising, Rogers even urged Clemmons to enter into a longterm and stable gay relationship. And he always warmly welcomed Clemmons’ gay friends whenever they visited the television set in Pittsburgh.”

I can’t speak for Mister Rogers, of course. But he was the one who always told me, “I like you just the way you are.”

If he were around today, I’d like to think queer kids would feel right at home in his neighborhood, too.

Watch the trailer (that made me cry) for “Won’t You Be My Neightbor?” below:

Despite skipping out on the Grammys after his album, Tickets To My Downfall, failed to get a single Grammy nomination last year, Machine Gun Kelly is back to help present the nominees for the 2023 Grammys.

While Kelly may have had a bone to pick with the Recording Academy in 2022 — “wtf is wrong with the grammys,” he tweeted — it seems the tension may have resolved. But some folks quickly pointed out that while Kelly was reading the Comedy and Music for Visual Media Nominations, there appeared to be an underlying tone of aggravation.

“I am Machine Gun Kelly, and I will be attempting to read for the first time in my life today,” he said flatly before wishing some of his friends up for nomination at the Latin Grammys, which will be taking place later this week.

“I am excited to be celebrating music of all kinds and am excited to read the nominees for visual media,” he continued.

While it’s unclear if MGK was unhappy to be there, his monotone voice and lackluster attitude didn’t help clear up any confusion.

Along with MGK, Olivia Rodrigo, John Legend, Luis Fonsi, Smokey Robinson, Jimmie Allen, and Ledisi, as well as Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. and CBS Mornings co-anchors Gayle King, and Nate Burleson helped hand out nominations for this year’s award show.

Check out the video of MGK presenting 2023 Grammys nominees below. Find the full list of 65th Annual Grammy Awards nominees here.

The nominations for the 2023 Grammy Awards were officially released today. One of the most coveted awards of the night is Album Of The Year. While many fans had hoped their favorite artists would receive a nod in a very strong competition between powerhouse artists, only a few albums were selected. Here’s who is in the running for one of the major accolades at next year’s Grammys.

First up on the Album Of The Year list is the legendary Swedish pop band ABBA, who are nominated for their album, Voyage. Adele, typically a given in terms of Grammy nods, is included for her record, 30. Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny was deemed one of this summer’s standouts by many fans, making its appearance in the AOTY category a well-deserved spot.

Beyoncé’s Renaissance is also a strong contender this year, with nine total nominations, including one in this top-tier category. Folk and blues powerhouse Brandi Carlile is up for AOTY with her seventh studio album, 2021’s In These Silent Days. Being released in October after the cutoff, it was included in the nominations for 2023.

Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres are also a 2021 entry that continued momentum with a massive tour this year. Harry Styles received his first nomination in this category for his popular third album, Harry’s House.

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar marked a strong return for the rapper. Lizzo’s Special was also loved by her fans upon its July release.

Last but not least, Mary J. Blige is included for the deluxe version of her album, Good Morning Gorgeous.

The official 2023 Grammy Awards air on February 5. Check out the full list of 65th Annual Grammy Awards nominees here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Aussies are coming! Fresh off the release of three new albums, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have their eyes set on a North American tour. As if preparing for a nearly four-month-long international trek wasn’t hard enough, the indie rockers want to ensure their fans in the United States don’t feel left out.

The band took to Instagram to share the residency news with the caption, “USA, we love you — so much so we’re coming back as soon as we can. We all waited so long for our last lap around the country [and] it feels like a such a wild and exciting privilege to be coming back so soon. We like to keep things interesting, different, fun, and unexpected for us but also for you, our fans.”

If fans want to get a taste of the group’s live show before then, their new full-length concert film, Chunky Schrapnel, is set to premiere across the country beginning early next month. The documentary, directed by John Angus Stewart, is a deep dive into their 2019 tour stops.

See below for King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s full schedule.

