I’d like to thank Susan Schneider. I mean, I don’t know her, I just read her
quote on an article by the CBC, but it still helped me in writing this
tribute. Her words about the sudden
passing of one of our most endearing and beloved comedians and actors speak so
true for many people: that no matter what the circumstances of their passing,
we should always try to recall those times and moments that made us love them. It’s always best to affirm the positive in
the people you admire as well as a life in general, as Schneider’s husband so
clearly demonstrated. So before I continue, my thanks and condolences go to her and the rest of this great comedian's family.
Robin Williams was, for many people, an incredibly positive
and life-affirming person. His long
history of roles in stage, cinema and television has consistently been recalled
from generation to generation and his persona has practically become synonymous
with the high-energy and fun-loving lifestyle.
Almost everyone remembers their first Robin Williams role and almost
anybody can recall his innumerable list of hits that appealed to both children
and adults: Dead Poet Society, Good Will Hunting, Happy Feet, Mrs. Doubtfire,
Hook, Awakenings, The Fisher King,
Insomnia- okay, that was a Chris
Nolan film, way too pessimistic, but the man breathed life into the Genie in Aladdin, one of the most celebrated characters
in the Disney franchise! When someone mentions
Robin Williams, you want to start quoting his stand-up or break out into
‘Friend Like Me’. There is so much joy
and energy we associate with Williams and we have never tired of it. This is what we associate Williams with and
this is why we’re going to remember him.
Just looking at the list of films above, you can see why so
many people of so many generations and interests loved him. Never one to shy away from a certain amount
of commentary in his comedy, Williams very often challenged his
audiences in different roles and contexts, sometimes to show a secondary perspective and other times to literally promote change. Dead Poets Society is still hailed by
audiences as a classic analysis of student identity and Williams was a key part
in that; I remember when I first saw that movie, I wondered why Williams, being
the obvious Hollywood star, had to get an Oscar nomination for Best Leading
Actor, but as I grow older, I have to acknowledge that even if he’s not the
‘main character’, he was the catalyst for not only his onscreen students but
for actual collage students and many other audiences to look through new eyes and stand against what they
were taught was the proper way to think.
My favourite Robin Williams character of all, Perry from Terry Gilliam’s
bizarre but underrated The Fisher King,
literally turned a helpless homeless guy into a modern Don Quixote; this man,
even in poverty, did his best to show that so long as one stayed true to a
quest, no matter how ‘muy loco en la cabeza’ it may seem, a life can be made
content. But then, he always balanced these out with straight up comedy, so yes, we obviously need to talk about
the Genie… NO WE DON’T! You all know
that was magic, so why talk about what people already know!?
Of course, it wasn’t just onscreen that we saw Mr. Williams
cracking-wise and speaking wisdoms; he practically patented the term ‘manic energy’ with his public outbursts of excitement. Nearly everyone I know who has watched his
iconic stand-up loves it and quotes it whenever they can; vulgar, often dark
and incredibly sharp, covering everything from marijuana to Hurricane Katrina
to directory assistance and a whole lot about ‘Mr. Happy’, his humour
practically defined a generation of – in my opinion – sadly inferior comedians. There was only one Robin Williams when it
came to stand-up and he was lightning in a bottle. The guy was on Whose Line is it Anyway? and he outshines even Colin Mochrie! Even when he wasn't supposed to be performing and there was no need for it, Williams' energy still filled any interview hall he entered.
My favourite is still the Inside
the Actors Studio interview; you won't be able to find it online at this time, but recalling the eye-watering laughs I got out of it is enough for the time being.
Williams had many struggles over the years, but rather than focus on them, the public has continued to embrace the life-affirming and lively performances that he gave in so many different forms of media. Even in many of his stand-up routines, Williams didn't shy away from making fun of himself and his various tribulations; dude, if you could make fun of yourself onstage and do it well, you did something right. It’s still
very sad that we won’t see what else was cooking in that wild mind of his, but
we still know so much of the stuff we did get by heart and will keep close to
heart for many years to come. And while there is time for tears, they don't have to last when we can still get so much joy out of the experience of watching and remembering this comedic genius. As I was writing this article, I took a moment and returned to YouTube to watch one of my favourite routines, the opening to his 1982 Evening at the Metropolitan performance and it moved me to tears... not of sadness, but of unrelenting laughter, as it always has. I loved Robin as a kid, I loved him as a teenager, I loved him all the way into University, as did many of my close friends. We’ll
never again have a comedian quite like Robin Williams.
Robin McLaurin Williams
1951-2014
