zootracer
Posts:835
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| 08/11/2014 08:28 PM |
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Apparent suicide at age 63. My favorite role was The Bird Cage. My wife dragged me to see it. Everyone in the whole theater was laughing.
I mentioned here in the coffee shop as he was an avid cyclist.
Had been suffering from severe depression. Sad news. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 08/11/2014 09:58 PM |
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So incredibly sad.
Peace to his friends and family. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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eurochien
Posts:163
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| 08/12/2014 12:41 AM |
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| "a drive-by fruiting" (Mrs Doubtfire). Sad news. |
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 08/12/2014 08:37 AM |
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Cycling connection: he was a friend of Lance during his Tour run and entertained the team in France. At the LAF fundraiser ride in 2003, he entertained the 1000s of riders with a 12 minute brilliant, somewhat profane improv before the ride started. Then he rode at 23-25 mph with the front group of Lance and big $ donors, Not for the whole ride, but still impressive to see him cruise along in a group that fast, looking a bit nervous and unsmooth. ( not that I was in that group, saw it on TV later).
Manic depression is what drove Graham Obree to his amazing heights and dismal lows. It has given the world some amazing gifts but can be hell for the folks who have it. |
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ChinookPass
Posts:809
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| 08/12/2014 10:49 AM |
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bummer
Mork and Mindy
HBO specials
Comic Relief
Dead Poet Society
Good Will Hunting
Aladdin
Mrs. Doubtfire
The guy had a huge range and was good when he was crazy with cocaine and when he was clean. Glad that we had him as long as we did. |
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huckleberry
Posts:824
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| 08/12/2014 11:24 AM |
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| Heartbroken... |
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vtguy
Posts:298
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| 08/12/2014 11:34 AM |
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| Too bad, he was a comic genius and a fine serious actor as well. |
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79pmooney
Posts:3189
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| 08/12/2014 02:08 PM |
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I didn't realize he was manic-depressant. Does explain a lot.
There is someone local to Portland who, at 12 years younger, has spent his entire life struggling with similar issues. As a teen, he found meth, the instant cure for depression. That roller coaster landed him in prison several times for a total of 15 years. Had a change of heart in prison, came out and worked for the brother he had spent his life at odds with in the family baking business and used his creative genius to develop Dave's Killer line of breads. But fame, money and the good life allowed him to feel he could relax his vigil. Last year he went on a manic rampage. Fortunately, no permanent harm was done, but it put him in front of judges again, back to rehab, lots of press, etc.
I know this guy and love him. We share very different but in key ways very similar struggles and have to live the life we want, every day.
To get back on topic: I didn't see much of Robin Williams but that was mostly because I have never watched much TV and films and was never into comedy. But what I saw and heard about him in recent years impressed me a lot. Good man. good heart. A big loss. And while the whole LA thing has lost his shine, I am still impressed that Robin Williams was the only non team/staff player who was allowed unfettered access to the Postal/Discover camp. (I wonder if having to stay silent about what he undoubtedly saw added to his internal burden. Did Robin Williams stay silent about anything else?)
Ben |
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Oldfart
Posts:511
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| 08/12/2014 04:13 PM |
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| We buy Killer Bread all the time. It is very good. I always thought Robin Williams had a mental issue. Like Jonathon Winters who I think may have as well. They were both often in character of some kind and rarely themselves. Like it was an escape from their true selves. Always being someone else was better than themselves. |
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Cosmic Kid
Posts:4209
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| 08/12/2014 04:36 PM |
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Yeah, IIRC, both suffered form depression.
In hindsight, it was blatantly obvious. |
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| Just say "NO!" to WCP!!!!
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longslowdistance
Posts:2886
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| 08/12/2014 07:36 PM |
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Yes, the great comic genius Winters also was manic depressive. Lithium helped keep him from tipping over, I think he was one of the first to use it.
Kurt Cobain, van Gogh, many other artistic geniuses had this condition.
FWIW, many celebrities labeled as such on pop sites probably really have a milder variant called cyclothymia rather than true full blown manic depressive (bipolar) disorder.
I'm going to miss Robin a lot. |
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Orange Crush
Posts:4499
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| 08/12/2014 07:49 PM |
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| Somewhat ironically I've always thought his role as psychotic killer in Insomnia was his best performance. |
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Inferno7
Posts:344
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| 08/13/2014 08:45 AM |
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| Very sad. I do not remember the death of a celebrity being this intense. What a shame, poor guy. Manic depression is as real as cancer, my heart goes out to all that suffer from it.
Dead Poets Society wow thanks For mentioning that. Unreal what a great movie. |
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ChinookPass
Posts:809
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| 08/13/2014 11:09 AM |
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http://www.bicycling.com/news/featured-stories/robin-williams-im-lucky-have-bikes-my-life?page=0,0
There is a list of a few of his bikes in his collection on page 2 of this story.
2 good quotes:
"With thighs like these, you've got two choices- cycling, or go-go dancer."
"The dope tests came back. They found traces of Viagra. It helps me ride long and hard, and I don't need a kickstand." |
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