‘Mork and Mindy’ star Robin Williams died by suicide in 2014
In 2014, the world was shocked by the sudden death of Robin Williams. Now, his friends and colleagues are offering insights into the years leading up to his tragic suicide.
A documentary series by Vice called “The Dark Side of Comedy” shed light on Williams’ drug use. This episode kicks off the second season of the show.
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Williams began his career in stand-up comedy in the 1970s and became wildly popular after appearing in an episode of “Happy Days” as the alien character Mork. The role eventually led to his own TV series, “Mork and Mindy.” The talented comedian also ventured into the world of film by acting in films like “Popeye”.
Those close to Williams noted that while he enjoyed being with people, he also valued his solitude. Over time, they saw him struggle with the challenges posed by his overwhelming fame.
During the documentary, Robin Williams’ “Mork and Mindy” co-star Gina Hecht shares insights into his emotional highs and lows. She noted, “Robin’s highs were very high and his lows were often low.”
Williams’ high-energy performances on stage led to speculation that he was using cocaine. Some reported that the comedian went to the back of The Comedy Store, where drug use was common.
Allen Stephan, a longtime friend of Williams’, recalls a pivotal moment. He described Williams as saying, “Know anybody with a blow? I’ve got to go on. I can’t go without a blow.” Stefan’s response is to express his willingness to help, to which Williams asks if he has any cocaine. To which Stefan replied, “No, are you delusional? You’re Robin Williams!”
Subsequently, Williams’ behavior changed. As his friend Allan Stephan put it, “I don’t think he’s going to be as high when he has to perform after that.”
However, Williams continued to use drugs after his stand-up shows, and Gina Hecht points out that when you reach the level of fame he achieved, drugs were often readily available.
In the documentary, filmmaker and comedian Mike Binder recounts an incident in 1980s Hollywood when Williams responded to “a gram of coke.” Binder recalled Williams saying, “Let me take it. Do you mind if I catch a hit in the bathroom?” When he came back, the medicine was gone. Binder claims it happened around 8:15 p.m., indicating the extent of Williams’ drug use.
Mike Binder revealed that after consuming a whole gram of cocaine, when confronted about it, Williams responded, “It was an accident, I’m sorry.”
Williams began incorporating cocaine into his stand-up routines, making jokes about it. Despite the extent of the comedian’s cocaine use, many of his audience found these jokes funny.
Howie Mandel recalls the times when Robin Williams would take the stage at The Comedy Store and a significant part of his routine would be discussing cocaine and the drugs he used. Despite the laughter from the audience, it was clear that Williams was high on cocaine. He managed to find humor in it, but the reality was that he was deeply mired in drug use, a situation that was ultimately not amusing, but a reflection of who he was at the time.
John Belushi’s death in 1982 had a significant impact on Robin Williams. The two comedians are close friends. Belushi tragically died of a drug overdose in a bungalow at the Chateau Marmont Hotel in West Hollywood, California.
Belushi’s death, along with the birth of Williams’ first son in 1983, played a key role in motivating the comedian to confront and overcome his drug addiction, as detailed in the documentary.
According to his longtime friend Stanley Wilson, Williams made the decisive choice to quit cocaine “cold turkey”. Wilson asserts that Williams recognized the extraordinary device at his disposal, linked to his mind, imagination, and intellect. Williams understood that substance abuse dulled these faculties and damaged his brain. As a result, he was committed to maintaining his mental acuity and creativity, which fueled his determination to break his drug addiction.
After quitting cocaine, Robin Williams’ career continued to flourish. He performed at prestigious venues such as The Met and landed notable film roles including memorable roles in “Mrs. Doubtfire”, “Good Will Hunting” and “Night at the Museum”.
However, in the years leading up to his tragic death in 2014, the actor was unaware that he was battling Lewy Body Dementia. While on set Williams looked tired and didn’t seem like himself. Sadly, he died by suicide on August 11, 2014.
Posthumously, through an autopsy, the comedian was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia. This neurological disorder is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer’s. It affects brain areas involved in thinking, memory, and motor functions, as explained by the Mayo Clinic.
An autopsy performed on Robin Williams revealed no traces of illegal drugs or alcohol in his system.
During the documentary, Steven Pearl, a comedian and friend of Williams, shared an encounter with the comedian. Pearl had not seen Williams for several months, and when they reunited, he noticed that Williams had become very thin and had trouble recognizing people, including Pearl’s wife. Williams was silent for most of their meeting. Pearl’s observations raised alarm bells, and although the exact nature of the problem was not revealed, he knew something was wrong. Tragically, Pearl never saw Williams again after that encounter.