What I don't understand is what was so remarkable about Robin Williams that he left such an imprint on primitive minds and feelings?
I mean, yeah, sure, the guy had talent and all that. But he was "big" during the late 1970s, which was a very long time ago now.
When compared with the ordinary run of humanity, of course he was special, given his talents, but when compared with other television comedians, what made him so special?
One would think Obama died, the way the primitives are carrying on.
Frank, this is one of the times when deafness probably blunts the impact of RW's comedy. He had a huge range of voices and characters he could grab at a moment's notice.
The producers of Mork and Mindy gave up trying to write for him and would just insert "Robin goes crazy here" in the scripts. And he did.
RW did 50+ movies and was arguably the most successful (other than maybe Will Smith) crossover artist to go from stand up to serious movie roles.
When I learned of his passing -- ESPECIALLY b/c it was a suicide -- a part of my youth died with him. You had to be there in the late 70s and the early 80s, when he did Mork & Mindy and also cut records with his stand up. They were always queued up in the dorms and we never got tired of him (and they hold up well today).
But it was very auditory.
I am in mourning.
Not sitting shiva but in mourning nonetheless.