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POLITICAL THEATER: On-Screen Politicians And The Actors Who Play Them

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Anthony Hopkins John Quincy Adams

Karl Rove and Sarah Palin will soon have their lives dramatized in forthcoming movies. So too, will former U.S. Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Politicians and political figures have a long history of being portrayed in popular films and TV series. From George Washington to George Bush, there has been plenty of good fodder for parts both serious and satirical, biographical and highly fictional.

The Buccaneer (1958)

Charlton Heston as President Andrew Jackson

Fittingly, former NRA President Charlton Heston played President Andrew Jackson in this war film, set when Jackson was still a gun-slinging general during the War of 1812.



All The President's Men (1976)

Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford as Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward

Okay, Hoffman and Redford don't play politicians themselves, but they played two of the most well-known political reporters in this epic account of the Watergate scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon.



LBJ: The Early Years (1987)

Randy Quaid as President Lyndon B. Johnson

Known primarily for his comedic roles, Quaid portrayed President Lyndon B. Johnson in this dramatized television biography of Johnson's life. Quaid actually won a Golden Globe for his role in the series.



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Funny Or Die's Oscar Promo Attempts to Make Megan Fox Relevant Again

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Oscars Promo 2012When The Oscars teams up with novelty site Funny or Die to create a promo, it should be just that, funny. Unfortunately, the trailer falls flat.

The preview reunites “Transformers” co-stars Megan Fox (Wait. She wasn't even in the last one.) and Josh Duhamel, who was sporting a fake, silly mustache. Even Robin Williams as a Mongolian boat rower—do a double take, it's him—looks cuckoo.

The preview enlists the two teaming up on a humdrum journey to Mongolia to find Oscar host, Billy Crystal, who looks like he's been hanging with the Geico Cavemen.  

We waited for it to go somewhere, anywhere; however, the ad came to a screeching halt at its climax when Crystal simply asked the duo why they didn't just text him, advice ABC should have heeded.

Maybe this is why Eddie Murphy withdrew from hosting the 84th Academy Awards?

At least we're comforted by the thought The Oscars can't get any worse than last year.

Watch the cheese-tastic video below:

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Here's The History of Nickelodeon's Infamous Green Slime

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Nickelodeon’s iconic slime made it’s first appearance on "You Can’t Do That on Television," the Canadian-made sketch comedy show that ran from 1979 to 1990. From there, it became a staple of almost everything the network did, with regular slimings on many programs, at the Kids’ Choice Awards and at the Nickelodeon Studios attraction at Universal Studios Florida.

According to Bill Buchanan, a crew member on "You Can’t Do That on Television" for its whole run, the slime was invented early in the show’s history. He was working in the props department one weekend when he got a rundown of items needed for an upcoming show. One of the sketches called for “this kinda disgusting slimy green stuff,” but there were no further details, or even an indication of how the stuff would be used

Another propmaster, Paul Copping, was given the task of making the slime, and even after asking the director and the scriptwriter, he couldn’t get any more details on what the slime was suppose to be. So, he just went with his gut and mixed up a whole garbage can full of slime. Buchanan says he knows the color came from green latex paint, but didn’t know what else was in it. It smelled and looked foul. People avoided the can while walking through the studio. Bits of sausage may have been floating in it.

The day the slime scene was shot, the propmasters learned the slime’s purpose. It was supposed to be dumped on one of the actors. There was an argument. The producers wanted to go ahead and do the scene, but the prop guys were worried there was something in there that could hurt the actor or make them sick. The sketch got pulled until a new slime could be made. While the old stuff stayed in the garbage can and festered in a corner of the studio, Buchanan, Copping and company got started on a new formula that could get in someone’s eyes and mouth without causing any problems.

This second batch was made mostly from green Jell-O that had been set in the fridge, then pulled out the day before shooting to liquefy and get mixed with flour.

That slime recipe was used for a while, but it required too much preparation time. If the crew had to have the slime ready earlier than expected, it wasn’t fluid enough and had solid chunks of Jell-O in it. They needed a way to make lots of slime on short notice, and turned to Quaker Oats Crème of Wheat for the next generation of slime. They’d basically stir the cereal up cold on the spot in whatever amount they needed, and then dumped in green food coloring. The problem with that recipe was that it turned pasty as it dried, and the actors found they couldn’t get it out of their hair. They countered that problem by adding a couple of drops of baby shampoo into the mixture, and stopping tape after a sliming so the actors could rush off the set and into the showers before the slime hardened.

Slime evolved for other shows over the years. As "Double Dare" host Marc Summers explained, most of the slime used on his shows was made of “vanilla pudding, applesauce, oatmeal, green food coloring, and by the third day, anything else that was on the obstacle course.”

