Jack’s Winning Words 8/12/14

“In America they really do know how to mythologize people when they die.”  (Robin Williams)  The death of Robin Williams captured the attention of many people who loved his comedy and his acting.  There’s a line from a song in Jesus Christ, Superstar which comes to mind when I think of R.W.--“He’s a man.  He’s just a man.”  He grew up in Michigan as a shy child.  He was a father.  His wife said, “I lost my best friend.”  Even though he was famous, deep down, Robin was like many of us.    ;-)  Jack

FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  Actually, I really loved his humor. How he acted. The roles he played were really like many of us, that fluidity and bending of appearances--how did he do that so well? How did he know to respond to the needs of us to be able to cope more with our contrarinesses? And be able to laugh and be gentle with ourselves? He's right--maybe now that he's dead, I'm mythologizing him, but I think I mythologized him all along. Did he know that his fans loved him so much? Thanks for posting and remembering.====JACK:  One of the major problems "stars" face...fans won't them be just people.  They're always trying to live up to false expectations.====SHARON:  Just went to Sam's Club to buy groceries and, on the way home, the radio was playing a Robin Williams interview. It occurred to me that the only extraordinary man/woman at the funeral is the person who has died, the rather ordinary and expected thing seems almost always to be the mourners giving each other grief. I actually don't believe this is particular to just Americans but is something in every culture. Hope Robin Williams is sitting on a cloud, dangling his legs and writing a witty and clever funeral movie that someone will get communicated back to earth. RIP Robin Williams.====JACK:  It sounds as though you're mythologizing.  I guess my Winning Words about Robin is a kind of mythologizing, too.

FROM HY YO SILVER:  Very true.  He grew up friendly with my dad.====JACK:  Did your father know him from school days when he was just, "Robin?"  ....or is Robin Williams a stage name?====HYS:  middle school high school years    similar group of friends but different schools====JACK:  I can't remember any schoolmates who went on to become "stars." but that doesn't mean that they weren't great in their own way.

FROM BS IN ENGLAND:  He will be missed.  It is said that folks who are very funny in public are in private really sad. Did you know that he went to Detroit Country Day?====JACK:  I did not know that until I read the obituary.  I think that it's interesting to note the number of comedians who grew up in the Detroit area...Tim Allen and Lily Tomlin, to name a couple.

FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  Death has a way of keeping a true perspective of our "accomplishments". My brother died a couple of weeks ago, and prior to his body's death, he was talking about how he didn't want others to talk about "good" he was at his funeral. He said that all of that good stuff doesn't amount to hill of beans. He was referring to salvation; but I get his point as it applies to the work we do, the movies we make, or other things like that. Some things we do might bring temporary comfort; but it doesn't "fix" anything. We just aren't that powerful...a man is just a man. ====JACK:  Sorry to hear about the death of your brother, but his words resonate with me...and with Martin Luther, who believed that he would get to heaven only by the grace of God.  I purposely only included the "just a man" information in my remarks about Robin today.

FROM TARMART REV:  Interesting to read of other's reflections of Williams's life and the attention given him and his means of death. ====JACK:  Yes, interesting!  I wonder if some of those remarks come from people who see themselves reflected in the life of Robin?

FROM PLH IN MINNESOTA:  i love the musical but never liked the line you just quoted.  he was a man but not "just" a man.  he was and is so much more...  my two cents.====JACK:  Aha! you caught a subtlety that I had included.  You have to remember that it was Tim Rice it was who wrote the lyrics for the musical.  There are people, even some theologians, who see Jesus as "just" a man.  In fact, there are a variety of opinions as to who Jesus really was.  Who was/is Robin Williams?  Only G-d knows for sure!

FROM TRIHARDER:  The news of his death did bring me to tears.  Such a talent. So much pain.
He was asked, "What do you hope G-d will say to you when you go to heaven?" by James Lipton.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wCUcepbflA
====JACK:  I'll have to check out that YouTube.  I'm more interested in what G-d will say to me.  "Welcome, my friend!"  That's what grace is all about!

FROM CHUCKIE CHEESE:  Amen====JACK:  Yes, humanity with its limitations is sometimes hard to accept.

FROM BATTMAN:  Nicely said Jack.  Nanu Nanu….====JACK:  I seem to remember that Robin once went to visit a man who was ill and was very sour on life.  During Robin'e visit the man laughed in a way that he he hadn't done for a long, long time.

 FROM PEPPERMINT MARY:  Mork has gone back to Ork...whatever or wherever that is.  Funny and brilliant man.====JACK:  "Laughing on the outside, crying on the inside!"

FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  Just went to Sam's Club to buy groceries and, on the way home, the radio was playing a Robin Williams interview. It occurred to me that the only extraordinary man/woman at the funeral is the person who has died, the rather ordinary and expected thing seems almost always to be the mourners giving each other grief. I actually don't believe this is particular to just Americans but is something in every culture. Hope Robin Williams is sitting on a cloud, dangling his legs and writing a witty and clever funeral movie that someone will get communicated back to earth. RIP Robin Williams.====JACK:  It sounds as though you're mythologizing.  I guess my Winning Words about Robin is a kind of mythologizing, too.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  IN THIS DAY AND AGE, YOU'D THINK THAT EVEN SEVERE DEPRESSION COULD BE TREATED SUCCESSFULLY; AT LEAST ENOUGH TO SAVE HIS (& OTHER) LIVES. SO SAD. SUCH A WASTE; WE NEVER KNOW THE BATTLES OTHERS ARE FIGHTING, REALLY. =====JACK:  "In this day and age" we should be able to know how to live in peace, protect the environment, end hunger and poverty, cure all diseases.  What's the problem?