Bob Ross: 20 years in the Air Force
Bob Ross served 20 years as a drill sergeant in the US Air Force before becoming a painter, a fact that surprised the hosts.
Snapshot · Smosh Reads Reddit Stories
Parents Just Don't Understand | Reading Reddit Stories
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Jun 20, 2026
Where this was said
I told my daughter Bob Ross was dead
At 10:10 · chapter starts 2:17
Shayne reads a 2020 Reddit TIFU post about a mother who discovered ASMR through Bob Ross's 'The Joy of Painting' and built a nightly bedtime ritual around his 403 episodes for her two daughters [1] — Shayne Topp "A 4-year-old who had watched Bob Ross every night since before she was born was told he died. She sobbed for 20 minutes, punching herself i…" 06:25 . When her 4-year-old says she'd love to visit Bob Ross one day, the mother decides to be honest: Bob Ross died a long time ago. The child sobs for 20 minutes, punching herself in the chest in raw grief [1] — Shayne Topp "A 4-year-old who had watched Bob Ross every night since before she was born was told he died. She sobbed for 20 minutes, punching herself i…" 06:25 . Amanda gets visibly emotional during the reading, surprising even herself. The post is warm and well-written, and the update reveals the daughter's verdict on her dad questioning the decision: 'You shouldn't lie to children.' The hosts dig into why honesty — even painful honesty about death — builds more trust with children than protection does, and why the husband's shouted criticism from downstairs makes him the real villain of the story.
Bob Ross, Grief, and a 4-Year-Old Who Couldn't Stop Crying
A 4-year-old who had watched Bob Ross every night since before she was born was told he died. She sobbed for 20 minutes, punching herself in the chest. The hosts agree: telling kids hard truths builds trust, not trauma.
4-year-old cried for 20 minutes
After being told Bob Ross had died, the 4-year-old daughter cried for a solid 20 minutes, punching herself in the chest and thighs.
Bob Ross: 403 Joy of Painting episodes
The Joy of Painting has 403 total episodes, all of which the Reddit OP's family had watched multiple times as a nightly bedtime ritual.
Kids Don't Want to Be Lied To — They Want Your Trust
When you tell a child a hard truth, you're not just being honest — you're signalling that you respect them enough to handle reality. Amanda argues this is the foundation of real parent-child trust.
Bob Ross Was a Drill Sergeant for 20 Years
Before the soft voice and the happy little trees, Bob Ross spent 20 years as a drill sergeant in the US Air Force. He vowed never to yell at anyone again after leaving — which explains everything.
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