Remembering Robin Williams

It was reported just recently (and I mean, like, within the last couple of hours) that comedian and actor Robin Williams was found dead today at the age of 63, likely of a suicide. Details on his death are cloudy at best, with many sites simply spouting rampant speculation, so I will not talk about his death, but his life, or more specifically him impact on mine.

Despite what some people might say, Robin Williams has always been entertaining, at least as far as I can tell. I enjoyed even his worst movies because he was there to lift the films' spirits, and his ability to light up a room with just that exuberant, fun-loving, kinda cheeky smile of his is legendary. He was a young soul trapped within the body of an aging man, and yet he never seemed old in any of his recent appearances, including his recently cancelled sitcom The Crazy Ones. His performance as the Genie in Disney's Aladdin, despite the problems that Williams himself took away from the role, is one of my favorite things ever, and I have been sad for years that he hasn't been doing more with his phenomenal talent. I can only hope to bring even a fraction of the joy to others which Mr. Williams has over the years.

All of this is sad enough, but it seems that Williams' death may have been related to depression, something that I find hard to imagine. It hurts me just to think that someone who seemed to fun-loving and happy could be in that kind of pain. I have suffered depression before. It guts you. Hearing that Mr. Williams may have been suffering depression for years tears me up inside. We must all strive to prevent this loss from overshadowing the happiness and joy which Mr. Williams stood for all of his life.

Robin Williams will be sorely missed, by myself and millions of others. Rest in peace, Mr. Williams. You will never be forgotten.

Remembering Casey Kasem

According to ABC News, voice actor and radio personality Casey Kasem has passed away today at the age of 82. Mr. Kasem was the originator of the radio program American Top 40, and the voice of several classic cartoon characters, including three generation one Transformers, Robin in The Batman/Superman Hour and Super Friends, and Shaggy Rogers in the Scooby-Doo franchise. Mr. Kasem was a legend who seemed to genuinely enjoy entertaining others. I am truly sad to see him go, though I do hope he's gone on to entertain others in a better place.

"Keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars."

                                                                               --Casey Kasem, 1932-2014

A Little Something Awesome - Jimmy Stewart

Today in 1908, a great man was born, a man who would, from 1985 all the way to 1991, give the world a gift of impeccable entertainment. James "Jimmy" Maitland Stewart is well known, for good reason, as one of the greatest actors of all time, appearing on stage and screen more than 100 times in one form or another. Known for his distinct voice and his signature portrayal of an everyday man, he's starred it such well-known films as It's a Wonderful Life, the truly great original version of Rear Window, and my personal favorite movie, Mr Smith Goes to Washington. He has been listed as the third greatest male screen legend in American film history, and is my personal favorite actor. Also, if his acting credentials aren't impressive enough, he was also a WWII and Vietnam War veteran, achieving the rank of Brig. General in the Air Force Reserve.

Take some time to celebrate the life of a great and talented man today. Google him, or if you live anywhere near Indiana PA, check out the museum dedicated to him, his life, and his career, and come back later for my review of the new Godzilla, and another Something Awesome.

Something Awesome #1 - Martin Luther King Jr

Welcome to my new series, Something Awesome. Realizing that I don't really post much on this blog anymore, I decided to create a new daily series where I discuss, either quickly or in length depending on the topic, one awesome thing that I've encountered during the course of my life. Fittingly for a series beginning on Martin Luther King Jr Day, the first topic of Something Awesome is the man himself!

Martin Luther King Jr, a reverend and great speaker, was, and in memory still is, a champion of civil rights. Through well-organized acts of defiance and non-violent civil disobedience he drew attention to his cause like few before him. Best of all, his beliefs were routed in Christianity. Not the crazy kind that is in the news so much today, but the real kind, which is tolerent, forgiving, and inspires people to be better than they are.

MLK Jr is so amazing that I can't ever sort of do his memory justice, though I think I gave it a decent, if simple, try. If you want to learn more about him I suggest Google, or if you, like me, are against supporting companies which are openly trying to conquer the world, wikipedia. There are many, many articles online about the man, and from what research I've done, it actually seems like most of them are worth reading!

A Goodbye to James Avery

I just learned that James Avery, the actor known for playing Uncle Phil on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air died today at the age of 68 due to complications related to a heart surgery. Though not the most prolific actor ever, no one who saw him play the antagonist to Will Smith's protagonist will ever forget his fantastic over-the-top presense or flair. While I didn't watch Fresh Prince much as a child, when I did Uncle Phil was always one of my favorite parts of the show. He gave so much of himself to that role, to making people laugh.

More memorable to me, however, was another antagonist played by Avery: the Shredder from the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series from the 1980's. In a series which worked just as hard to make you laugh as it did to excite or to thrill, Avery played one of my favorite all-time villains. His Shredder could go from being hysterical to threatening in the span of a single line. All accounts would suggest that Avery was just as fun-loving as his talent for comedy would suggest, and while I clearly never knew the man myself, I feel it is worth saying that the world feels like a sadder place to me today with him gone.

We'll miss you, Mr. Avery. Rest in peace.

Happy Anniversary Peanuts!!!

That's right, today in 1950 the comic strip Peanuts first graced society with brilliant and heartwarming humor-laden social commentary told through the innocent and relatable eyes of some of the greatest child characters in history. With over 17,000 total strips, Peanuts  is easily one of the longest-running and most influential comic strips in history. It set a standard for daily comics which still affects how such comics are produced to this very day. Thank you Charles Shultz for so many wonderful years of laughter and heart, and bittersweet-ness and nostalgia. Oh, and for Snoopy. That dog is awesome.

Peanuts continues to rerun, rightly so, in newspapers to this very day, and I sincerely hope that it always will. We love you, Peanuts. The world would be a little darker without you.