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comedy

Pop Culture

People are sharing their personal encounters with Robin Williams to honor his birthday

A tribute from Williams' son prompted heartwarming anecdotes from everyday people who met the iconic comedian.

Photo credits: ABC and Eva Rinaldi

Robin Williams' son Zak shared a tribute on social media on what would have been his dad's 73rd birthday.

Few entertainers have enjoyed as much broad appeal and admiration as comedian Robin Williams, but people's love for him is not just for his performances. Williams was a talented comedian and an actor with a surprisingly wide range, but by all accounts he was also a delightful and caring human being.

Williams would have been 73 years old on July 21, 2024. His son Zak shared a touching tribute to his father on social media, which prompted everyday people to share their personal anecdotes of their encounters with him.

"Dad, on what would be your 73rd birthday, I remember you for all the hope and joy you brought to the world," Zak Williams wrote. "There's not a week that goes by without someone sharing with me how you helped them through a dark time or a rough patch. I'm so grateful to be your son. Love you forever."

As the stories poured in, it became clearer and clearer how much the world lost with Robin Williams' passing in 2014. Here are some highlights:

"I passed your dad carrying you one day on a sidewalk in SF - you looked to be around 2. You were both talking to each other in made-up language and you were really holding your own. Your dad caught me watching and as you passed me by, he tipped his head towards you and beamed the most incredible loving smile - he thought you were something else." – malloryvk

"Jumanji was filmed in my hometown (Keene, NH) when my mom was working at a local restaurant - Robin Williams stopped in and my mother was his waitress. She took his order as she was trained to - 'hello my name is Robin, what can I get for you today?' - he ordered a burger and tipped $100, 'from one Robin to another.'" – emmatshibambi

"Every Christmas, your Dad would visit the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at UCSF. He would visit every child who was able to have a visitor and all of the exhausted and terrified parents. Your dad’s goodness and love were felt by everyone there." – kennandlisa

"Many, many years ago, I worked at Harrods in Knightsbridge. I was working the Caralina Herrera sunglasses counter one day and Robin Williams came up and asked directions to the Sports department. I tried to play it cool as I took in the laughter lines of his face, the twinkle in his eyes, the kindness of his soul. I needed to remember this moment forever. And I do! (And I often wonder if he found the sports department straight away, as I'm pretty sure I told him in my true awkwardness to turn right instead of left at the top of the escalator. Sorry Robin) A forever memory and much love and appreciation for the human that you were. ❤️" – ilovekerry.2

"In the early 2000’s, my mom spotted Mr. Williams by himself sight-seeing in downtown Toronto. She was so excited as she was a huge fan, and approached him. She later told me how he radiated warmth, his blue eyes sparkling, and was even kind enough to sign an autograph. Though my mom is now in Heaven too, I still cherish this memory (and the autograph + pen he used!) 🙌" – foxy_the_squirrel

"I watched your dad since Mork & Mindy & had a casual conversation with him at the Apple Store in NYC but I did not tell him I knew it was him. I wanted him to enjoy his shopping without getting hit by millions of people. He had a thick beard but I saw his BRIGHT CLEAR BLUE EYES. Absolutely unmistakable & one of a kind, not just his eyes but his heart." – InventorBLADES

"I can’t even tell you the impact he had on my life… I went through a horrible violent crime as a teen and spent years hiding it, that decision created great mental anguish and Robin saved my life. I can’t explain the details, but he was an angel on earth and he had a way to speak to hearts with his one of kind spontaneous comedy and I am forever thankful for the gift of him in my journey." – wenbernacky

"I mean this in a very literal sense—no other famous persons passing has ever hit me, but his… it’s almost as if I had personally known him and he had been there to comfort me during hard times. Those types of souls are magic in human form." – iamchief_chris

Some may not know that Robin Williams also advocated for homeless people in Congress, with his signature compassion and even some comedy thrown in. Watch:

And for more of Robin Williams in real life, check out his "Inside the Actor's Studio" interview with James Lipton, which apparently gave one of the audience members a hernia from laughing so hard.

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Family

A fireman’s children wrote him a hilariously honest obituary he would have loved

After reading it, you'll wish you had met the guy.

via ASD / Twitter

The fireman William Ziegler of New Orleans, Louisiana.



After you're gone, people will probably forget the exact things you said to them while you were alive, but they'll never forget how you made them feel.

