Remembering Robin

There have only been a handful of times when I actually cried at the loss of a celebrity. John Ritter was the first. When I was little, I used to watch him on Three’s Company and thought, “When I grow up, I wanna be Jack Tripper!” Then there was Christopher Reeve, the man who was the living embodiment of my favorite hero- Superman. And now we’ve lost one of the greatest comedic legends of all time- Robin Williams.

For those of you who aren’t yet aware, Robin Williams, comedian and academy-award winning actor, died August 11, 2014 at his home due to an apparent suicide.

When I first heard the news, my mouth dropped in shock. I almost didn’t believe it. More than that, I didn’t want to believe it. I mean, how could a man who inspired so much laughter and radiated so much joy possibly take his own life? It made no sense whatsoever. But I guess whatever inner demons he had just got the better of him. If anyone could understand that, I certainly can.

Admittedly, I was never a huge fan of “Mork and Mindy” back in the day, though I watched it before getting my “Three’s Company” fix in the late 70’s. It was only after Robin Williams started doing movies that I became a huge fan. If you’ve ever seen him do stand-up, the man was positively electric onstage. He was so full of life and energy that you’d almost swear he had ADD while on speed.

I remember seeing one of his first films- MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON. I honestly thought it was going to be kind of silly, and it was, but it was the kind of silly that made you laugh and touch your heart- something that Robin Williams was always great at. In other films (I’m being biased here at mentioning my two personal favorites) such as GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM and THE BIRDCAGE, all he ever had to do was crack one joke and he’d make you roll over and go into a coughing fit. The man was THAT funny. People say that I’m funny, but not like him. I’m not even close. But having said that, he influenced me a great deal.

It boggles the mind that we would lose him like this.

Behind the scenes, Williams suffered various problems with substance abuse stemming from drugs and alcohol along with suffering from bouts of depression. The drugs and alcohol I can understand, but I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the depression. When you look at his public persona, you would think that he was the most carefree person on the planet. Which makes it so much harder for his friends, family, and fans to understand.

Depression takes a toll on you- emotionally, mentally, and physically. Most people don’t think of it as a real illness because they think you’ll get over it eventually. Truth is, you never do- not really. Every day is a struggle to keep going- to find something worth living for. I honestly don’t know why Robin Williams took his own life. I wish I did. I can only say that I wish he had taken a moment to see that light at the end of the tunnel- the one ray of sunshine that hits your face and warms your skin. That makes you realize that life, even with all of its pitfalls and heartbreaks, is still worth living.

In the end, I don’t want to remember him for the way he died. That’s not important- what’s important is how he’s made us feel when he made us laugh. Remember that while he suffered from his own depression, he always found a way to make us laugh when we needed it, which makes him a hero in my book. I’ve always thought that it doesn’t matter where you go when you leave this life, it only matters what legacy you leave behind. Robin Williams’s legacy is one of laughter and creativity and will never truly fade away. The great ones never do- even the crazy ones.

So I mourn for the loss of such an amazing man. My sympathies and condolences go out to his family and their grief. If there truly is a God in Heaven, I hope he’s prepared to laugh his ass off.

Oh, and Robin- Don’t let the big guy give you any shit about the suspenders. This is Greg, from Earth, signing off.

Rest in peace.

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