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August 12, 2014

Actor, Comedian Robin Williams Dead of Apparent Suicide at 63 
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The actor and comedian Robin Williams has died of an apparent suicide at
his home in Tiburon, California. He was 63. News of Williams' death
caused such an outpouring that the list of trending topics on social
media was dominated by film titles like "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "Flubber,"
and the words "my captain," a reference to the film "Dead Poets
Society." Williams rose to fame in the 1970s on the TV show "Mork &
Mindy." He was the voice of the genie in the Disney film "Aladdin" and a
fast-talking radio DJ in "Good Morning, Vietnam." He won an Oscar for
his role as Matt Damon's therapist in "Good Will Hunting" and starred as
Patch Adams in a film based on the real-life doctor who uses humor as
medicine. In this clip from the film, Williams stands before a medical
board accused of treating patients without a license.

Robin Williams (as Patch Adams): "Now, you ask me if I've been
practicing medicine. Well, if this means opening your door to those in
need, those in pain, caring for them, listening to them, applying a cold
cloth until a fever breaks, if this is practicing medicine, if this is
treating a patient, then I am guilty as charged, sir."

Board member: "Did you consider the ramifications of your actions? What
if one of your patients had died?"

Robin Williams (as Patch Adams): "What's wrong with death, sir? What are
we so mortally afraid of? Why can't we treat death with a certain amount
of humanity and dignity and decency and, God forbid, maybe even humor?
Death is not the enemy, gentlemen. If we're going to fight a disease,
let's fight one of the most terrible diseases of all: indifference."

Among the audience members in that scene is the late actor Philip
Seymour Hoffman, who played Williams' roommate. Hoffman died of a drug
overdose earlier this year. Williams had also battled addiction and was
reportedly suffering from severe depression at the time of his death.

 

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