Robin Williams dead at 63

Some people would know sports athletes/coaches, etc., I only know the most famous of the famous sport figures. Is some sports I have no idea who the star is, old or new.

That's another area separate from film/tv.

Robin Williams was comedy genius. With an audience, he was genuinely funny, even when being serious, all of the time. Like Carlin, he got a bit too political at the end of his stand-up career, but he was still very funny.

He would be absolutely inspirational to other comedians and other wanna-be comedians. He was able to cross over from comedic to serious roles, winning a best supporting actor for Good Will Hunting and playing other serious roles. He gave alot of his money (when he had it) to charities. He talked about his life and seemed to be a real person on camera, talking openly (yet comedically) about his stints with coke, alcohol, and rehab.

The theme of redemeption plays big to people's hearts. He was a person who stormed into our lives through Mork and continued to make us laugh throughout pretty much my adult life. He seemed to be able to come back a better person after his bouts with drugs and alcohol and played a positive role to those who were going through addiction problems.

What is sad is that all of that eventually got him. He apparantly has four movies in post-production coming out.

A great comedic figure is dead, and tragically so.

Quote: boymimbo

He would be absolutely inspirational to other comedians and other wanna-be comedians. He was able to cross over from comedic to serious roles, winning a best supporting actor for Good Will Hunting and playing other serious roles. He gave alot of his money (when he had it) to charities. He talked about his life and seemed to be a real person on camera, talking openly (yet comedically) about his stints with coke, alcohol, and rehab.

We don't know for sure the whole of what went on....
He had many years in recovery away from the stuff.
I heard that he was financially bled from ex-wives and some close to him, and that he had to sell a (palatial) home. This personal relationship and financial area can hit close and hard to our emotional/psychic heart. This wasn't about who he was in the papers and on screen.

Quote: boymimbo

He talked about his life and seemed to be a real person on camera, talking openly (yet comedically) about his stints with coke, alcohol, and rehab.

I just can't feel detached about this suicide. There are too many amazing performances on the computer.

I don't mean this question to be cold, but do people kill themselves while on drugs, or while they are sober? I heard Craig Ferguson talk about his brush with suicide, and he says he got to drunk to go through with it.

I think this will hit Craig hard. I think he had more than you average appreciation for Robin Williams.

Quote: Mooseton

AOC: How would you feel if many other forum members here told you that you were mentally ill because of your belief that being called mentally ill is not an insult? I would imagine you would feel insulted.

Not really. I'd feel that perhaps these people should read up on mental illness.

I personally think that suicide is something that more people relate to than are willing to admit.

Guys, I get a curious question: Why there are tons of news coverages (i.e., hours of special reports) on a guy who killed himself, but not much of news coverages on the run-for-your-life-Yazidis?

I got choked up when I saw the run-for-your-life-Yazidis on this video:

I liked RW, but a lot of his comedy bored me.
The stream of the mouth comics throw a lot
of stuff out there, and some of it sticks to
the wall. I much more enjoyed his serious
stuff, like when he played a Russian who just
arrived here. Or the shrink in Good Will Hunting.

Quote: Fortalezo

Guys, I get a curious question: Why there are tons of news coverages (i.e., hours of special reports) on a guy who killed himself, but not much of news coverages on the run-for-your-life-Yazidis?

I got choked up when I saw the run-for-your-life-Yazidis on this video:

The main reason because he was on happy days, so for many he was a part of their childhoods growing up. To many, a part of their childhood died. From this show he continued successful and grew more successful as they grew up.

Quote: pacomartin

I just can't feel detached about this suicide. There are too many amazing performances on the computer.

I don't mean this question to be cold, but do people kill themselves while on drugs, or while they are sober? I heard Craig Ferguson talk about his brush with suicide, and he says he got to drunk to go through with it.

I think this will hit Craig hard. I think he had more than you average appreciation for Robin Williams.

Have no idea, but it would sound easier to pull off sober. If you're on drugs or alcohol, why ruin the party by dying?

