My daughters called him “the hairy guy,” but the funniest part was how they’d bolt for the remote at the close of his show when he’d ‘bless us.’ They’d picked on me muting him quietly -- then really shut him down in time.

An ‘at home dad’ in the deep woods, we watched only PBS, thus, ‘the hairy guy.’ But other than receiving my artistic abilities, both daughters became the top artists of their HS classes.. Thanks ..Bob?

I have a new show to check out! Thanks!

This is in this category for a reason.

It had never occurred to me and it's food for thought - he could have been or not been using cannabis - and either way millions really enjoyed his show.

I found it really funny that the thought didn't cross my mind? Mainly because he is the epitome of chilled out.

@MarvelAnn i don't see it as a bad thing at all either, nor did i say it was. it's just that we have zero evidence that he was stoned on the air, and some anecdotal evidence that he wasn't, and the poster made a positive statement that he WAS (and i think that statement was based on a stereotype; it wasn't based on any evidence!)

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@genessa The category and an invitation to discuss the humor of the idea should get me off the hook for finding humor in this.

@RavenCT why would you be ON the hook for finding humor? but it's still an assertion that people here are taking seriously when there is no basis for it. no one is actually discussing the humor; they're discussing it as a serious assertion.

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No one. It was a silly observation. Hence the category.

That man was a saint, figuratively speaking... I'd hang out with him without reservation, and we'd never even have to talk about painting. He was just a really cool dude. He was all about peace and happiness. Very rare these days. Of course, if he bogarted the weed, we'd have a little problem... Puff, puff, pass isn't just a good idea, it's the law.

@Kafir except he almost certainly wasn't. people who worked with him say they never saw any indication that he was high. okay, so maybe not a single one of them was particularly observant -- but on the other hand, he painted an entire season in under three days, and painted each work three times, and did not ad lib any of his comments. how could he do that if he were high? i'll tell you something else: when i was a freshman in college, some of my dormmates offered me some grass. i declined, admitting i had never tried it. they were astounded. they confessed that they thought i was tripping every time they saw me. (i wasn't.) so... you may look at him and figure he's got to be stoned, but what you are observing is his personality. did he smoke at home in private? i have no idea. would i think any less of him if he did? nope, and i hope he wouldn't have thought less of me if he knew i did. but was he stoned on the job? it's highly doubtful.

i am posting this as a general comment as well. pardon repetition.

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@genessa I am almost constantly high. I have been for almost ten years. No one can tell I'm high unless I don't care to hide it. It doesn't make me any less productive or able to communicate. In fact, quite the opposite. I have some of my best ideas when high as a kite and still get everything done with no additional difficulty. So, it's absolutely possible he was high the entire time. Some people, such as myself, just love it cuz it feels good (i.e. better than not being high... I mean, that's why they call it being "high", cuz you're not "low" ). If he want high, cool! But if he was, it's something I could totally relate to. I mean, it would certainly help the long hours of painting every day. That and he was just super chill anyway. I get a massive amount of stuff done when I'm high. Far more than if I was sober. I function so much better stoned and it hurts far less, and even hurts less the next day because I want fighting tension all day... BTW, can you link me the source for your insight about his co-workers comments to the contrary?

@Kafir i looked at a lot of websites before making my comment so no, i don't remember which one said that. the only one i remember offhand is mental floss, and only because it has such a funny name, but i can't guarantee that is where the comment about his coworkers came. now, you say it is POSSIBLE he was stoned... but how does that support the assertion that he WAS? from your description, anyone, anywhere, any time could be stoned, but why single out bob ross? yes, he was funny. yes, he was mellow. if someone wants to make a positive statement such as that he was stoned, the burden of proof lies with the person making that assertion. i can find nothing to support it and some bits that deny it. so... it's not impossible but i argue with the assertion, and by the way, there is no indication that for most of his life bob ross hurt and needed pot to hurt less and thus get more done. so sure, if he hurt and that stopped him from working and pot helped, that would be a good theory, but there is not a shred of a hint of a peep that this was the case.

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@genessa my assertion comes from observation of his mannerisms, speech patterns, bloodshot eyes, etc. That are the tell tale signs of someone who smokes weed. I'm not saying I'm right, but I am saying I'd bet money on it. As for him hurting, I was only saying that if that were the case, it would make sense, and given his grueling work schedule on top of teaching workshops and traveling to teach workshops, there's another good bet that he might have used it for pain relief. Also, it's highly suspect that there are zero mentions of him being high yet several mentions of him not being high... Me thinks they doth protest too much if the allegations have no merit. Besides, if he did smoke weed, he's just be that much more of a hero of mine.

I honestly don't know - but it never - ever occurred to me - and that's just a bit odd.

If ever a person fit the definition of "Mellowed out" it was him. So calm I thought he must practice a level of Zen known only to Buddhist Monks.

Apparently he was quite the drill Sergeant type when he was in the military - so he wasn't always so calm? And it may have been a persona for the camera.

Yes! ?

That was Cheech! Remember his song Mexican Americans?! Lol

@RavenCT Put that thumb away, you are thinking of the wrong one. Cheech Marin is Mexican.

@Kafir Mexican-American! Lol

@MichelleGar1 touché, hermosa

@Kafir gracias! Estas Hermosa tambien!

@MichelleGar1 ¡Gracias amor! ¡Me vas a hacer sonrojar!

@Kafir pos si estas Hermosa! Y gracias a usted para decir sus palabras muy Bonita patras!

@MichelleGar1 De nada. Fueron hechos de todo corazón.

@Kafir gracias! Su corazon estas Bonita tambien!

@MichelleGar1 no. I thought they were both Mexican. Remember the Corriscan brothers

@Biosteelman yes I remember that movie but Chong is Asian

@MichelleGar1 yes. I realize that now. Hence the point of the public admission.
To be fair though I've posted a picture of Cheech and Chong along with a picture of another Asian and Hispanic.

I don't know? But someone suggested to me that he obviously was stoned during every episode and it seems so likely when I think about it. The man was so incredibly chilled out.

I often thought he'd make a phenomenal therapist? You know relaxed - excellent listener....

Now I realize a phenomenal therapist ideal for me is apparently one stoned out of their mind?!

I'm a little bit saddened by that. (Just a teeny bit). I have no confirmation of this. (Ok a little bit).

But I'm wondering if every other adult on the planet thought this one through already.

@RavenCT I used to watch his show often, but always thought he couldn't possibly be for real.....just tooooooo laid back, soft spoken, overly gentle.....& had visions of him having a tantrum once he was in private to blow off the wimp image.