Robin Williams dead of suspected suicide: Are comedians more plagued by depression than other stars?

FoxNews.com ^ | August 12, 2014 | Hollie McKay

[Biggirl]

LOS ANGELES – They earn their living by making the masses laugh, but experts say comedians are all too often masking intense sadness behind those smiles.

[southernindymom]

Just such a sad loss. People just don’t understand depression. I’ve heard more people say, he was so rich, why was he depressed... Having suffered from it some, it’s amazing how the mind can work on you and until you get it straight, it’s a struggle. On top of that, every move he makes is splashed on the front pages of the rags!!! Just such a loss. I hope he has found peace and I hope his family gets some grief counseling.

[TangoLimaSierra]

Are comedians more plagued by depression than other stars?

That's only been known for about 50 years, now.

[don-o]

Robin Williams died????? Who knew?

[Borges]

Now if there’s a smile on my face
It’s only there trying to fool the public
But when it comes down to fooling you
Now honey that’s quite a different subject

But don’t let my glad expression
Give you the wrong impression
Really I’m sad, oh sadder than sad
You’re gone and I’m hurting so bad
Like a clown I pretend to be glad

Now there’s some sad things known to man
But ain’t too much sadder than
the tears of a clown
When there’s no one around

Oh yeah baby, now if I appear to be carefree
It’s only to camouflage my sadness
In order to shield my pride I try
To cover this hurt with a show of gladness

But don’t let my show convince you
That I’ve been happy since you decided to go
Oh, I need you so, I’m hurt and I want you to know
But for others I put on a show

Now there’s some sad things known to man
But ain’t too much sadder than
the tears of a clown
When there’s no one around, oh yeah

Just like Pagliacci did
I try to keep my sadness hid
Smiling in the public eye
But in my lonely room cry
the tears of a clown
When there’s no one around

Oh, yeah baby
Now if there’s a smile upon my face
Don’t let my glad expression
Give you the wrong impression
Don’t let the smile I wear
Make you think that I don’t care
Really I’m sad I’m hurting so bad

[DJ MacWoW]

Did You Know?

The Current FReepathon Pays For The Current Quarters Expenses?

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[circlecity]

"That's only been known for about 50 years, now."

Even longer. The phenomenon of the "sad clown" is so well worn as to be cliche.

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

He was also a big lib so maybe when he found out the guy he helped elect, B. Hussein was a radical Islamo who is responsible for helping to bring forth the Holocaust 2, he couldn’t deal with it so he checked out. Mork returned to Ork.

[needmorePaine]

Heard joke once: Man goes to doctor. Says he’s depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in threatening world where what lies ahead is vague and uncertain. Doctor says, “Treatment is simple. Great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go and see him. That should pick you up.” Man bursts into tears. Says “But Doctor... I am Pagliacci.” Good joke. Everybody laugh. Roll on snare drum. Curtains.

[dangus]

You don’t go in to comedy unless you’re depressed, have ADD, or some brain problems. I’m not picking on “other” when I say that: my ADD plus hyperlexia means I’m always seeing the world askew.

[dangus]

You don’t go in to comedy unless you’re depressed, have ADD, or some brain problems. I’m not picking on “other” when I say that: my ADD plus hyperlexia means I’m always seeing the world askew.

[ArtDodger]

Comedian or not, is it just me, or do others see suicide as a selfish act? I know depression can really bring a person down and terminal diseases can be agony, but killing yourself devastates the family left behind. Just as an offspring wonders if the cancer that killed the parent will claim them, kids (even grown up ones) wonder if they are prone to suicide, too. If a person kills himself or herself in the home, the family can’t feel comfortable in the room or the house.
Putting aside any religious taboo to suicide, because some religions have no problem with it, I would care too much about the ones I leave behind to entertain such selfish thoughts.

[Jeff Chandler]

People say I’m the life of the party
‘Cause I tell a joke or two
Although I might be laughing loud and hearty
Deep inside I’m blue

So take a good look at my face
You’ll see my smile looks out of place
If you look closer, it’s easy to trace
The tracks of my tears

I need you, need you

Since you left me if you see me with another girl
Seeming like I’m having fun
Although she may be cute, she’s just a substitute
Because you’re the permanent one

So take a good look at my face
You’ll see my smile looks out of place
Yeah, look a little bit closer and it’s easy to trace
The tracks of my tears

I need you, need you

Outside I’m masquerading
Inside my hope is fading
Just a clown ooh yeah since you put me down
My smile is my make up
I wear since my break up with you

Baby take a good look at my face
You’ll see my smile looks out of place
Yeah just look closer, it’s easy to trace
The tracks of my tears baby, baby baby baby

Take a good look at my face
Yeah you’ll see my smile looks out of place
Look little bit closer, it’s easy to trace
The tracks of my tears

Songwriters
Moore, Warren / Tarplin, Marvin / Robinson Jr., William

[bigbob]

This seems to be generally true, something in the way comedians balance internal vs. external perception seems to be different. This may have especially been true for Robin Williams, who it is said was “always on”. His act wasn’t so much an act but an amplified version of who he really was.

I remember a segment on an old 60 Minutes improvising with Jonathan Winters, who was his mentor, and friend. Of course it’s on Youtube and is still worth a look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDJjq0Pd0RM

[RJS1950]

Who knew indeed. Sad for the family and friends but now everyone else will spend at least a week of 24/7 rehashing of him and his life.

Nothing inspiring about someone with the means and resources to fight drugs, depression, etc who drop out by suicide. I can tell you that those average people out there rarely have the resources and rarely rate any outside help from those charitable organizations and groups out there who will use his death to raise more money and still be open primarily to those who can pay 15, 20, 30+ K for their programs.

My condolences to his family but the mass media needs to lay off the lionizing and whiny remembrances; there are way more serious things going on in the world and those sources of depression are not going away.

[Jeff Chandler]

You don’t go in to comedy unless you’re depressed, have ADD, or some brain problems.

Wise Aspergers Syndrome.

[sneakers]

Bob Hope lived to 100, Milton Berle was 94, Jack Benny was 80 and George Burns lived to 100. The older comedians didn’t seem to have the issues of the comedians of today.

[NEMDF]

Yes, it is a selfish act. But I have to believe that the suicidal person is so drastically confused and clouded in his or her thinking, that they cannot grasp the idea of the selfishness of the act. We had a suicide in the family just three weeks ago, exactly one month after the birth of the only grandchild of the “victim” of suicide. My initial reaction was anger at the selfishness of her act; I have since tried to come to some pity for her, that she felt so desperate as to really not have hope or to comprehend the tidal wave of devastation for the survivors.

[longfellow]

It was murder.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Hope, Berle, Benny and Burns were from another, mostly dope free, era.