Robin Williams : The Genie Says Goodbye

[Tamashii Kanjou]

No really...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-28749702

I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THIS! 2014 has had so many names drop out from our lives this year. But no. I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT ROBIN WILLIAMS HAS PASSED ON!
The person behind the voices of the some of the most iconic characters. The person who acted in the most magnificent of ways. The person who was just great in anything...
I don't know what else to say. Yes, people pass on all the time. But this one... this one hits in the childhood really, REALLY, hard.

Your thoughts on this, and on Robin's life in general, are welcome. Best wishes to his family; I know I'll miss him~ =(

[Quad City QBs]

I remember Robin Williams.  His movies taught my parents English and taught me comedy.  He was a part of my household growing up.  His warmth and his energy and his sheer, overflowing, effervescent life were such that it was hard to imagine him being any other way.  The thought of him dying was like the thought of the sun going out--something that I knew had to happen eventually, but could never really conceive of.

Another reminder that we will never be young again, never laugh at Mrs. Doubtfire in our parents' laps, never see the world with the same wonder again.  Another cable mooring us to our childhood, snapped--leaving us to drift inexorably over that horizon into oblivion.

[nintendonut888]

Aladdin was one of my favorite movies as a young pastry, and Genie was easily my favorite character. Even though I didn't understand most of his jokes, he still made them funny even to my small mind. He was one of my inspirations growing up, and I wished to find a way to make people laugh even if they didn't understand me, just like he did. The idea of someone like Robin Williams committing suicide...that makes me sad. May he rest in peace, and continue to entertain future generations with his work.

[Aya Reiko]

Coroner investigators suspect "the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia," according to a statement from the Marin County, California, Sheriff's office.

     :ohdear:

And he was on TV only last year! 

[Tengukami]

And has also had a life-long battle with addiction and severe depression. Still, definitely came as a surprise to me, too.

[Kilgamayan]

One of the legitimately funniest people in history. Amazing sense of improv and could do basically any kind of humor.

[Drake]

He's been dealing with severe depression for years; I want to say this comes as a shock but I can't. Despite this, he's had a life full of smiles and making others happy. Rest in peace, man.

[HakureiSM]

Found out about this on the bus about an hour ago, cue me tearing up in public. Shit. Fucking Robin, man.

[MewMewHeart]

My soul almost died when I saw it during a few Youtube comments.... Flubber was awesome... Robin Williams was the best.... it hurts....  :colonveeplusalpha:

[Phlegeth]

I don't know what to say.  I loved Robin Williams.  He was a very awesome guy.

[ふねん1]

He was my favorite comedian too, and undoubtedly the improv master of our time. I was fortunate enough to see him perform live once - the first stop of his Weapons of Self Destruction tour at the University of Minnesota. Funniest show of any kind I've ever seen, and probably will ever see. Rest in peace Robin.

[HakureiSM]

Someone please make me stop looking at Robin stuff ;-;

[Rin Kagamine]

http://celebrityhottub.com/2014/08/11/extraordinarily-common/

Depression is serious and can kill very easily, and that it still isn't seen as a health concern is a tragedy in and of itself.

[BT]

One of the few actors or comedians I knew and loved. No need to consult Google here.



Depression and suicide, huh? Always wonders me how many of these decisions take into account other people's reactions, and what weight that kind of thing is given. Big grieving day. It would have happened inevitably, sure, but...

[Solais]

I rarely remember actors since I usually try to take in the character they are playing instead of the actor. But Robin Williams was one I remembered fondly. While it was rare for me to hear his actual real voice, due to everything being dubbed to my language in my country,  there was a voice actor here who's only role was to just dub every work of Robin Williams; even then I liked his performance. Even the dubbers knew that he deserves his own dubber.

And now I have the urge to watch Good Morning Vietnam. When I was a small kid, I always said that it was my favorite movie, even if I also remember that I never seen it fully, nor understand any of it. I just liked when he shouted the usual greeting. So it should probably watch that finally.

[Esifex]

God. Is anyone else just sitting there, numb, and crying? Because dammit.

I feel so empty. I knew the people from my childhood were growing older - that's inevitable - but suicide?
I'm in a rough spot because of this.

God, this is miserable. I feel like shit. Can this please just be a massive tasteless joke? Some kind of publicity gig for the dangers of depression?

Please? God, I need that so badly right now

[Suikama]

Someone please make me stop looking at Robin stuff ;-;

you and me both bro...

[Tengukami]

My main concern right now is for his family. The man had kids. I can't imagine what they must be going through. He was my dad's age, too, almost to the day. Think I'll give him a call tonight...

[JT]

Heard about this last night in the car. I still can't believe it. He brought happiness and laughter to so many people's lives... What a bummer to see him go.

[Tengukami]

I'll tell you what, the title of this thread made me smile. Williams has been in show business so long that he is associated with different roles depending on what generation is talking about him. For a lot of you, he was the genie from Alladin first. Maybe some of you first associate him with Jumanji, Good Will Hunting, 24 Hour Photo (probably his best and most overlooked role) or the regrettable Patch Adams. My first association with Robin Williams is from Mork & Mindy, where he played an alien from another planet who lands in Boulder, Colorado to learn the ways of humans, and hilarity ensues. Here's the OP for the show (holy crap does he look young!). I used to love, love, love this show as a kid. Little did I know that a great deal of the dialogue was improvised. In fact, there were some parts of the Mork & Mindy script that would just read "Mork goes off here", giving Williams free reign to let his natural talent for improv shine.