06/01/2023 — Grundy County, TN @ The Caverns Underground
06/02/2023 — Grundy County, TN @ The Caverns Underground
06/03/2023 — Grundy County, TN @ The Caverns Amphitheater
06/07/2023 — Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
06/08/2023 — Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
06/11/2023 — Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
06/12/2023 — Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
06/13/2023 — Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
06/16/2023 — Carnation, WA @ Carnation Farms
06/17/2023 — Carnation, WA @ Carnation Farms
06/18/2023 — Carnation, WA @ Carnation Farms
06/21/2023 –Los Angeles, CA @ The Hollywood Bowl

There is a common misconception that every Taylor Swift fan is a teenage girl because she was a teenage girl when she became a global sensation, and people seem to get hung up on that. The reality is that Swift has been doing this for over a decade, which means all of her teenage fans have grown up into millennials who have too many credit cards that they are not afraid to use on over-priced tickets. They can’t buy a house anyway, so why even save money?

But that ticket-buying process quickly became a chaotic mess of thousands (millions? billions?) of fans waiting in the Ticketmaster queue for upwards of three hours, bringing the site crumbling down in shambles. To make matters worse, Resident Millenial Defender and US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to Twitter to remind swifties and the world that maybe Ticketmaster should not exist at all.

Ticketmaster merged with Livenation in 2010, which caused a ripple effect throughout the music industry, with one of the consequences being an upcharge in service fees and charges. Things have only gotten worse over the years as artists begin touring again after COVID-related delays, which is why more artists have been openly critical of the company’s current model. Now, buying tickets has become so financially and emotionally draining, government officials had to step in!

Obviously, many agreed with AOC’s comments, as both artists and officials broke down just how cruel the service can be towards fans who are just trying to see their favorite artists.

Cortez has voiced support for Swift in the past, most recently when she went head-to-head with Scooter Braun over control of her masters. Yes! It’s funny that Taylor Swift fans are going after a giant company but it’s also true! Ticketmaster is known for surging their prices for high-traffic events, and Swifties are inherently high-traffic people. Maybe this will actually spark change …or Taylor will just invite AOC personally to her concert. Who knows?! Either way, if you’re in line for Taylor Swift tickets, STAY IN LINE!

There have been a lot of video games about the many books within the Bible. One of the more notorious ones was the unlicensed Bible Adventures for the NES. It was only playable through a workaround that existed within the cartridge itself and was an example of the lengths some publishers would have to go through to make their game available if it wasn’t approved by one of the video game giants of the time.

It’s 2022 now and with places like Steam and itch.io there are numerous ways to play games from indie developers. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that we’re seeing a few more games out there making use of the stories of the Bible. A recent game though had its trailer appear on YouTube and it’s causing quite a stir on the internet. That’s because this game, I Am Jesus Christ, lets the player play the stories of Jesus through the eyes of Jesus.

Dubbed the “Jesus Simulator” it’s a game that lets players play through many of the more well-known moments of the Bible, such as when Jesus turned water into wine, but it’s all handled through the first-person viewpoint. The entirety of gameplay we see in the trailer is through the viewpoint of this game’s interpretation of Jesus. We see a few gameplay moments, such as Jesus recharging the Holy Spirit so he can perform miracles, and while some people may think this sounds like a joke it all feels very earnest and the game is very real.

The game itself is not out yet, its steam page has an intended release date of the second quarter of 2023, but the free-to-play prologue will be available to play this December for anyone who’s curious to see what it’s like.

House of the Dragon was enough fantasy for Milly Alcock, thank you very much. The Australian actress, who made a memorable impression as the younger version of Rhaenyra Targaryen in the Game of Thrones prequel series, told the Herald Sun that she’s “not doing any [more] fantasy roles. I don’t want to do anything like that. I have done it and I don’t need to do it again. I am just kind of waiting for the right project. I am not in a rush to jump on something.”

Alcock is still getting used to life post-House of the Dragon, which she called “genuinely life-changing” and “very strange.” But she also feels like her new level of fame is “probably all going to be temporary and it will die down.” Considering how good she was as Rhaenyra before the equally-talented Emma D’Arcy took over, that’s unlikely.

