Laughter Truly is the best medicine

8/13/2014

Another Chicago native Comedian gone too soon, Robin Williams was an artist that was absolutely perfect at his craft.

He was an award winning actor and he had such a glowing smile & a contagious laugh. He played Peter Pan in Hook, he was the voice of the genie in Aladin & he was the professor in Flubber.

My favorite Robin Williams movie was Good Will Hunting, it had an incredible plot & I can nearly recite the entire script but without the Boston accents. I even told my brother years ago "Sorry, I gotta see about a girl" when I got free Cubs tickets from a guy at work.

Thanks for the years of great acting, the countless laughs, the jokes & the inspiration to believe in yourself, even when others don't.

3 Good Will Hunting Quotes that will Change Your Life.

1. "You're not perfect, sport, and let me save you the suspense: this girl you've met, she's not perfect either. But the question is whether or not you're perfect for each other."

2. "You don't know about real loss, because that only occurs when you love something more than you love yourself."

3. "You'll have bad times, but that'll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren't paying attention to."

Good Will Hunting was an amazing movie on so many levels, Matt Damon & Ben Affleck were great actors but Robin Williams' character the psychologist got an abused and neglected orphan to trust someone again, to open up about his life & motivated him to leave Boston to go "See about a Girl."

Robin Williams character talked about losing his wife of 18 years and fighting cancer with her for 6 years but reminded us of the Idiosyncrasies in life we fall in love with.

Mrs. Doubtfire

Robin Williams gave the song "Dude looks like a lady" a whole new meaning when he dressed up as Euphegenia Doubtfire in 1993 in Mrs. Doubtfire.

Robin Williams' character Daniel Hillard in the movie recently got divorced & he needed a way to see his kids after a ruling granted him little time with his children unsupervised. With the help of his gay brother Frank he transformed into Euphegenia Doubtfire & secured the full time position of nanny and house keeper of his own kids.

All throughout the movie Robin Williams switched between being Daniel the divorced Father balancing supervised visits with his kids while trying to secure a full time position in acting and voice work & Mrs. Doubtfire the undercover house keeper who eventually blows his cover getting caught peeing standing up. "Mrs. Doubtfire, he's a man. He's a half man, half women."

The movie outlined the unfortunate truth some families go through after a divorce & ultimately what is most important, kids needing to time with the people they Love. Robin Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire sprinkled in the message to stay disciplined, finish your homework before bed & always put your studies first.

Patch Adams

When DVD's were still popular I bought a the 2 disc set What Dreams May Come & Patch Adams (to the right) and I specifically remember the scene in Patch Adams where Robin Williams' character is looking over a cliff and he is talking to God about suicide but seeing the butterfly & changing his mind.

Robin Williams played the Dr that chose to treat patients with Humor and not medicine in Patch Adams. "Treat the patient, not the disease, I guarantee you will win." In a way he distracted the patients from the Pain and he argued his job (as a Dr.) was to Improve the quality of life, not just delaying death.

I got the title to this Blog when I played a trailer for Patch Adams and I will never forget Robin Williams saying "Laughter truly is the best medicine."

Hunter Patch Adams: [standing on the edge of a cliff contemplating suicide. He talks to God... ]
So what now, huh? What do you want from me?

Hunter Patch Adams: [looks down over cliff, a rock tumbles off] Yeah, I could do it. We both
know you wouldn't stop me. So answer me please.
Tell me what you're doing. Okay, let's look at the logic.
You create man. Man suffers enormous amounts of pain.
Man dies. Maybe you should have had just a few more
brainstorming sessions prior to creation.
You rested on the seventh day.
Maybe you should've spent that day on compassion.

Hunter Patch Adams: [looks down over the cliff again]
You know what? You're not worth it. [walks away from the cliff]

Carpe Diem" Dead Poets Society

"...if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? - - Carpe - - hear it? - - Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary."

Update:
“Robin spent so much of his life helping others. Whether he was entertaining millions on stage, film or television, our troops on the frontlines, or comforting a sick child — Robin wanted us to laugh and to feel less afraid.

Since his passing, all of us who loved Robin have found some solace in the tremendous outpouring of affection and admiration for him from the millions of people whose lives he touched. His greatest legacy, besides his three children, is the joy and happiness he offered to others, particularly to those fighting personal battles.

Robin’s sobriety was intact and he was brave as he struggled with his own battles of depression, anxiety as well as early stages of Parkinson’s Disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly.

It is our hope in the wake of Robin’s tragic passing, that others will find the strength to seek the care and support they need to treat whatever battles they are facing so they may feel less afraid.”

August 11, 2014, Tiburon, CA
His wife, Susan Schneider, said: "This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken. On behalf of Robin's family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin's death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.”

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