Kinda. So it turns out the most famous head of hair since Bob Marley was not all we assumed it was. Bob Ross, the much beloved painter who whispered while he worked on his PBS show (403 episodes, to be exact) actually has straight hair. The iconic “fro” as a result of Ross coming home from serving in the Airforce and just not wanting to maintain a cut. So he had it permed and the rest, as they say, is hairstory. ba-dum-dum.
Once Ross’ curly afro became a part of his small-screen identity, he realized there was no going back, despite his hatred for the coiled locks.
“He could never, ever, ever change his hair, and he was so mad about that,” said Annette Kowalski, Ross’ long time friend and business partner on Monday’s NPR. “He got tired of that curly hair.”
Here’s Ross before the hair we all know and love.