Cowards way out. I goddam guarantee you I had it a lot tougher in life than Robin Williams. No matter how much I loved his humor he took a coward's way out. While he was doing Mork & Mindy I was living under bridges. What a punk. Sissy piece of crap. You kill yourself and you want sympathy from me? Get the hell out.

Quote: mickeycrimm

Cowards way out. I goddam guarantee you I had it a lot tougher in life than Robin Williams. No matter how much I loved his humor he took a coward's way out. While he was doing Mork & Mindy I was living under bridges. What a punk. Sissy piece of crap. You kill yourself and you want sympathy from me? Get the hell out.

I used to think so, but if I was sick with something like cancer or paralysis, I would see no value in being tough to gain just more days of misery. This is what depression is, is being unable to mentally change your vision of what you perceive to be the future. Pretend you're on 5 cycles of keno looking for 5/5, then 5 more, then 5 more, etc., and you start thinking you'll never get them. How long until you stop playing? Welcome back.

Quote: MrV

Death reported by asphyxia, following severe depression.

Gots to dig deeper than that!
All that means is that while severely depressed he hanged himself.
Why was he severely depressed?

Some say depression is simply diabetes of the brain. Most doctors subscribe to the theory of biogenic amines. Our neurons are not electrical connections similar to a telephone switchboard because each signal comes to the end of the brain cell and must "jump" that all important minute distance to the next neuron. This requires enough of the neurotransmitter to make it across the gap and sufficiently successful re-uptake mechanisms. Its also a mixture of such transmitters and as with almost anything in the brain it gets there by crossing the Brain Blood Barrier which is an energy dependent competitive process. So you have Large, Medium and Small, as well as Positive, Negative and Neutral all competing to get across that barrier.

He had a quick wit? That means he associated things well and retrieved them quickly which means he probably processed static signals just as efficiently.

Depression means attention to vitamin intake, antioxidant status, a great many things. Heck, its a big difference between being barefoot and opposed to wearing shoes. Which wine do you select? Canapes? Big difference between the stuff that comes wrapped in a flower petal and the stuff that does not. Wines and flower petals have major effect on antioxidants in the brain. Cheap wines, aged mushrooms or gravy additives are enough to put one over the edge.

He certainly had the money for a personal assistant/dietician to monitor his diet and drug intake and select the better wines. Now a great many wines are rushed but wines made the way a French peasant would have made wine are available: 100 percent aged Tannat grapes from the Gers region near the border. Great antioxidant profile and lots of eighty and ninety year old Frenchmen in Gers and the surrounding region.

Sunshine? I've been to San Francisco. I know what a cold wind off the bay means. Trouble is he lived in upscale Tiburon so he should have been getting sufficient rays.

Anyway, its just not enough to say "he was depressed". It never is.

Quote: mickeycrimm

While he was doing Mork & Mindy I was living under bridges.

Okay, you were "urban camping" but you kept your spirits up. Ever notice some of those fellows under the bridge disappear into the depths of hopelessness? Cowards way out? Not neccesarily some. sometimes a sense of pride can be fatal.

I like his roles in Insomnia, One Hour Photo and World According To Garp.

I also like this stand up on the game of golf. I might be better than Carlin's take on football.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcnFbCCgTo4

The story would be different and more interesting if he had died during an quantum immortality experiment.
Because of this theory, I don't see how it solved his problem.

Psychiatry is a scam to get the money the doctor needs to survive. It's basically a job.

Quote: mickeycrimm

Cowards way out. I goddam guarantee you I had it a lot tougher in life than Robin Williams. No matter how much I loved his humor he took a coward's way out. While he was doing Mork & Mindy I was living under bridges. What a punk. Sissy piece of crap. You kill yourself and you want sympathy from me? Get the hell out.

That's the Mickey I know and love! Some people cant handle the truth and don't realize how good they have it. And when someone takes the easy way out like he did, all you do is hurt the ones you say you "love".