While she wasn’t a fan of watching her own episodes of House of the Dragon, she watched the rest of the season with fascination. “I’m Team Rhaenyra – duh,” she says. “I think everyone is so sensational in it. Em and Liv are amazing and Paddy Considine, it seems it’s only now the world is figuring out how incredible he is and how he has been since before I was born.”

“…since before I was born.” Hasn’t the king suffered enough?

Alcock is unlikely to return to House of the Dragon in flashback form in season two, but the show itself will be back in 2024, along with a few other favorite series.

(Via the Herald Sun)

It seems Offset has needed some time to collect and organize his thoughts about the death of cousin and fellow Migos member Takeoff. The day after Takeoff passed on November 1, Offset changed his Instagram profile picture to a photo of Takeoff and that was as close as he came to offering a statement. Now, though, he has shared a touching post reflecting on Takeoff.

The first slide is a letter addressed to Takeoff, which begins, “Dear Take, The pain you have left me with is unbearable. My heart is shattered and I have so many things to say, but I can’t find the words. I’ve been going to sleep and waking up hoping that all of this is a dream, but it’s reality, and reality feels like a nightmare. Every time you would see me, you didnt give me a dap you gave me a hug. I wish I could hug you one last time.”

The post also includes some photos and videos of them together and of just Takeoff.

Find the full post below.

“Dear Take,
The pain you have left me with is unbearable.
My heart is shattered and I have so many things to say,
but I can’t find the words.
I’ve been going to sleep
and waking up hoping that all of this is a dream,
but it’s reality, and reality feels like a nightmare.
Every time you would see me, you didnt give me a dap you gave me a hug.
I wish I could hug you one last time.
Laugh one last time.
Smoke one one last time.
Perform one last time.
I know someone with a soul like yours is in heaven now.
I hope you can see how much we love you and miss you.
You have left a hole in my heart that will never be filled.
Give me strength,
give your brothers strength,
give your family strength.
Even though I know you will always be with us,
throw me a lil sign or a beautiful dream.
I love you forever,
4L and after.
[rocket emoji] [heart emoji].”

The nominees for the 2023 Grammy Awards were announced today (November 15). Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny is making history with his nomination for Album Of The Year. He is the most-nominated Latin artist followed by Spanish pop star Rosalía.

Bad Bunny received three Grammy Award nominations this year. His blockbuster LP Un Verano Sin Ti is up for Album Of The Year. The nomination marks the first time in Grammy history that a Spanish-language album competes in the category. Bad Bunny faces competition from heavy-hitters like Beyoncé, Adele, Harry Styles, and Kendrick Lamar. He has the sole Spanish-language track in the Best Pop Solo Performance category for “Moscow Mule.” Un Verano Sin Ti is also nominated for Best Música Urbana Album. Daddy Yankee, Maluma, Rauw Alejandro, and Farruko round out the category.

Rosalía also received two Grammy Award nominations. She is up for Best Music Film for the TikTok performance of her Motomami album. The LP is up for Best Latin Rock Or Alternative Album. Rosalía faces competition from Cimafunk, Jorge Drexler, Mon Laferte, Gaby Moreno, and Fito Paez.

Brazilian singer Anitta is proudly representing Latin music in the Best New Artist Category. On her album Versions Of Me, she sang in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. Her competition includes Mexican-American singer Omar Apollo, who also sang partly in Spanish on his LP Ivory.

Christina Aguilera is competing for Best Latin Pop Album for her self-titled Spanish-language LP. She faces competition from Colombian pop stars Sebastián Yatra and Camilo. Panamanian legend Rubén Blades and Fonseca are also up for the award. In the Best Regional Mexican Music Album category, Mexican-American singer Chiquis is a first-nominee for her Abeja Reina album. Her competition includes Christian Nodal, Marco Antonio Solís, Los Tigres Del Norte, and Natalia Lafourcade.

The 65th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on February 5, 2023. For a full list of the nominations, click here.

Some artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.