Category Archives: Comedy

Robin Williams, a Great Entertainer!

Robin Williams. Born July 21, 1951 in Chicago. Career highlights: Stand-up comedy (Audio, TV, HBO, & Film), Mork and Mindy (TV Series 1978-82), & Films: Moscow on the Hudson (’84), Good Morning, Vietnam (’87), Dead Poets Society (’89), Awakenings (’90), The Fisher King (’91), Mrs. Doubtfire (’93), Good Will Hunting (’97), Patch Adams (’98), and many other great movies. Awards: 1 Oscar, 2 Emmys, 4 Golden Globe including the 2005 Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement, and more.

He is at his best doing stand-up, where he is known for telling irreverently dirty crazy jokes about drugs, sex, politics and the ironies of life. In films Robin usually plays an odd eccentric character; an alien, a elderly British nanny, a semi-human robot, the King of the Moon, a deluded homeless man, a Genie, a gay dragclub owner, a penguin. These diverse roles have allowed him to demonstrate his wide range of comedic talents.

What makes Robin such a great charismatic entertainer is that he is not only outrageously hilarious, but also a very heartfelt, warm and compassionate actor. A good example of this is his role as a therapist in Good Will Hunting, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. I will always remember his scene with Matt Damon (Will Hunting), where he repeatedly tells Will “It’s not your fault” (about his being abused as a child). That is one of the most powerful film scenes i have ever seen. Most of his roles (even the very comedic wacky ones), have shown some of this loving warmth. I have seen him in interviews talking about a serious social political issue, being very convincing and concerned. Then he says something really funny about the issue, and you realize that while it’s important to care about things and get involved, it’s also meaningful to put things in perspective, and be able to momentarily laugh at their absurdities.

Personal: 3 children, has lived mostly in Northern California, likes sci-fi & playing video games.

Quotes:
“God gave men both a penis and a brain, but unfortunately not enough blood supply to run both at the same time.”
“Cocaine is God’s way of telling you you are making too much money.”
“Catholic Lite; same rituals, half the guilt.” about his Episcopal faith.

Thanks Robin for everything!