Movie Menu RANTS Podcast: A new podcast ranting in support of Robin Williams

Episode #01: In Memory of Robin Williams

Hosted by: Alexander Z, Dan "The Man" Muñoz, and Mike Stand

Sound Engineer: Mike Stand and Alexander Z

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Rant:

Before I begin, I’d really like to mention that while Robin Williams wasn’t the only death in 2014, his was the most significant because of the type of outlash that came against him and his family. And it’s a testament to his life that we have had so many movies to discuss on Reviews and Rants because he worked in Hollywood since 1969. He was that crazy uncle that came over and showed us a story on our screens… made us cry from laughter, saddened by his struggle, and amazed that he could scare us.

In the days after the news of Robin Williams suicide, I still can’t believe what’s happened. It feels like that bad joke that’s told by many and unfunny because of it’s tragedy:

In the 19th century, a doctor who was what we’d call a psychiatrist today – back then, they were called Alienists – had a new client call on him.

The man was haggard and had bags under his eyes. He said he was exhausted. He couldn’t sleep, he was nervous and worried all the time, and he was afraid he was becoming too depressed.

The doctor suggested his patient needed some distraction to snap him out of his funk.

“I went to the music hall last night, and it has a great line-up. This one clown, named the Great Garabaldi, had me in stitches! Go see Garabaldi, and by the time you’re done laughing, you’ll have forgotten all your worries!”

His patient looked at him, and quietly said, “I am Garabaldi.”

How could a man with so many names: Mork, Popeye, Genie, Zevo, Doubtfire, Kosevich, Perrish, Adams, just to name a few, beloved by the world, find himself in such a situation that led to this terrible outcome? One of which even he advocated against in a movie.

To be honest, none of us knew him personally except for his family and none of us can claim that he was, as many people on the internet have stated: a coward, a selfish asshole, chickenshit, or someone who made a bad choice. The latter comment coming from a fellow podcaster and several of them from FOX news and other outlets.

And this is what really drove me up the walls: to hear about a man who suffered from severe depression and anxiety. Let alone his wife coming out and saying that he had early onset Parkinsons.

Not just because I’ve studied psychology or have been affected by family members with depression and suicide, but because I’ve studied the link between comedians and depression passionately for the past 8 years.

If you listen to the podcast “WTF with Marc Maron” you’d know exactly what I mean,

Comedians whether you like or not are damaged people who seek redemption from the audience, so it comes to no surprise that the biggest celebrity suffered from depression.

Many comedians suffer from bouts of mental disorders: Conan O’Brian, he openly talked about it on his show just recently, Stephen Fry presented a show called The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive, Dave Chappelle left because of anxiety, Chris Farley, Mitch Hedberg, Sam Kinison, and so on and so on, Mark Maron has 524 episode currently diving into their lives and they all seek something that ultimately drives them off the road.

So Robin Williams’ death came as a shock, but it most certainly wasn’t a surprising. We looked away and forgot about our uncle and it hurt us.

But, Depression is a DISORDER that is entirely separate from what you and I have when we get sad… sadness goes away.

Depression stays on for months upon months, sometimes years and the affects from it can overwhelm you:

Writer Andrew Solomon at the TED talks explaining what anxiety and depression feels like.

So in summary, just because you feel angry with someone takin