How “Happy Little Trees” became a cult

For some he is simply a cult, for others he is not even known: the American Bob Ross, who is known for his legendary TV painting course The Joy of Painting from 1983 onwards it was intended to create an initially unexpected monument. By 1994, 403 episodes in 31 seasons had aired on public television. Since 2011, his own YouTube channel has been feeding the next generation of his fan community, and the ARD media library has also been feeding it through its streaming offering.