Words of the Week (Robin Williams)

What other words or sentiments can one share about the late, great Robin Williams that haven't already been expressed?

Like many I felt like I knew him. I didn't. Like most, I never met the man. But I don't think we need to be embarrassed when we feel genuine sadness over losing someone we never had to begin with. The guy's warmth and intellect and hilarity simply and strongly radiated.

When I was a teen I must have watched Robin Williams: An Evening at the Met at least 30 times. It was certainly a revelation that a broad knowledge about current affairs, history, literature, sports, politics was a powerful tool that could be called upon in many different facets of life. 

His take on parenthood was also piss funny - even to a 16 year old. His way of looking at the absolute mind fuck of having a child stayed with me and certainly came back to me with renewed clarity some15 years later when I entered that parallel universe of parenthood ("you don't need drugs when you have a kid; you're awake, you're paranoid, you smell bad - it's the same thing").

Quotes. So many. Inspired, funny, maniacal, magnificent. Which to choose?

If you have half an hour (and you don't mind swear words and the occasional adult concept), I urge you to watch this interview filmed when RW was in Australia in 2012. Funny but not forced. 

My friend worked on this special and I remember at the time she told me the experience was one of the highlights of her life, which alone gave me pause for thought - not because I had been under the impression he would have been hard to be around, but because my friend has interviewed and produced interviews with the gamut of celebrities and has never been one for awestruck mawkishness. She told me as well as being completely professional he was one of the loveliest people she'd ever met (reading the deluge of Williams news over the past few days makes it obvious she sure aint alone there).

Vale, Captain.
X