The point of this is, this is a guy who worked so hard for so long that he means different things to different entire generations. That's pretty goddamned amazing. I hope his friends, family and loved ones have the strength to get through this - he sure left us with a legacy of entertainment.

[Reddyne]

Truly, Robin had a uniquely colorful career that spanned a lot of works. I remember him for stuff like his stand-up, especially Live at the Met, and his Whose Line is it Anyway? appearance in addition to so many other things.

Williams had been recently suffering from severe depression, his publicist, Mara Buxbaum, said in a statement, and the actor had repeatedly talked about his past struggles with alcohol and drugs.

Another comedian, Richard Jeni, had similar issues and likewise committed suicide. He was one of my favorites and I never got to see him perform once. Like with many people, he seemed fine on the surface, but his last performances were filled with warning signs. George Carlin and Richard Pryor are gone too, and no one will be able to see them in person and understand the difference between their old records and the energy and atmosphere of a live performance. Maybe George was a bit aged, but Rich lost to MS. He, Mr. Jeni, and now Robin have all had so many possibilities cut short through truly unfortunate circumstances.

[Silent Harmony]

I'll be honest. I can't think of a time before yesterday where a celebrity death actually affected me. This one hurt. I have a bad memory but I know I definitely watched a lot of Robin William's movies growing up in the 90s: Hook, Alladin, Jumanji, Patch Adams, Mrs. Doubtfire, Flubber, and more. I loved his humor and his movies as a kid. He was my favorite childhood comedian.

It also affects me because of how he died: suicide due to depression. I suffer from depression and have to take multiple medications as I struggle with doctors to find the source and, hopefully one day, defeat my inner demons. I have come close to taking my own life. I am so out of the loop when it comes to celebrities that I never, ever, expected Robin to  be suffering like I did.

Honestly I still feel like crying. I don't know why this affects me so much; he was a celebrity with no direct influence over my life and I had no influence on his. But this still hurts. 

[Shizumarashi Mayuzumi]

My first association with Robin Williams is from Mork & Mindy, where he played an alien from another planet who lands in Boulder, Colorado to learn the ways of humans, and hilarity ensues

I was old enough by then that it wasn't my first association with him but Mork & Mindy was on in reruns on then-Fox Family (now ABC Family) for a bit when I was just old enough to appreciate it. Fond memories.

Also also also oh man Dead Poets Society.

[Ibaraki Ibuki]

While growing up, I've seen Aladdin, Flubber, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Dead Poets Society; Robin Williams was great in all of those movies.  It was only after his appearance in The Crazy Ones that I explored more of his films and appreciated just how talented a comic and actor he was.
It is sad that he left so abruptly, but he will always be fondly remembered.

"Oh Captain, my Captain."

[trancehime]

While I was born in the early 90's Mork and Mindy would be broadcast here on cable television and I had very fond memories of that show; then I was exposed to greats like Mrs. Doubtfire and Dead Poets Society. And let's not forget Williams' great voicing of Genie, to which the viral Twitter line still sends me reeling onto the feel-train tracks - "Genie, you're free." And there was Good Will Hunting too, a great showing from the versatile actor in a type of role he's usually not known to perform in, and he did absolutely fantastic.

It came as a shock to me when I learned about it getting up early in the morning and checking the latest news on the Internets. Dude's barely older than my dad, for chrissakes! It's enough to really keep me at a loss of words... Considering how talented and how good-willed of a person he was, bringing humor to all sorts of people... From the common folk like you and me to the less fortunate and even to soldiers. It's a striking blow to humanity and if I remember it correctly I believe it was Wesley Snipes who commented on him being blessed.

He's probably in a better place now. RIP Robin Williams.

[Tengukami]

Also also also oh man Dead Poets Society.

Oh holy crap how could I forget that one? That movie seriously shook me - especially that one kid with the dad from That 70s Show.

As I think of it, Williams' role in that film kind of set the tone for what sort of role he'd be offered in the future: The Fisher King and Patch Adams, for example, both had him doing the whole SEIZE THE DAY thing. Not a bad way to be typecast!

e: Filed under "wtf is wrong with people", Robin Williams' daughter 'leaves' Twitter after abuse. Amazingly, she posted an articulate and even funny response to this on her Tumblr, saying in part to her trolls, "Know that some small, giggling part of him is sending a flock of pigeons to your house to poop on your car. Right after you've had it washed."

[Mr_Bob]

Damn, not sure if there was something he was in that I didn't like.  Popeye, Hook, Dead Poet Society, Patch Adams, his stand-up.  Sad to see him go.

[notverycreative]

I think Aladdin is honest-to-ghod the best animated movie ever, and it's due in no small part to Williams' fantastic portrayal of the Genie. Man, the world lost one of the great ones. Just...so much sad face. I don't even know how to express it.

Oh, and about Richard Jeni: so THAT'S how he died! I really liked him, too, and when I heard he died I was pretty bummed-out.