Farewell to Our Genius Friend

I am engulfed by sadness at the death of Robin Williams. I feel that I've lost a dear relative, a good friend. I know millions of people around the world are feeling this. We are all, today, members of Robin’s extended family. And we are grieving him.

How could we not? He made us roar with laughter, not just smile or chuckle. He kept our minds nimble and swift as we tried to keep up with his brilliant one. Watching him in stand-up or on interviews, you couldn't help but be in awe at the speed with which jokes came to him.  What talent! No; what genius! Film never could capture that speed. Movies confined him and reduced his brilliance. And yet he shone.

On the screen he wasn't just funny, he was also all heart. We wanted to stand on our desks with the incredibly young Ethan Hawke and yell “Captain, my Captain!” at him in Dead Poet’s Society. Or salute his Adrian Cronauer character like the also very young Forest Whitaker did in Good Morning, Vietnam! ; two of his better films, along with The Bird Cage, which was actually even better than the original, thanks to his portrayal of Armand Goldman next to Nathan Lane.

He did drama well, like in his award winning role in Good Will Hunting, or besides Al Pacino in Insomnia, but without a doubt it was in comedy where he excelled. The interesting thing is that he had comedy for all tastes as well as ages. His stand-up was for adults and without being prudish it also wasn't salacious; it was always smart! His movies for kids brought adults to the theaters to see the marvelous genie in Aladin, the absent minded professor in Flubber, the father in Jumanji or RV, Teddy Roosevelt in the Night at the Museum series.

It hurts to know how much pain he must have been feeling. We can only hope that he knew he was a cherished friend to millions, one that we never met in person, but a friend who made us enjoy life a little more through laughter. 

Robin Williams, how we will miss you!