Yum.

SEE ALSO: Will "The Dark Knight" make more money than "The Avengers"? >

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HOUSE OF THE DAY: Robin Williams Is Unloading His Extraordinary Napa Valley Estate For $35 Million

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robin williams home

Robin Williams has put Villa Sorriso, his 653-acre estate in Napa Valley, on the market with a price tag of $35 million, according to celebrity real estate blog The Real Estalker.

The 20,000-square-foot home has five bedrooms, six full bathrooms, and six half-bathrooms.

The home's amenities included a library, theater, elevator, a wine cellar and an art gallery.

The vast property, which has both vineyards and olive trees, is crisscrossed with roads and trails, according to the listing.

Welcome to Villa Sorriso.



The foyer seems opulent, but still has the vibe of a Napa Valley estate.



The library is all wood paneled.



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Robin Williams Replaces Joe Pesci In Snickers' New Ad [THE BRIEF]

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Good morning, AdLand. Here's what you need to know today:

Robin Williams and Bobcat Goldthwait join comedic forces to replace funnyman Joe Pesci in BBDO New York's new Snickers ad.

Adweek explains how you can get a sticker on a NASCAR car.

72andSunny CEO John Boiler thinks that agencies should stop using the word "client" when referring to ... clients.

Bank of America switched its PR business from Omnicom's Emanate to WPP's Burson Marsteller.

David&Goliath parted ways with MGM Resorts' Mirage Hotel and Casino after less than six months. A D&G spokesperson said, "After a few months, we both realized that their needs and our expertise were not the right match." D&G will continue to do work for MGM's Monte Carlo and New York-New York hotels.

After 16 years at the shop, Judy Johnson was promoted to president of the Western Region at GolinHarris.

Digital marketing technology provider PointRoll launched three interactive in-stream video packages.

Coldwell Banker Real Estate promoted Michael Fischer from chief marketing officer to chief operating officer.

Here's Union Bank's first-ever brand campaign, created by Eleven

Previously on Business Insider Advertising:

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Robin Williams Is The New Don Draper In A CBS Pilot

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robin williams flubber

Robin Williams is looking to transition back to the small screen for the first time in 30-years.

Williams is the star of David E. Kelley's new pilot "Crazy People," in which the comedian will play a man who runs an advertising agency with his daughter. CBS just commissioned the single camera pilot.

For every Don Draper, television needs a Mork from Ork.

While "Mad Man" is a hit, Ad Age noted that other shows revolving around advertising have had significantly less success.

TNT's "Trust Me," which revolved around a creative team at a fictional ad agency, only lasted one season. AMC's advertising-based reality show, called "The Pitch," also didn't make the cut.

SEE ALSO:  Tour Barbie's Malibu Dreamhouse — Mattel Is Selling It For $25 Million As A PR Stunt

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Robin Williams Tweets About Kim Kardashian's Met Gala Dress: 'I Wore It Better!'

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On Tuesday, CocoPerez posted a side-by-side image of Kim Kardashian at the Met Gala and Robin Williams dressed as "Mrs. Doubtfire" from his hit 1993 film, with the headline: "Mrs. Doubtfire Vs. Kim Kardashian: Who Wore It Better???"

Robin Williams must read Perez Hilton's fashion site, because the actor later posted his opinion to his nearly 250,000 Twitter followers:

Kardashian has yet to respond, but seemed happy with her look as she posted "MET BALL 2013 thank you@riccardotisci17 & Givenchy ! #givenchycouture."

Kim Kardashian Kanye West Met Gala

SEE ALSO: The Best & Worst Dressed Celebrities At The Met's Punk Gala >

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The Best Quotes From Robin Williams' Hilarious Reddit AMA

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the crazy ones sarah michelle gellar robin williams

Comedian Robin Williams did an Ask me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit on Wednesday, and even through text-only answers, the prolific funny man's personality really shined through.

Williams was promoting his latest project, “The Crazy Ones,” which airs Thursday on CBS. Most know him from standup comedy and a number of television shows and movies, such as “Good Morning Vietnam,” “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Good Will Hunting,” and “Aladdin.”

We've collected some of his best answers on everything from gaming to his favorite bands. You can read the full AMA here.

On who's his favorite celebrity to impersonate:

"Oh my god, Jack Nicholson. He once was with me at a benefit and leaned over and said 'even oysters have enemies.' In a very intense voice. I responded with 'Increase your dosage.'

Dana Carvey does my personal favorite impression of myself. It's accurate. And kind."

