Robin Williams dead at 63

[montypython]

Add me to the list of people who never have much emotional reaction to celebrity deaths, but for which this one hits pretty hard. Wasn't prepared for a world without Robin Williams. Dead Poet's Society will be harder to watch now, but even more meaningful.

The more profound the artist, the more painfully felt the loss is in my observation, especially in such an abrupt and unexpected fashion. It reminds me why mental illnesses need much more attention and study than it currently receives.

[2000AD]

Others have already pointed it out but Rorchach's 'joke' from beside The Comedian's grave in Watchmen is awfully on point:

Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says, "Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up." Man bursts into tears. Says "But Doctor... I am Pagliacci."

Off the top of my head this is the first major death in a long time where I can remember everyone being unanimous in mourning.

[Broomstick]

For the family and friends of the deceased every death is a major death.

What's different is that when Williams made us laugh it made us feel like he was our friend in a cold and hostile universe, and now we have all lost that friend and the universe is still cold and hostile.

[Ahriman238]

Still having a bit of trouble believing, Robin Williams was one of a handful of men who pretty much made my childhood. He was always there in some family-friendly comedy, and as a teenager and adult I loved his racier stand-up routines.

[CaptJodan]

The more profound the artist, the more painfully felt the loss is in my observation, especially in such an abrupt and unexpected fashion. It reminds me why mental illnesses need much more attention and study than it currently receives.

No doubt, but I also think it was the shear suddenness of it. No hint by the general public of anything being wrong with him per say, still in work, still functional. Princess Diana was one that certainly sent similar shockwaves in Britain and around the world. No one will be surprised when the Queen dies of old age, but Diana was a surprise.

This has the added sting of being terribly tragic because of it how it happened. It wasn't an accident that took him, it was him taking his own life. After giving so much laughter and happiness to others, he found himself without enough happiness to go on living himself.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Oh.. and just in case your feelings were not already totally ruined Lauren Bacall passed away today as well :<

[Batman]

This is sad, doubly so because he took his own life. He will be missed.

[Darth Lucifer]

A little late to the thread, but I too was profoundly saddened by Robin's death. Strangely enough, I was thinking about "What Dreams May Come", given the circumstances of his departure from mortal life.

In related News:

Fox News anchor Shepard Smith apologizes for calling Robin Williams a ‘coward’

The newsman used the word "coward" to describe Williams' suicide Monday, just hours after the 63-year-old was found dead. Smith apologized Tuesday, saying, "I would never presume to know anything about his private life."

Red-faced Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith callously branded Robin Williams “a coward” only hours after the actor committed suicide Monday.

“Something inside you is so horrible or you’re such a coward or whatever the reason that you decide that you have to end it. Robin Williams, at 63, did that today,” Smith said during his breaking news telecast.

Smith was referring to Williams’ final Instagram post two weeks ago, when to mark his daughter Zelda’s 25th birthday, he shared a photograph of himself with her on his lap when she was a baby.

“tbt and Happy Birthday to Ms. Zelda Rae Williams! Quarter of a century old today but always my baby girl. Happy Birthday@zeldawilliams Love you!” Williams captioned the picture.

Robin Williams posted a photo of himself with daughter Zelda on Instagram recently to celebrate her 25th birthday.

Smith said during the broadcast, “One of the children he so loved, one of the children grieving tonight because their father killed himself in a fit of depression.”

Tuesday, Smith issued an apology for his poor choice of words.

“I would never presume to know anything about his private life. And if any of his family members and friends were to have seen me use the word ‘coward,’ I would be horrified,” Smith told the web site, Mediaite.

“I would just like to apologize to the end of the earth to anyone who might think that I meant to openly call him a ‘coward,’” he said. “To the core of my being, I regret it. It just came out of my mouth. And I’m so sorry. And to anyone and their families who see that, I am sorry.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainmen ... z3AJfRJdWp

The true definition of a coward is a self-loathing, closeted, homosexual man working as a propaganda mouthpiece for a network owned by a bunch of Republican gay bashers.

[Channel72]

Well, let's see... does Shepard Smith bring in enough viewers to avoid being fired?

[Tanasinn]

That he was forced to humiliate himself publicly instead of being summarily dismissed would seem to indicate his employers are testing the waters on that.

I don't believe for a moment this apology was anything but coerced.

[Gaidin]

Even Limbaugh has had to walk back his comments regarding Williams' death. Take your grain of salt as to whether they weren't coerced.

[AniThyng]

https://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb ... 00165.html

Man what kind of fuckheads feel the need to insult his daughter for not having enough selfies with him.

[Napoleon the Clown]

Were I to be present when Shepherd Smith issued that half-assed "apology" I think my only possible response would get along the lines of "go fuck yourself." Look at the apology, he doesn't feel bad for what he said. He doesn't think there's anything wrong with the opinion he expressed. "I'm sorry I hurt anybody's feelings." Fucking cop-out.

I didn't believe the news at first, thinking it was one of the hoaxes or a mistake on the part of Huffington Post. I was displeased to learn otherwise.

[Borgholio]

Most apologies on the news are just an extension of what is pretty much an acting career. Many news anchors and personalities are nothing more than actors who want to bring you the most exciting information possible (whether or not it's actually true) and they have to act like it's all a big deal. So when they apologize, it's just another part of the job. Same way someone who actually has talent (like Robin Williams), can go from being a comedian to a serious dramatic actor depending on the role that he needs to play.

[Borgholio]

This just came from Robin's wife...looks like he had the early stages of Parkinson's when he died.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/peop ... /14062707/

[Raw Shark]

Wow, that makes it much more understandable. Imagine visualizing your only possible future after a great career as playing second fiddle to an inferior comedic and dramatic talent like Michael J. Fox just because the public expects you to do charity work and he planted his flag there first. I'd probably off myself, too.

R.I.P. Robin.

[cosmicalstorm]

He could have spent the rest of his life advocating SENS and fighting the disease/depression. But I understand his decision.

[Broomstick]

I think people should be wary of second-guessing what was going through his head at the time. He may have been a public figure but none of us really knew him.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

He could have spent the rest of his life advocating SENS and fighting the disease/depression. But I understand his decision.

Uh. One of the symptoms of Parkinsons is that it causes clinical depression. This is on top of the fact that he was already, apparently, substantially depressed, had well-known struggles with substance abuse and addictive behaviors, and was an older white man with the above issues.

Basically, he personified "at exceptionally high-risk for suicide." But, as has been said, we shouldn't second-guess what was going through his head at the time. Especially since most suicides are, in fact, unplanned, spur-of-the-moment things. Which is why, for example, having a firearm in the house dramatically increases one's suicide risk; and why so many of them are falls from high places and improvised hangings.

Not being inside his head at the time, we'll simply never know.

[Borgholio]

Well the autopsy results came back. No illegal drugs or alcohol in his system. Legal medications were found at normal levels.

Looks like it was depression combined with the first stages of Parkinson's disease that sent him over the edge.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/07/showbiz/r ... index.html