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robin williams

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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Humor

Watch Robin Williams hilariously take over interviews in this brilliant compilation

There was rarely a room he occupied that wasn't full of laughter.

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Watch Robin Williams hilariously take over interviews.

The comedic genius that was Robin Williams still never ceases to draw a hearty chuckle even years after his death. Someone is always digging up an old video of him doing what he did best, making people laugh. In a rediscovered video, someone put together an epic compilation of Williams essentially taking over interviews with his antics.

In the 10-minute video, he goes from talk show to talk show where he upstages the comedian charged with hosting the show. His hilarious full-body comedy tickles the crowd into a roaring thunder of laughter. In one of the clips he's talking about how easy it used to be to fly on an airplane compared to post 9/11. He jumps into different accents with ease as he jokes about not being able to have a fingernail clipper on a flight because someone might threaten to clip someone's hangnail.

In the clip with Jay Leno, Williams begins to explain why he wore tape over his mouth at an event, but instead of telling the story like a normal person, he starts speaking strangely and says he had to go into a witness protection program. The audience cannot get enough of his hilarious shenanigans while he talks to Leno. One thing about Williams' style of comedy is that it seemed to cross all social barriers and still does.

In the short snippet of him on "The Tonight Show Starting Johnny Carson," he dramatically gets up and pretends to be a drunken Shakespeare looking for an apartment, 2B … or not 2B. There's no way that the written word could do his comedic performance justice. Don't believe me, check it out for yourself in the video below.

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Pop Culture

Robin Williams blends celebrity impersonations and Shakespeare in unearthed '90s clip

Only Williams could pull off Sylvester Stallone as Hamlet.

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Robin Williams—the comedic genius

We all know the late, great Robin Williams was a comic genius. Many people also know that he was classically trained in theater. In a recently unearthed clip from 1991, Williams combines those two talents, leaving people splitting at the seams even decades later.

Williams was a guest on “The Tonight Show” starring Johnny Carson, when he and Carson began chatting about William Shakespeare, who Williams quickly quipped was a “man with a second grade education, [who] wrote some of the greatest poetry of all time, and sometimes I think, maybe not.”

Carson then asked Williams how he felt about other actors playing Hamlet (for context, Mel Gibson had recently starred in the role). Williams, being no stranger to the Bard’s work, then went into one of his delightfully creative frenzies, managing to effortlessly slide into the voices of Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jack Nicholson while throwing out verses like it was nothing.

Needless to say, the whole thing brought Carson into a fit of laughter.

The clip, which was posted to Twitter, left people wholeheartedly appreciating Williams all over again.

“The man could simply just start speaking & the talent would flow. Every single interview I've seen is just pure comedy. This man is sorely missed,” one person commented.

“One of a kind, there will never be anybody like him again. So sadly missed,” wrote another.

“The man could simply just start speaking & the talent would flow. Every single interview I've seen is just pure comedy. This man is sorely missed,” one person commented.

“One of a kind, there will never be anybody like him again. So sadly missed,” wrote another.

“Johnny was such a great host. [He] could just relate and say a word or two and let the genius shine,” wrote one person.

Williams had a gift for lighting people up. He might be gone, but his brilliance keeps on giving.

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Culture

Robin Williams The Movie: Actor's beautiful impression has folks wanting the full film

Youtube

Jamie Costa in ROBIN Test Footage Scene.

I think we can all agree, the loss of Robin Williams is still one that just hurts. He had an otherworldly type of quirkiness and charm that is simply irreplaceable. Not to mention a warmth that was like no other.

Luckily, we get to have one more viewing opportunity. One that feels remarkably like watching Williams on screen again. All thanks to a fellow comedian.

Jamie Costa, like Williams, is a jack-of-all-trades in the performing world. His bio describes him as an actor, director, producer, writer, voice actor, filmmaker, comedian and—most important for this story—a very talented impressionist. Though he embodies many well-known characters, Costa's claim to fame is his uncanny rendition of Robin Williams.

It's easy to see why. The actor not only bears an eerie physical resemblance to the late comedian, but perfectly matches his (unique) vocal tone to a tee.

Feel free to grab some tissues and watch it all here:


ROBIN Test Footage Scenewww.youtube.com



If you need further proof, just check out this tribute video Costa put out when Williams passed away in August 2014, titled "Never Had A Friend Like Him." In the video, Costa masterfully reenacts 20 impressions of Williams' most well-known characters.

My personal favorites? Alan from "Jumanji" and Peter from "Hook."


But this next video is pretty breathtaking, and gives us all what feels like an intimate, hidden and never-before-seen aspect of Williams. It feels like watching a bonafide Williams biopic. So much so that many rallied in the YouTube comments calling for it to actually happen.




One user wrote: Please tell me someone is making his biopic and this man is playing the role. Robin Williams would be totally fascinating to better understand, want this. Need this.

Another person, one who clearly had been following Costa's work, wrote, "Who else has been hoping Jamie would play Robin in a biopic since you saw his first Robin impressions?"

Another simply stated, "This bio needs to be made with Jamie playing Robin."

The video, simply titled "ROBIN Test Footage Scene" on YouTube, depicts a young Robin Williams (played by Costa) backstage prepping for the "Mork & Mindy" In the scene, Pam Dawber (played by actress Sarah Murphree) gives Williams the tragic news that John Belushi had died.

Unsure how to handle this initial grief, Williams goes into denial, saying "I was with him last night."

The elephant in the room, of course, is how Belushi died. Instead of coming right out and saying it was an overdose, Dawber simply gives Williams her plea that "I can't let what happened to him happen to you."

The clip ends with one of those bittersweet and beautiful "the show must go on" moments. Williams runs his lines in the mirror, fighting back emotion. And for the first time, past the veil of one of his beloved characters, we catch a glimpse of the REAL Robin Williams. The Williams who made the whole world laugh, yet hid away great pain.

Costa does a beautiful job of bringing to life not only the Williams mannerisms and quirks, but also the rich depth and, not to be melodramatic, some of the inner torture as well. It's beyond an impression; he actually embodies Williams' essence. And it's a great service to an artist who gave the world so much.

Great job Jamie Costa. You've done the impossible and brought back to life one of the greats.

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