Bob Ross's documentary, Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed, dropped on Netflix earlier this week. But, we are not going to review it or give away any spoilers.
Instead, our focus is on Bob Ross's hair and fans' reactions and some controversies, which will only make you want to watch this documentary even more.
The Artist Brought Us Many Wonderful Moments
The American artist taught many of us painting until he died in 1995. Or at least he tried to teach us.
Behind the scenes, his life took many twists and turns.
His younger son, Robert Stephen "Steve" Ross, appeared on his father's show The Joy of Painting.
But the two had quite a difficult relationship, and after a big fallout, the father and son finally reconciled before Ross's death.
The Kowalski family actually had a lot to do with the reconciliation, and to this day, they are the ones controlling Ross's image.
It's a complex partnership and Steve has strong feelings about it.
Rediscovering Bob Ross
Bob Ross's legacy continued to lives on but not without controversies. The fact that his son Steve and Ross reconciled was over their mutual hatred over the Kowalski family.
Steve spoke out against the Kowalski's, saying that just before his father's death, the Kowalskis asked him to get him to sign a "memorial agreement."
As per Esquire, the documentary explores what happened:
"The back half of the documentary alleges that a combination of legal pressure, questionable ethics, and full-on bullying may have led to their ability to control the intellectual property and branding behind Bob Ross Inc. Ross, who is still a beloved figure in pop culture, has swaths of new generation fans with no idea how complicated the situation is, and thus, we have a mob on our hands. The name on their lips is Kowalski."
Steve said:
"It looked to me like they were trying to get Bob to sign his name over to them You could hear him screaming, 'I'm not giving you my name.'"
This family didn't even attend Ross's funeral, Steve confirmed:
"Even worse, they tried to keep secret the fact that the funeral was even happening."
The documentary is full of explosive, dramatic moments, but as we promised, we are here for the hair.
The Newly Released Old Photos
Before finding his signature look, Bob Ross looked a bit different. Without the perm and the beard, he was a different person.
Ross in a white T-shirt, sitting with his slicked-back and cropped hairdo, is a photo that will rock your world.
Blink, and you'll miss it.
The dramatic change was unexpected, and it put Twitter users into a frenzy.
Some liked it, others didn't, but they all agreed: Ross looked unrecognizable.
Some fans made hilarious comments:
Disbelief took over the Twitter community!
Bob Ross In His Youth
Here is the famous photo compared to Ross we all knew and loved:
And, of course, Twitter users did their best to show their devotion by digging deep into Ross's youth.
How do you feel about the documentary and the famed painter's transformation?