OT - Nanu Nanu no more... Robin Williams has died

[David 76]

Not sure what it requires to be a dick when someone dies. Suicide does hurt those around you. But unless you have been in that kind of pain and hopelessness, I don't think we can judge. My heart goes out to those of you who were close to someone who killed them self.

But all I know is hearing about Robin's death really got to me. One of the greatest comics ever, a great actor and yet could not find a reason to live. Depression (real chronic) is a powerful disease.

BTW, people I heard all talked about what a great, giving, attentive friend he was. I would hold Bob Zmuda's opinion at bay. He was present and helped countless struggling comics, was there at Superman's bedside regularly to help his old Juliard roommate Chris Reeves

 

[Gurleyman]

Not sure what it requires to be a dick when someone dies. Suicide does hurt those around you. But unless you have been in that kind of pain and hopelessness, I don't think we can judge. My heart goes out to those of you who were close to someone who killed them self. But all I know is hearing about Robin's death really got to me. One of the greatest comics ever, a great actor and yet could not find a reason to live. Depression (real chronic) is a powerful disease. BTW, people I heard all talked about what a great, giving, attentive friend he was. I would hold Bob Zmuda's opinion at bay. He was present and helped countless struggling comics, was there at Superman's bedside regularly to help his old Juliard roommate Chris Reeves

My brother worked at Junior Seau's restaurant for a few years. Although Seau wasn't always an angel in personal life, my brother said he would treat everyone like they were the most important people at the restaurant (from the parties of 40, friends of Charger executives running up huge liquor tabs right down to the bus boys). He always tried to be a part of the restaurant and not just have his name on the building.

He once went to a charity golf outing and was the life of the party afterwards in his usual flamboyant way, but he also made time to go pose for pictures with the maintenance crews taking care of the course after the gofers were done, thanking them and signing anything they'd hand him. He seemed like he was on top of the world. Two days later he shot himself.

There is the caveat that Seau's concussions led to some brain damage, but it shows how people in severe mental anguish can mask it so effectively.

 

[mauconnfan]

The only comic talent who compares with Robin Williams in my memory is Jonathan Winters. Sadly while Williams has a rather extensive
catalogue available for viewing; Winters has very little. Williams acknowledged him as a mentor wayback; he played the big egg on Mork and Mindy. Try "The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming" and "It's a Mad, Mad World."

Ernie Kovacs had the inventive wackiness, but not the improvisational ability. I say this despite the fact that Kovacs had a daily comedy
hour long show in the fifties broadcast live. These daily shows are lost, what is available are his later comedy specials. They are very good,
but, not the quality of the daytime shows. His movie catalogue is very thin, but try "It's a Mad Ball" and "Our Man in Havana."

These 2 together was pure genius in the comedy world especially with Carson…..the "prozak" mention before commercial was so telling……...The guy was wound tight but so quick it was beyond real……..funniest guy ever and this is a sad time to lose him! Was real good on a Law and Order gig a few years back too…….talented dude!

RIP Robin you will be missed

 

[David 76]

Chevy Chase:"Robin and I were great friends, suffering from the same little-known disease: depression. I never could have expected this ending to his life, and to ours with him. God bless him and God bless us all for his life! I cannot believe this. I am overwhelmed with grief. What a wonderful man/boy and what a tremendous talent in the most important art of any time – comedy! I loved him."

 

[David 76]

Mau, Thank for that. Priceless. Robin's love for Jonathan is just so obvious.

 

[NightDog]

RIP to one of the greats. Grew up with his comedies and really appreciated his talent as a dramatic actor as I got older. It's rare that a celebrity death gets to me, but this one does.


Internet culture is especially annoying at times like these. Lots of people trying to come up with poignant internet eulogies for the guy. Can't just be sad, gotta be the most sad

View attachment 6530

Huffington Post rated this tweet the "Most Heartbreaking", so good for Evan Rachel Wood I guess.

Thanks. This pretty much encapsulates what I have been feeling for a few days now.

 

[uconndoit]

Very interesting and sad article.

http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/robin-williams-why-funny-people-kill-themselves/

 

[boba]

Very interesting and sad article.

http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/robin-williams-why-funny-people-kill-themselves/

Everyone - As in the entire English speaking population of the earth should read that article, it is that good.

It should be required reading on the first day of school grades 10 - PhD graduate school. Indeed, I just might make all the rotation students in the lab read it. Maybe they will be better doctors.

 

[uconnfan68]

My best memories of him were his St Jude appeals. You could see his passion for helping.

 

[Husky25]

Samuel F. "Sam" Pickering (born September 30, 1941) is a writer and professoremeritus of English at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.[1] His unconventional teaching style was an inspiration for the character of Mr. Keating, played by Robin Williams in the film Dead Poets Society.[2] Pickering specializes in the familiar essay, children's literature, nature writers, and 18th and 19th century English literature.[3] Pickering has published many collections of non-fiction personal essays as well as over 200 articles.

I'm still in shock at Williams' untimely death. I'm not going to get into whether suicide is selfish or not. I will concur with a couple posts above (I think liking posts in thread of this nature is in bad form. It might be just me but I can't like anything about death). I consider him a genius as well and I'm ecstatic that his work intersected with my life. But as was also said above, some demons cannot be outrun. What makes the situation worse is that he recently went back to rehab to maintain and continue (not achieve) his sobriety.