Unfortunately, when people write obituaries that sum up a person's life they're often just a chronological list of factual details of their lives such as where they lived, where they worked, and how many children they had.

While those facts are important, they don't really explain the type of person the deceased was or how they made people feel. An obituary for fireman William Ziegler of New Orleans, Louisiana has attracted a lot of attention for how it hilariously summed up the life of a man who was a real raconteur.

Zeigler's daughter, Sharah Currier, said that he used to read funny obituaries to his children, so they decided to write one that would make him laugh. "He would have loved this," she told the Times-Picayune. "He probably would have forwarded this obituary to us.”

Zeigler began his career as a volunteer in the U.S. Navy.

William volunteered for service in the United States Navy at the ripe old age of 17 and immediately realized he didn't much enjoy being bossed around. He only stuck it out for one war. Before his discharge, however, the government exchanged numerous ribbons and medals for various honorable acts. Upon his return to the City of New Orleans in 1971, thinking it best to keep an eye on him, government officials hired William as a fireman.

He then continued his life of service by joining the fire department.

After twenty-five years, he suddenly realized that running away from burning buildings made more sense than running toward them. He promptly retired. Looking back, William stated that there was no better group of morons and mental patients than those he had the privilege of serving with (except Bob, he never liked you, Bob).

Ziegler's children believe that he's in heaven with his alcoholic dog.

Following his wishes, there will not be a service, but well-wishers are encouraged to write a note of farewell on a Schaefer Light beer can and drink it in his honor. He was never one for sentiment or religiosity, but he wanted you to know that if he owes you a beer, and if you can find him in Heaven, he will gladly allow you to buy him another. He can likely be found forwarding tasteless internet jokes (check your spam folder, but don't open these at work). Expect to find an alcoholic dog named Judge passed out at his feet.

His children end the obituary stressing the fact that he's actually dead.

Unlike previous times, this is not a ploy to avoid creditors or old girlfriends. He assures us that he is gone. He will be greatly missed.

You can read the whole obituary at the Times-Picayune.

This article originally appeared on 8.16.16

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Family

A recently-deceased mom became a celebrity after her kids' published stunningly clever obituary

“I finally have the smoking hot body I have always wanted… having been cremated.”

The Hamilton Spectator

RIP Sybil Marie Hicks

It's said that everyone dies twice. The first is your physical death, the second is the last time anyone utters your name.

Sybil Marie Hicks, from Baysville, Ontario, died on February 2, at the age of 81, but it'll be a long time before her name is forgotten. Her children have turned her into a posthumous celebrity after writing a hilarious first-person obituary for her that was published in The Hamilton Spectator on February 5, 2019.

According to her daughter, it was fitting tribute.

"Mom was never boring," Hicks' daughter, Barb Drummond, told Yahoo Lifestyle. "Mom lived large. She would do anything for anyone. It was rare for Mom not to have a smile on her face. Mom was always ready for a laugh."

The obituary begins with a shot at her husband, Ron. "It hurts me to admit it, but I, Mrs. Ron Hicks from Baysville, have passed away," they wrote. "I leave behind my loving husband, Ron Hicks, whom I often affectionately referred to as a 'Horse's Ass.'"

She then goes on to roast her own children.

"I also left behind my children whom I tolerated over the years; Bob (with Carol) my oldest son and also my favourite. Brian (with Ginette) who was the Oreo cookie favourite, Brenda AKA 'Hazel' who would run to clean the bathrooms when she heard company was coming," they continued. "Barbara (with Gordon) the ever Miss Perfect and finally Baby Bruce who wouldn't eat homemade turkey soup because he didn't want to be alert looking for bones while he ate.”

The piece ends with a great zinger and a bit of a mystery: "I finally have the smoking hot body I have always wanted… having been cremated. Please come say goodbye and celebrate my wonderful life with my husband and his special friend Dorothy who is now lovingly taking care of my horse's ass."

Did her husband have a side piece or are they talking about the dog?

The viral obituary has done more than just spread a few much needed laughs across the world, it's helped the family heal after Hicks' long battle with Alzheimer's disease. The disorder may have stolen Hicks' quick wit sharp tongue; but, in a way, the obituary, has given voice to a woman who was long silenced.

