RIP Robin Williams

Just read this brief story, "Robin Williams And The No Asshole Rule"
https://www.linkedin.com/today/post...893932-robin-williams-and-the-no-asshole-rule

...And I have an especially revealing story about how Robin treated others. Back in 2006, I spent several days in a recording studio in San Francisco narrating the audio version of my book The No Asshole Rule. At one point, I read a part about how, in my opinion, one of the best tests of a human being is how well or badly he or she treats others with less power. Right after I read this section, the two engineers I was working with began talking about various famous people they had worked with in this and other studios over the years.

I asked them: Who was the most civilized and who was the biggest asshole? They answered the second question first -- they both agreed that the biggest asshole was Dr. Phil. It took them a few minutes longer to answer the first question, but they soon agreed it was Robin Williams. They declined to give me any details about Dr. Phil, but were quite specific about why Robin was their favorite: He talked to them, asked for their opinions, joked with them, asked if they were comfortable, and in general treated them with warmth and respect.

Robin was, in the eyes of those two engineers, a first-rate human-being, a mensch. We all die, the least of us manage that. Few of us leave such an astounding legacy -- in ways both large and small. My heart goes out to his family and friends.
 
Gary Blanchard said:
High-cost treatment is not necessarily better than the average treatment. Often, the high-priced rehabs and treatment centers cater too much to the ego of those who come at a cost to the treatment. The effect of all the substances that Mr. Williams took on his brain chemistry, which was probably already affected by the chemical imbalance of his depression, made things difficult, I am sure.
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I know, and that was a condemnation of care for mental health in general. I was thinking he could at least afford treatment of some nature; most people can't.
 
It was the focus of the news last night here as he was (as other mentioned) well known in the Bay Area and from all the stories very approachable. I would have liked to have met him, we have something in common...a birthday. I always enjoyed his humour and to hear how he was with other people just reinforced that he was a genuine person. It is so unfortunate as we do not have enough people like that around it seems
 
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Perhaps not his funniest in this isolated video but the entire episode was paid off by this. One of my favorites.

 
When I was teaching psychology, I showed three Robin Williams movies to the class: Awakenings, Good Will Hunting, and The Fisher King. Three excellent performances by a talented actor.
 
Tig said:
Just read this brief story, "Robin Williams And The No Asshole Rule"
https://www.linkedin.com/today/post...893932-robin-williams-and-the-no-asshole-rule

...And I have an especially revealing story about how Robin treated others. Back in 2006, I spent several days in a recording studio in San Francisco narrating the audio version of my book The No Asshole Rule. At one point, I read a part about how, in my opinion, one of the best tests of a human being is how well or badly he or she treats others with less power. Right after I read this section, the two engineers I was working with began talking about various famous people they had worked with in this and other studios over the years.

I asked them: Who was the most civilized and who was the biggest asshole? They answered the second question first -- they both agreed that the biggest asshole was Dr. Phil. It took them a few minutes longer to answer the first question, but they soon agreed it was Robin Williams. They declined to give me any details about Dr. Phil, but were quite specific about why Robin was their favorite: He talked to them, asked for their opinions, joked with them, asked if they were comfortable, and in general treated them with warmth and respect.

Robin was, in the eyes of those two engineers, a first-rate human-being, a mensch. We all die, the least of us manage that. Few of us leave such an astounding legacy -- in ways both large and small. My heart goes out to his family and friends.
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Years ago, I worked at a university and during my first couple of weeks there, my boss kept reiterating how important it was to be nice to housekeeping and maintenance. If they don't like you, the burned out light bulb might take three weeks to get replaced...
It always struck me as a little odd that she kept repeating herself on that matter so I finally asked why.
She told me that most new faculty and clinical staff are "too busy for the little people" and many of them are just flat out rude to the "hourly staff," as they were called by those with big egos.
I told her that my policy was to treat everyone with the same level of professionalism I expected to be directed at me. She thought that was odd of me. "You don't have to pretend to be magnanimous around me. We all work with "those people" but we tolerate them because we need the trash emptied."
My respect for her was never the same after that. I also found those elitist attitudes quite common there among the academics.
And I met some cool people who worked in maintenance, too. Her loss.
 
Hey gang. Really sad about Robin Williams. I grew up watching Mork, even had the suspenders. The show doesn't really hold up now but as a ~5 year old, it was golden. In grade school, my friend had a tape of "Reality...What a Concept". We listened to it constantly as we couldn't stand each other's music. I listened to the tape at home too and eventually wore the thing out. I couldn't get enough. It appears the album is out of print now but I found it on YouTube. Listening to it now for the first time in over 20 years. I need to pick up a copy of Club Paradise next, another favorite of mine as it seemed to run nonstop on cable back in the day. What a sad end to a wonderful life.

 
I can't escape the feeling he has somehow let us down.

Harsh maybe, and possibly incorrect, but it's there just the same
 
I was expecting something like this:

Susan Schneider, the wife of Robin Williams, has disclosed that her late husband had early stages of Parkinson's disease at the time of his death earlier this week.
​
I can see how something like this (or Alzheimer's), coupled with the depression issues could easily lead to him deciding that taking his own life was better than a long, drawn-out illness. :(
 
Kerouac said:
I was expecting something like this:

Susan Schneider, the wife of Robin Williams, has disclosed that her late husband had early stages of Parkinson's disease at the time of his death earlier this week.
​
I can see how something like this (or Alzheimer's), coupled with the depression issues could easily lead to him deciding that taking his own life was better than a long, drawn-out illness. :(
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Fuuuuuuuuuuu


So damn sad.
 
Dunno.

My father just came to visit last night (in from Philly, took the train to Boston). We picked him up and he is here with us. He is 72.

He has Parkinson's, and yeah, it is getting bad.

Not sure what to say, for fear I am going to offend someone.........but let me assure you that seeing Dad alive is better than seeing him laying in a box.

I'm sure Mr Williams' family would agree to the same train of thought right now.
 
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