This week, we at RevPub decided to pay our respects to Robin Williams. It’s rare we are affected by celebrity news, but this announcement hit us especially hard. It chipped away a piece of my heart. I remember standing there thinking … he was the genie. The genie is gone.

I grew up watching Robin Williams. I remember my grandma loving Hook, my brother loving Aladdin, everyone loving Mrs. Doubtfire. I watched his movies because he starred in them. He made me laugh and sometimes cry, and I loved his smile too. The genie in Aladdin remains one of my favorite Disney characters of all time, and I still quote and sing songs from the movie – especially “you ain’t ever had a friend like me.” That movie is still my favorite Disney movie and always will be. Robin Williams made that movie a hit.

The night of his passing, I watched the Weapons of Self Destruction stand-up and laughed to tears. I had a unique, strange experience while watching it though. When he discussed drug abuse and usage (specifically acid), the streaming on my TV slowed way down, so he had this trippy glow around his arms, head, and legs as he moved. At first, I thought it was part of the show (for TV audiences) because it was like watching the show under the influence of something, and it fit so well. From what I’ve heard about acid, it would compare to an acid trip lol. Once I realized it wasn’t part of the show, I stopped streaming and resumed, and the slow-mo glow was gone. As crazy as it sounds, it was as if he showed his appreciation for my watching the stand-up that night. I believe in spirits and energy, and that was too weird to not acknowledge.

It’s no secret he had his demons – we all do. Substance abuse, alcoholism, depression all tormented him, but many creative geniuses suffer in the same ways. Hell, schools around the world teach classes on the authors alone. Learning about the suicide hurt me more than his passing. This person dedicated his entire life to making others happy – even if only for a moment – and felt so low and hopeless he took his own life. Some believe people who commit suicide should not be celebrated, but it doesn’t matter how we die, it’s how we live. And he lived for others. With that said, I want to pay my respects to an actor who made me laugh throughout my entire life. We will miss him.
My Favorite Robin Williams movies:

Good Morning, Vietnam

Hook

Aladdin

Mrs. Doubtfire

Jumanji

The Birdcage

Jack

Flubber

One Hour Photo

Insomnia