Quote: mickeycrimm

While he was doing Mork & Mindy I was living under bridges.

I'll just let this opportunity to make a contextually appropriate and fitting ironic observation, and instead say I've seen few statements more heartless and comtemptible than that.

Quote: FleaStiff

Gots to dig deeper than that!
All that means is that while severely depressed he hanged himself.
Why was he severely depressed?

Some say depression is simply diabetes of the brain. Most doctors subscribe to the theory of biogenic amines. Our neurons are not electrical connections similar to a telephone switchboard because each signal comes to the end of the brain cell and must "jump" that all important minute distance to the next neuron. This requires enough of the neurotransmitter to make it across the gap and sufficiently successful re-uptake mechanisms. Its also a mixture of such transmitters and as with almost anything in the brain it gets there by crossing the Brain Blood Barrier which is an energy dependent competitive process. So you have Large, Medium and Small, as well as Positive, Negative and Neutral all competing to get across that barrier.

He had a quick wit? That means he associated things well and retrieved them quickly which means he probably processed static signals just as efficiently.

Depression means attention to vitamin intake, antioxidant status, a great many things. Heck, its a big difference between being barefoot and opposed to wearing shoes. Which wine do you select? Canapes? Big difference between the stuff that comes wrapped in a flower petal and the stuff that does not. Wines and flower petals have major effect on antioxidants in the brain. Cheap wines, aged mushrooms or gravy additives are enough to put one over the edge.

He certainly had the money for a personal assistant/dietician to monitor his diet and drug intake and select the better wines. Now a great many wines are rushed but wines made the way a French peasant would have made wine are available: 100 percent aged Tannat grapes from the Gers region near the border. Great antioxidant profile and lots of eighty and ninety year old Frenchmen in Gers and the surrounding region.

Sunshine? I've been to San Francisco. I know what a cold wind off the bay means. Trouble is he lived in upscale Tiburon so he should have been getting sufficient rays.

Anyway, its just not enough to say "he was depressed". It never is.

Excellent post FleaStiff !

His wife put out a statement that he was in the early stages of Parkinson's disease.

Quote: mickeycrimm

Cowards way out.

No, it's not. In Japan, it's honorable to kill
yourself. Calling it cowardice is a Christian
belief, suicide is a sin. Sometimes it's the
only option. It's your life, not somebody
elses.

Quote: EvenBob

No, it's not. In Japan, it's honorable to kill
yourself. Calling it cowardice is a Christian
belief, suicide is a sin. Sometimes it's the
only option. It's your life, not somebody
elses.

It shows you cared more about yourself than the ones you know will be hurt by it.

And this isn't Japan.

Quote: Boz

It shows you cared more about yourself than the ones you know will be hurt by it.
And this isn't Japan.

Sometimes you have to think of yourself first
and screw everybody else. Doesn't matter that
this isn't Japan. In order for something to be
true, it has to be universally true, and suicide
being cowardice is far from universally true.

In other words, murder is murder and stealing
is stealing everywhere. It's a universal constant.
Suicide is not.

Quote: Boz

And this isn't Japan.

Right, but when a Japanese woman waded into Santa Monica Bay to kill herself AND her two infants, we allowed her to return to Japan rather than face American justice.

Quote: Boz

It shows you cared more about yourself than the ones you know will be hurt by it.

And this isn't Japan.

You underestimate the dark, emotional pain someone who is suicidal is in. And also how hard it is for that person to think that rationally when in that dark state.

This new information about the early stages of Parkinson's changes everything.

Depression is a nasty illness, because you don't really know what is wrong when you are suffering. When you are not depressed, your life is pretty normal. Committing suicide to get out of the pattern is one way some people choose to break that pattern. And yes, unfortunately, I have been way too close to what we are discussing, and it SUCKS.

However, with Parkinson's now being brought into the picture, it seems that may have been a life's hurdle that RW did not feel he could deal with. Some can live with it, some can't. So sad.