"We just thought that when she passed, we really didn't want to have this sort of boilerplate template obituary," Brian Hicks, the second eldest of Hick's five children, told the CBC.

"We wanted to do something that kind of celebrated who she was and to give us an opportunity to basically have one last conversation with her, and have some laughs at the same time," he said.

The Hicks family hopes that those who are moved by their mother's story will consider donating to their local Alzheimer's charity.

Read the entire obituary at Legacy.com.

This article originally appeared on 02.11.19.

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comedy
Joy

Woman pranks man into thinking skin shedding is a common PMS symptom and it's comedy gold

“My skin…It sheds every month. Surely you knew that Aaron.”

@hairlookslondon/Instagram

He'll never be the same

Unless they are working OBGYNS, had a bunch of sisters growing up, or chronically on WebMD, odds are that many men don’t have a detailed clinical knowledge of all the ins-and-outs of the female menstrual cycle. Heck, it can be perplexing enough to those that actually have menstrual cycles.

Apparently, all of this mystery surrounding that time of the month can make for excellent prank fodder.

In a video shared onto Instagram by @hairlookslondon, a girl films herself in front of a mirror peeling off either a sheer face mask…which just so happens to look like she’s actually shedding skin off her face. Granted, it could be real skin after a chemical peel of some sort. But one thing it’s definitely not is a PMS symptom.

But she tells her boyfriend it is anyway.

In the clip, we see a shocked young man ask in horror “what is that?” as flesh pulls from the girl's face.

Nonchalantly, the woman replies, “my skin…It sheds every month. Surely you knew that Aaron.”

No, Aaron most certainly did not know that.

She takes it one step further by saying that her entire body will soon shed, like a lizard. It happens to girls every month, for their time of the month. Duh.

The look on his face when she politely asks him to throw away the lifeless shreds…priceless.

Watch:

In case anyone here needs this: skin shedding is most definitely not something that happens during a menstrual cycle. Shedding of uterine lining? Sure. But skin? Nah.

If you thought the video itself was hilarious, get ready to crack up at the comments women left playing along with the ruse.

“When woman live together for a longer period of time, related or not related to each other, we’ll start to synchronize shedding as well 🦎😮💨”

“PMS stands for Peeling My Skin… I thought everyone knew that.”

“Wait until you have kids!!!!…you shed so much more!!!! 😭”

“Little known fact: Garden sheds were originally invented so women had somewhere private to do their monthly shed. It’s an excellent fertilizer too.”

Another little known “fact”: shedding apparently varies widely across the world!

“In Jamaica, when the women shed their skin we go into the mountains where the shedding trees are and cover ourselves in shed tree sap to help the skin shed faster. It feels so good to finally talk about it.”

“As a Muslim woman myself, we aren’t allowed to share our shedding cycle with men in our family except husband. Hoping we will get there one day, where everyone can talk about this more openly.”

“In Germany when we shed we give the skin to make sausages.”

“In Brazil there are some indigenous tribes that bury the shed in the woods so the plants grow stronger and help the forest regenerate.”

“I’m Japanese. We have loads of beauty clinics here where they help our skins to shed properly. You know when we tried to shed in our teens? It was such hassle and some parts wouldn’t come off properly so it left spots. In clinics, they massage and plump the skin so it peels off in one piece from head to toe, it’s sooooo satisfying…”

“My Swedish grandmother made tea from her dried skin sheddings. Added a tiny bit of wild honey. It’s a great way to get your magnesium.”

Some kindly chimed in with their own “shedding tips.”

“Drinking loads of coconut water and eating watermelon a week before the shed starts has really helped me. It just peels off faster and easier. Hope this helps those who face difficulties with their shed. Staying hydrated is the key.”

“I feed my pets with the shedded skin parts, great source of collagen, especially for senior dogs.”

A few even praised this woman for trying to normalize this deeply guarded secret among women.

I’ve been with my husband 15 years and he’s only seen me shed once - I blamed it on a sunburn. We should normalize this

Others…weren’t so happy she publicly revealed something so “sacred.”

“I can't believe she allowed him to see her shed. I do mine in private.”

“The fact that someone would come on the internet and publicly shed is weird AF 🥴 it’s supposed to be a private intimate phenomenon but you posting it for everyone to see.”

Gosh, the comedy gold just keeps going and going. Kudos to the community for understanding the assignment. Hope that fella isn't too traumatized though.

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