One of the categories I have on this blogs television awards is the award for a show that’s gone too soon. This year, I was going to give that award to The Crazy Ones, and now there’s an even bigger reason to honor that show with such an accolade, as of around noon today, prolific actor, comedian and Oscar award winner Robin Williams was found dead in his home.
It’s a story we’ve heard all too often — a great comedian that never stops glowing with energy and light in the public eye hides much darker side that remains hidden at all costs, sometimes even to themselves. And although he didn’t hide the fact that he fought with addiction and depression, he never let on that he was anything but joy and happiness. It is a sad day that those demons finally caught up to him and he could no longer keep them at bay.
But no matter how dark the news of his passing may have been, he will always be remembered with the brightest of smiles. Regardless of whether it was the head-spinning mania of his stand-up routines, the delight of his performances in comedies like Mrs. Doubtfire, Good Morning, Vietnam or Mork and Mindy, the myriad of laughs in his voice work in Ferngully: The Last Rainforest, Aladdin and Happy Feet, or the inspiration that surrounded his dramatic performances in Good Will Hunting or Dead Poets Society, Williams was a true spirit of selflessly giving joy to everyone, even if he may not have felt it in himself. A lot of people have expressed how he was always performing, no matter the size of the audience, and it’s because of the pleasure he got from always putting a smile on other people that made Williams a legend and a class act.
My condolences to Williams’s family and friends, who will miss him far more than the average viewer who may never have gotten to know him as a person, but always felt as if he was their best friend. Like the majority of his films, Williams will last the test of time.
Good night, Mr. Williams. “Thank you for believing.”
Chaos breeds Chaos 