I took a Pickering elective in college (200 level Short Stories if memory serves), basically because Dead Poets Society was one of my favorite movies up to that point. I would have regretted it for the rest of my life if I'd paid $100,000 for a college education and didn't seize the opportunity meet the inspiration for John Keating (Carpe Diem, as it were). What I found was not even close to what I expected. The basis that Pickering provided was his teaching style and his desire to make his students think for themselves. That is probably the biggest similarity between the Keating character and Pickering. Of course it is a far bigger expectation for 16 year olds (in the movie) than 21 year olds at UConn. He also has a Tennessee drawl, not a classic Yankee accent like the character. In fact, I feel that part of his style is the result of a clash between his southern upbringing and his 21 years (at the time) in Southern New England.

Pickering is not self-serving (especially with regard to the movie) and he is fully aware that he doesn't have all the answers. In fact, he would probably agree that he has no answers because there are no right ones...just degrees. As I said, he wants people to think for themselves. He never brought up the topic on his own and he downplayed his role as the inspiration. That said, his was the only English class at UConn that I truly enjoyed and looked forward to...well except for English 105. I normally prefer longer hair, but there was something about My TA's short dark red hair. She was HHHHOTTTT!!!!!

 

[intlzncster]

My brother worked at Junior Seau's restaurant for a few years. Although Seau wasn't always an angel in personal life, my brother said he would treat everyone like they were the most important people at the restaurant (from the parties of 40, friends of Charger executives running up huge liquor tabs right down to the bus boys). He always tried to be a part of the restaurant and not just have his name on the building.

He once went to a charity golf outing and was the life of the party afterwards in his usual flamboyant way, but he also made time to go pose for pictures with the maintenance crews taking care of the course after the gofers were done, thanking them and signing anything they'd hand him. He seemed like he was on top of the world. Two days later he shot himself.

There is the caveat that Seau's concussions led to some brain damage, but it shows how people in severe mental anguish can mask it so effectively.

I think that last bit is a huge part of it.

There are a lot of theories and guess work concerning suicide in general. I think the only universal quality is that the suicidal individual is in a tremendous amount of pain, and has reached a point where they feel there is only one way to remedy that.

The majority of suicide victims don't publicize the fact that they want to commit suicide. They keep their pain inside. Friends and family often have no idea.

 

[Huskies4ever]

The majority of suicide victims don't publicize the fact that they want to commit suicide. They keep their pain inside. Friends and family often have no idea.

^This. It has a lot to do with shame in so many ways.

 

[JaYnYcE]

I feel bad that he was so depressed that he felt the need to kill himself. But, as a person who has been affected by suicide, I think it is a very selfish thing to do. It inflicts a tremendous amount of pain on his friends and family. I was not a fan of his work but I wish his family the very best.

I see where you're coming from, I just think it's a touchy subject that people can go eiher way with how they feel.

 

[3d2bcards]

I apologize for my post. This hit too close to home and my emotions got the best of me.

I understand your post as I have been there also.

 

[TheChamps990411]

One of very few who could do the silliest comedy and have you rolling in the aisles then turn around and give an absolutley heart wrenching dramatic performance sometimes in the same movie. Rare and amazing talent. Really will be missed.

 

[David 76]

I understand your post as I have been there also.

It is such a horrible thing to do to your family and those that love you.
I just don't like using the word "selfish" because I don't think that takes all the pain & hopelessness into account.

 

[mauconnfan]

His widow let out the news he was also suffering from Parkinson's……...

 

[3d2bcards]

It is such a horrible thing to do to your family and those that love you.
I just don't like using the word "selfish" because I don't think that takes all the pain & hopelessness into account.

The problem is now all the pain has been put on his family.

 

[CallMeBruce]

The problem is now all the pain has been put on his family.

Which is why suicide is a tragedy, but that's now how a depressed person is thinking when he's considering killing himself. I guarantee you that Williams thought of himself as a failure and an embarrassment at the moment he decided to kill himself. Trying to blame people for making self-destructive decisions while in the throes of deep depression is like blaming someone for dying of cancer.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Very interesting and sad article.[/URL]

On a somewhat related note, a video covering other immensely talented comedians who passed on far too young.

http://edition.cnn.com/video/standa...nal&video_referrer=https://www.google.com.hk/

 

[3d2bcards]

Which is why suicide is a tragedy, but that's now how a depressed person is thinking when he's considering killing himself. I guarantee you that Williams thought of himself as a failure and an embarrassment at the moment he decided to kill himself. Trying to blame people for making self-destructive decisions while in the throes of deep depression is like blaming someone for dying of cancer.

My wife had cancer and she had to deal with it. Robin Williams could have called someone.

 

[intlzncster]

My wife had cancer and she had to deal with it. Robin Williams could have called someone.

Well, since cancer and (real) depression are two entirely different things, I'm not sure what your point is.

Depression literally changes the way your brain works, the way you think. Cancer does not.

 

[Stinger92860]

Well, since cancer and (real) depression are two entirely different things, I'm not sure what your point is.

Depression literally changes the way your brain works, the way you think. Cancer does not.

Brain cancer does change the way you think and also the radiation they give you. My wife died from it. Not sure what you guys are trying to prove, but both methods of dying really sucks. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

[David 76]

Sorry about your wife.

 

[Strummer]

Brain cancer does change the way you think and also the radiation they give you. My wife died from it. Not sure what you guys are trying to prove, but both methods of dying really sucks. Tell me I'm wrong.

You're not wrong, man. The other dude just didn't know where you were coming from. I'm extremely sad for you that you lost your wife in such a tragic way. I'm not sure I'm strong enough to continue to enjoy basketball, or this board, or really life, again if that happened to me.