Bob Ross Painting Raises Over $1 Million for Public Broadcasting

Bob Ross’s happy trees will once again benefit public broadcasting.On the November 24, 2025 finale of “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver,” the host persuaded the bob Ross estate to auction another of the PBS TV star’s paintings to support public media. The auction of Ross’ “Cabin at Sunset,” painted during a Season 10 episode of PBS’ “The Joy of Painting” in 1986, concluded with a winning bid of approximately $1,044,000 after 35 bids.

This sale established a new auction record for a Bob Ross painting. Earlier this month, Bonhams Los Angeles auctioned three additional “Joy of Painting” works to benefit American Public Television, which continues to distribute the show.”winter’s Peace” (1993) sold for $318,000 on November 11, while “Cliffside” (1990) reached $229,100 adn “home in the Valley” sold for $114,800. These three paintings collectively generated $662,000, a figure now surpassed by the “Cabin at Sunset” sale.

During the November 16 episode of “Last Week Tonight,” John Oliver explained how the Trump Administration and Congress’s decision to cut $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public broadcasting earlier this year significantly impacted radio and television.