Althouse: "Bob Ross was wrong. Everybody can't paint.... I just want people to know that none of the trees in my paintings are happy. They're very unhappy...."

January 1, 2021

"Bob Ross was wrong. Everybody can't paint.... I just want people to know that none of the trees in my paintings are happy. They're very unhappy...."

I'm excited about this because I loved John Lurie's old show, "Fishing With John."

24 comments:

stevew said...: Looks like it will be fun, irreverently so. I think he's right that not everybody can paint, but looking at the few shown in the trailer he can.; 1/1/21, 9:41 AM
Iman said...: Willow, weep for me...; 1/1/21, 9:43 AM
tcrosse said...: It reminds me of Jon Gnagy and his You Are an Artist show on steam television back in the late 40's and earliest 50's.; 1/1/21, 9:46 AM
Wince said...: Does HBO Max mean you have to pay even more to see all the network's shows?; 1/1/21, 9:47 AM
Inga said...: Oh damn, just when I dumped my HBO Max subscription.; 1/1/21, 9:52 AM
Jorg Jorgensen said...: If we take him at his word, we should just paint and avoid watching him on tv, no?; 1/1/21, 9:56 AM
dustbunny said...: Everybody can paint, maybe not well, but they can paint.; 1/1/21, 10:14 AM
Joe Smith said...: I guess anybody can have a show now.

His paintings look very good to me.; 1/1/21, 10:17 AM
Kate said...: Ross, who produced shows during the Boomer years, is a Millennial icon. I don't think you can grok his success and turn it to a new project.; 1/1/21, 10:21 AM
tcrosse said...: Painting is one of those things, like photography or playing the harmonica, that anyone can do half-assed, but it takes real talent to do well.; 1/1/21, 10:23 AM
mezzrow said...: I always have time for Lurie. Thanks.

Having lost the ability to do what he loves, he just went ahead and did something else he loves. I admire that.; 1/1/21, 10:25 AM
john said...: Is this the same guy who made "Along the River of Men" a smash hit?; 1/1/21, 10:31 AM
Amexpat said...: By saying everybody can't paint, Lurie blew his chance for a lucrative Master Class gig. But from his Jim Jarmusch films, he seems to be a cool laid back cat who is not going to jump through hoops to make an extra buck.; 1/1/21, 10:47 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: "it's better than watching TV"

ha.

Thanks... this looks promising.; 1/1/21, 11:05 AM
Temujin said...: I got rid of HBO some time ago with the idea that I'd re-up it when they came out with something I really wanted to see. This isn't it. Though he seems humorous enough in a curmudgeon sort of way, I'd only be interested in watching his actual painting. And from what I've seen of his paintings, he's not a great painter. More of a con man, continually finding ways to make a living in his arbitrary life. I give him credit for that, but not enough to listen to him expound on life. I have my own tales.

However, his Fishing with John looks more interesting than 'Comedians in a car getting coffee'.

Bob Ross puts me to sleep in a good, almost zen way. John Lurie could put me to sleep out of boredom.; 1/1/21, 12:12 PM
Fernandinande said...: Whatever happened to Peapod?

My mom could paint surprisingly well and sold almost everything she painted. My dad took an old matchbook Free Art Talent Test, back in the day, and answered it all wrong to see if they'd still say he had valuable talent, and should take their art class (or whatever it was) - they said he failed!; 1/1/21, 1:19 PM
ALP said...: Ann: for those of us without HBO Max - hope you will provide the TL:DR summary.; 1/1/21, 1:22 PM
ALP said...: Neflix is ready to run another season of "Blown Away" - competition/reality show featuring glassblowers - I will have to make do with that for my art fix. Really quite interesting, especially to anyone that has been to art school and remembers getting assignments like those the contestants get on this show.; 1/1/21, 1:29 PM
Bob said...: Some of the "Irish People Try" people tried doing a Bob Ross tutorial while drunk: Drunk Irish People Try Following a Bob Ross Tutorial. They're young, drunk (they'd been playing drink roulette in their previous episode) and very entertaining.; 1/1/21, 1:39 PM
Curious George said...: "Fishing With John." eps are on youtube; 1/1/21, 1:40 PM
Joe Smith said...: "Neflix is ready to run another season of "Blown Away" - competition/reality show featuring glassblowers..."

You had me right up until "glassblowers."

: ); 1/1/21, 2:00 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Blown away. ooo thanks.; 1/1/21, 2:36 PM
n.n said...: Preconceived emotions.; 1/1/21, 3:08 PM
Anonymous said...: People who like Lurie should watch Down by Law and Stranger Than Paradise.

Jarmusch's first five films are all amazing. (The other three are Dead Man, Night on Earth, and Mystery Train). Jarmusch is working with Bill Murray now. You'd think that would be his best stuff, but his Murray films are inferior.

Really want to see this movie, thanks Althouse!; 1/2/21, 4:56 AM