October 10, 2025 - Week in Review: James Bond disarmed, Bob Ross paintings for sale, and eating pudding with a fork

Jared Bowen, Edgar B. Herwick III, and Joyce Kulhawik co-host this week’s arts and Culture week-in-review. Joyce Kulhawik is a Culture Show contributor, Emmy-award winning arts and entertainment reporter and president of the Boston Theatre Critics Association. You can find her reviews at Joyce’s Choices.First up, In Danvers, a young-adult novel is sparking debate. “All American Boys”—the story of two teens, one Black and one white, whose lives collide after a violent encounter with police—has some parents objecting to its language and content. Teachers, meanwhile, argue its lessons on race, justice, and accountability are exactly what students should be reading.From there, Amazon’s new creative control of the James Bond franchise has fans shaken. The tech giant removed images of firearms from classic 007 artwork—erasing Bond’s trademark weapon from posters and box art. Critics say the world’s most famous spy has been stripped of his license to kill; Amazon insists it’s part of a broader effort to modernize the brand.Then country star Zach Bryan has ignited controversy with a teaser for his unreleased song “Bad News,”  which takes aim at ICE raids and the fear they sow. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called the lyrics “completely disrespectful,” and the agency fired back—posting arrest footage set to one of Bryan’s earlier songsFinally, thirty original Bob Ross paintings—the misty mountains and “happy little trees” that made The Joy of Painting a PBS classic—are heading to auction to support public television.