Jonathon Jones's Blog - Posts Tagged "robin-williams"
A Tribute to Robin Williams
A Tribute:
This evening, after learning about the passing of Robin Williams, I found myself realizing many things that I never really knew about.
The primary thing, however, is that Robin Williams was someone who helped to form me into who I am today.
It all started when I was a young boy of seven. I remember staring at the television screen in awe at the hilarious alien interpretation of “Mork” during an introductory appearance on the television show Happy Days. A couple of years later, I was elated to find out that he was to be in a series of his own, Mork and Mindy.
I watched the show religiously. Not just for the entertainment value, either. Via his quirky persona I began to see the value in being silly, making people laugh and, overall, just not caring about what people thought.
As the show ended I was, of course, as saddened as a young boy could be. Luckily, from that point on, my interest in Robin became constantly renewed. In the 80s it was primarily due to his hilarious skits in Comic Relief with Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal, along with other comedy performances on HBO. We didn’t have cable, but my Grandpa Bob and Grandma Charlotte did, and that’s usually where I watched his hilarity all over again.
The 80s was the time I also started seeing his value as a movie actor as well. Although quirky beyond belief, my favorite movie from the 80s with him in it is The World According to Garp. It was then and there that I realized he could also entertain in more subtle ways. He didn’t always have to talk a million miles an hour and spout things off left and right for us to laugh. No matter what he did or said, humor was always a part of him. Because of that, it was always going to be a part of me.
Then the 90s hit, and I got to see or hear his great performances in Hook, Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, Nine Months, Jumanji, Flubber, and What Dreams May Come, amongst many, many others. More so than any time before, he really started to shine. He entered 1990 as a 38 year old, and proved once and for all that just because you reach mid-life it doesn’t mean your light has to stop shining. The 70s and 80s set him up to be a star, but the 90s secured his rightful place as a legend.
When the 2000s hit, in the back of my mind I figured his time had come and gone. That’s the mistake we so often make, and it’s always up to us to prove people wrong. He did just that, and I’m glad he stopped my eyes from jumping to conclusions. RV, Night at the Museum, and License to Wed are modern-day classics, and they just wouldn’t be the same without him.
My final conclusion after thinking about what I have been through with this wonderful man is that, more so than probably any other actor that ever lived, Robin Williams helped to change my life for the better.
Although it is truly sad that he chose to end his life, when you put all the pieces together, it all makes perfect sense. His internal suffering was probably the same exact reason *why* he was able to make us laugh so easily. Drugs and alcohol during his life were his private band-aids to ease his pain, but in public he went full speed ahead in trying to make others laugh because it was probably one of the only ways he could feel complete.
That’s the mark of true depression. When no matter what you have, whether it be the love of millions, family, fame, and fortune (Or all of the above)…it’s simply not enough to take away how you feel inside.
He used the laughter of others to mask that pain. Although we were all better for it, it was his struggles that made it possible. It's truly unfortunate, but sometimes the most tortured souls are also the most brilliant. Sad, but most certainly true.
As a side note, I wanted to say outright that I’m, in no way, shape or form, condoning suicide for people to end their suffering. Although I have felt similar pains in my early years, from around 13-23 or so, with hormonal changes as I aged as well as externally things going better for me, that pain magically went away. But for Robin..poor, sweet Robin, it apparently was always there and never left.
Yes, it is sad that he ended his own life, but perhaps a silver lining does exist. Perhaps now he can finally smile an eternal smile as opposed to spending a lifetime of helping others to do it.
Whatever the case, I am glad that I have known him in the only way that I could. On screen. From the age of seven to forty-two and beyond, he will always be in my thoughts and one of the greatest comedians and actors that ever lived.
Jonathon Jones
This evening, after learning about the passing of Robin Williams, I found myself realizing many things that I never really knew about.
The primary thing, however, is that Robin Williams was someone who helped to form me into who I am today.
It all started when I was a young boy of seven. I remember staring at the television screen in awe at the hilarious alien interpretation of “Mork” during an introductory appearance on the television show Happy Days. A couple of years later, I was elated to find out that he was to be in a series of his own, Mork and Mindy.
I watched the show religiously. Not just for the entertainment value, either. Via his quirky persona I began to see the value in being silly, making people laugh and, overall, just not caring about what people thought.
As the show ended I was, of course, as saddened as a young boy could be. Luckily, from that point on, my interest in Robin became constantly renewed. In the 80s it was primarily due to his hilarious skits in Comic Relief with Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal, along with other comedy performances on HBO. We didn’t have cable, but my Grandpa Bob and Grandma Charlotte did, and that’s usually where I watched his hilarity all over again.
The 80s was the time I also started seeing his value as a movie actor as well. Although quirky beyond belief, my favorite movie from the 80s with him in it is The World According to Garp. It was then and there that I realized he could also entertain in more subtle ways. He didn’t always have to talk a million miles an hour and spout things off left and right for us to laugh. No matter what he did or said, humor was always a part of him. Because of that, it was always going to be a part of me.
Then the 90s hit, and I got to see or hear his great performances in Hook, Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, Nine Months, Jumanji, Flubber, and What Dreams May Come, amongst many, many others. More so than any time before, he really started to shine. He entered 1990 as a 38 year old, and proved once and for all that just because you reach mid-life it doesn’t mean your light has to stop shining. The 70s and 80s set him up to be a star, but the 90s secured his rightful place as a legend.
When the 2000s hit, in the back of my mind I figured his time had come and gone. That’s the mistake we so often make, and it’s always up to us to prove people wrong. He did just that, and I’m glad he stopped my eyes from jumping to conclusions. RV, Night at the Museum, and License to Wed are modern-day classics, and they just wouldn’t be the same without him.
My final conclusion after thinking about what I have been through with this wonderful man is that, more so than probably any other actor that ever lived, Robin Williams helped to change my life for the better.
Although it is truly sad that he chose to end his life, when you put all the pieces together, it all makes perfect sense. His internal suffering was probably the same exact reason *why* he was able to make us laugh so easily. Drugs and alcohol during his life were his private band-aids to ease his pain, but in public he went full speed ahead in trying to make others laugh because it was probably one of the only ways he could feel complete.
That’s the mark of true depression. When no matter what you have, whether it be the love of millions, family, fame, and fortune (Or all of the above)…it’s simply not enough to take away how you feel inside.
He used the laughter of others to mask that pain. Although we were all better for it, it was his struggles that made it possible. It's truly unfortunate, but sometimes the most tortured souls are also the most brilliant. Sad, but most certainly true.
As a side note, I wanted to say outright that I’m, in no way, shape or form, condoning suicide for people to end their suffering. Although I have felt similar pains in my early years, from around 13-23 or so, with hormonal changes as I aged as well as externally things going better for me, that pain magically went away. But for Robin..poor, sweet Robin, it apparently was always there and never left.
Yes, it is sad that he ended his own life, but perhaps a silver lining does exist. Perhaps now he can finally smile an eternal smile as opposed to spending a lifetime of helping others to do it.
Whatever the case, I am glad that I have known him in the only way that I could. On screen. From the age of seven to forty-two and beyond, he will always be in my thoughts and one of the greatest comedians and actors that ever lived.
Jonathon Jones
