It’s hard not to know about Robin Williams. Few are those who never heard of Dead Poets Society in high school or who aren’t familiar with the famous radio opening: “Goooooooood moooooorning, Vietnaaaaaaaaaam!
In 2014, the world not only lost a brilliant person, but a man capable of cross cinema screens with his performance and pluck laughs and tears from the audience. The YouTube channel Biographer paid tribute to the actor, describing him as the “Einstein of Comedy.” They weren’t wrong, were they?
A ground legend: the career of Robin Williams
Williams was born in 1951, in Chicago. The star was already known since childhood for telling jokes to entertain his classmates. When his father retired, the family moved to Larkspur, California. Robin studied at Redwood High School and had acting classes. We can say that this is where the career of what would become one of the greatest comedians of all time took off.
He earned a scholarship to the Juilliard School, a prestigious music, dance, and drama school in New York. He began his career doing stand-up shows in clubs and bars until he landed one of his first television appearances: the lead role in the series Mork & Mindy.
He only went forward from there. In 1987, he was the lead actor in the hit Good Morning, Vietnam, which gave him an Oscar nomination. In 1989, he did a moving performance as John Keating in Dead Poets Society. In 1992, he voiced the Genie in the animated musical Aladdin. In 1997, he brought tears to the audience as a therapist in Good Will Hunting. He won an Academy Award for it. These and many other roles marked Robin Williams ‘golden years.’
When “fame” becomes a “flame” in a damaged heart
Unfortunately, he struggled to cope with the pressure and fame. Robin became involved with drugs, alcohol, and fell into addiction. But this was not the cause of his death. After numerous film productions, there was a pause in his demand. He felt his career going down. Shortly before his death, Williams was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and Lewy Body Dementia. On August 11, 2014, at the age of 63, Robin Williams was found dead at home. The autopsy declared that he had caused his own end.
When we talk about depression and mental health, it’s rare for a comedian to be the first figure that comes to mind. After all, the most well-known aspect of humor is to give entertainment. However, psychological studies have already revealed that humor generates pleasure by saving emotional expenses. It covers feelings for which there isn’t much solution. It becomes easier to understand why, for viewers and for the comedian himself, jokes can be an escape from suffering.
Whenever you get depressed, comedy pulls you out of the hole.
– Williams told the The Guardian, in 1996.
Psychologist Wesley Reis defines “having mental health” as having the capacity to recognize limits, live in a balanced way, experience emotions and know that we can seek help from a mental health professional when necessary. “(…) he needed to be on stage. That was the blood of his life, it was his physical imperative, and without it, he was quite lost” revealed Bob Zmuda, a long-time friend of Robin Williams, to Reuters.
Several comedians have already revealed their depression diagnoses: Jim Carrey, Eduardo Sterblich, and the late Chico Anysio, for example. This disorder among comedians is a complex and multifaceted topic. Robin wasn’t well. But it’s not common to think that a man who makes you laugh so much might be the one crying when he’s not on stage. Beyond cinema, laughs, and a legacy in the art world, what remains of Williams today is a warning about the importance of mental health.
To seek help in Brazil, contact CVV (Centro de Valorização à Vida), by phone 188, for free emotional support.
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The article above was edited by Camilly Vieira.
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