Quote: RaleighCraps

However, with Parkinson's now being brought into the picture, it seems that may have been a life's hurdle that RW did not feel he could deal with. Some can live with it, some can't. So sad.

Parkinson's has long been related to creativity. Doctors usually delay treatment for parkinsons but are now finding that immediate treatment is likely to be better.

Naloxone, the drug that brings down a heroin user, seems to improve Parkinsons markedly.

As does subcutaneous injections of anti inflammatory agents.

Quote: pacomartin

I don't mean this question to be cold, but do people kill themselves while on drugs, or while they are sober? I heard Craig Ferguson talk about his brush with suicide, and he says he got to drunk to go through with it.

RW was a well known heavy drug addict, in fact, he was present when Belushi died from his overdose. They were inseparable in those days. RW cleaned up his act a bit after Belushi died. After all these years, when someone self-medicates for that long, once of clear head, they look around and suddenly it sinks in how they've wasted their lives, or hurt others, or lost family/jobs/whatever due to their addictions. RW had just checked into rehab last month, and been diagnosed with Parkinsons, and going broke due to excessive alimony payments. He was making $165,000 per episode for the failed sitcom The Crazy Ones. That's a big mental burden at age 63.

We can all be surprised when stars die of overdoses like Philip Seymour Hoffman, Heath Ledger, Amy Winehouse, Chris Farley, etc, but I believed RW was a very likely candidate for overdose years ago. It's surprising to me he made it this far, and chose an actual suicide. An intentional self-killing, like Kurt Cobain, not accidental like an overdose. Suicide is always sad, but I totally get it. It's a highly personal decision. Everything about suicide is intensely personal. The chosen method, the location (whether public or private), and who he thinks will find him, whether he leaves a note, and what the note says. RW was a tortured genius, and he had had enough of this life. The fact that it took place this soon after entering rehab doesn't surprise me at all.

Agreed, not a telephone switchboard, but they (neural junctions) are very similar to a capacitor-network on an immense 3D scale. Start clogging the junctions or changing the electrical conductivity and poof, problems start appearing. Drugs like cocaine tend to do this. While active in the junction area they act as a good conductor, but as it alters (lets say wears-off) the after-product clogs up the neural net junctions.

Quote: 98Clubs

Agreed, not a telephone switchboard, but they (neural junctions) are very similar to a capacitor-network on an immense 3D scale. Start clogging the junctions or changing the electrical conductivity and poof, problems start appearing. Drugs like cocaine tend to do this. While active in the junction area they act as a good conductor, but as it alters (lets say wears-off) the after-product clogs up the neural net junctions.

Well a capacitor network would still be dry and hard wired the brain is like very wet cottage cheese but these neural nets do respond to jigs and giggles and change their weight values and directions. Some neurons recover, some don't and the gap potentials seem altered.

ON EDIT: We speak of muscles having cramps and habits, why not brain circuits having pretty much the same thing?

Quote: zippyboy

Suicide is always sad, but I totally get it. It's a highly personal decision. Everything about suicide is intensely personal. The chosen method, the location (whether public or private), and who he thinks will find him, whether he leaves a note, and what the note says.

Does anybody remember George Sanders? The Brit
actor from the 30's and 40's? He told David Niven
in 1937 he would kill himself when he turned 65.
In 1972, the year he turned 65, he did just that.
He left this note:

'Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored.
I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you
with your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck'

How can you not respect that. He did what he said,
he lived his life and left it on his own decision. Good
for him.

Quote: EvenBob

Does anybody remember George Sanders? The Brit
actor from the 30's and 40's? He told David Niven
in 1937 he would kill himself when he turned 65.
In 1972, the year he turned 65, he did just that.
He left this note:

'Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored.
I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you
with your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck'

How can you not respect that. He did what he said,
he lived his life and left it on his own decision. Good
for him.

I read about this in David Niven's book, Bring On The Empty Horses. A wonderful book.