"Keep a Journal: How else are you going to get a good look at who you were?"

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Robin Williams' death has me a little baffled.

I mean, we all knew the guy had a truckload of personal demons...a look at his life/career over the past 40 years (I grew up watching Mork!) gives ample evidence of a self destructive nature.

But I thought he had enough personal strength, and enough support from those closest to him to stay on top of all those demons.  I thought for sure he, of all people, wouldn't let the demons drag him down.

I look at one of Robin's comedy mentors; Jonathan Winters.  Winters died last year at the ripe age of 86.  A little over 4 years prior he lost his wife of more than 60 years to cancer.  Winters had the same irreverent, slightly off-kilter view that Robin had...and had no problem saying what was on his mind.  Winters also had his share of personal demons. Spent a few months in a mental hospital at age thirty-something.  Had a bona-fide diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

But he managed to cope.  Robin didn't.

It may have been that Robin was pushed a little too far to cope with.  There's a UK Guardian piece circulating about Williams' money troubles.  The $30 million he wound up paying his two ex-wives.  His new show "The Crazy Ones" got pulled.  A multi-million dollar ranch that wouldn't sell and wouldn't sell and wouldn't sell no matter how much the price dropped.

Minor crises in the life of a Hollywood "big shot"?  Perhaps, but taken together...and on top of everything else he'd been dealing with all his life?

Too much?  Maybe.  Maybe he was just...tired.

They say Alexander wept when he learned there were no more lands to conquer.  A frank look at Robin's life reveals a man who, in the eyes of his peers, achieved pretty much everything the Hollywood E-ticket ride has to offer.  Where do you go from there?  Why do you bother if it all stops being fun?