When asked whether he was scared being around Nicholson, Williams wrote, "It's more fascinated than scared. He says things that even Buddha goes '...what did that mean?'"

Here's his Jack Nicholson impression (language warning):

On how he cheered up Steven Spielberg when he was filming Schindler's List:

"I think I only called him once, maybe twice. I called him when I was representing People for the Valdheimers Association. A society devoted to helping raise money to help older Germans who had forgotten everything before 1945. I remember him laughing and going 'thank you.'"

On what he was wearing during the AMA:

"My god! I have on nothing but Google Glass! And I'm downloading as we speak."

One of the reddit moderators wrote, "It's interesting."

On what gives him a sense of wonder, and his favorite childhood book:

"My children give me a great sense of wonder. Just to see them develop into these extraordinary human beings. And a favorite book as a child? Growing up, it was The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - I would read the whole C.S. Lewis series out loud to my kids. I was once reading to Zelda, and she said "don't do any voices. Just read it as yourself." So I did, I just read it straight, and she said 'that's better.'" 

On what kind of music he listens to:

"To be honest, I'm kind of challenged in terms of new music. I listen to a lot of Jazz, specifically Keith Jarrett piano solos. And for me, if you want just wonderful ballads and love songs, Tom Waits. I might also have to throw in Radiohead, but I can't quote specific lyrics. AND PRINCE! For those special nights."

On whether he had any behind-the-scenes stories from the set of Mrs. Doubtfire:

"Yes. One time in makeup as Mrs. Doubtfire, I walked into a sex shop in San Francisco and tried to buy a double-headed dildo. Just because. Why not? And the guy was about to sell it to me until he realized it was me - Robin Williams - not an older Scottish woman coming in to look for a very large dildo and a jar of lube. He just laughed and said 'what are you doing here' and I left. Did I make the purchase? No. * Did I walk away with a really good story? *Yes."

On playing video games:

"No! I haven't [played GTA V]. I'm still waiting for the next Call of Duty. It's been very unusual for me because I've done trips overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan, and I would see guys who had just come back from patrol playing Call of Duty, and I would say 'you're living this stuff! And yet you're still playing this game...'

I don't usually play online, because getting my ass kicked by an 11 year old is very humbling!"

Here's Williams performing for troops in Kuwait on one of his USO tours (language warning):

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Robin Williams Is Going To Star In A 'Mrs. Doubtfire' Sequel

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mrs doubtfire hello



Mrs. Doubtfire will report for duty once again.

More than 20 years after the original film, Robin Williams is going reprise his role as the cross-dressing nanny in a "Mrs. Doubtfire" sequel, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Chris Columbus will return as director while David Berenbaum, who has worked on "Elf" and "The Haunted Mansion," will write the script. 

The 1993 film had Williams cross dress as an older nanny in order to spend time with his kids after a messy divorce.

The film was a hit, making $441 million worldwide on an estimated $25 million budget.

It's difficult to see how the film can carry on from the first so many years later.

Even Williams has said sequel attempts have been tried three times over for the film without success. 

The closest a sequel ever came to the big screen was when Bonnie Hunt stepped in to write a script back in 2001. That film was ultimately scrapped with Williams telling Newsweek in 2006 "the script they had just didn't work."

There's no set date for the upcoming sequel. 

For now, let's relive one of our favorite scenes:

SEE ALSO: Why Marvel's 14-year movie plan should cause concern for Warner Bros.

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HOUSE OF THE DAY: Robin Williams Lists His Extraordinary Napa Valley Estate For $30 Million

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robin williams home

Robin Williams has relisted his 653-acre estate in Napa Valley for $29.9 million, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The actor had previously tried and failed to sell the estate, nicknamed Villa Sorriso, for $35 million in 2012.

The 20,000-square-foot home has five bedrooms, six full bathrooms, and six half-bathrooms. Amenities included a library, theater, elevator, a wine cellar, and an art gallery.

The vast property, which has both vineyards and olive trees, is crisscrossed with roads and trails.

Meredith Galante contributed to this story.

Welcome to Villa Sorriso.



The property is 80 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge.



Williams built the home himself in the early 2000s, according to The Wall Street Journal.



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The Highest Rated Cancelled Shows This Season

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robin williams sarah michelle gellar the crazy ones

Here's some bittersweet news for Robin Williams: His CBS sitcom “Crazy Ones” got better ratings than any other canceled show in the 2013-14 season.

“Crazy Ones” averaged a 2.7 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, based on the most recent available numbers. It tied Fox's “Almost Human,” another canceled show that may also have been a victim of high expectations.

Despite considerable hype and a two-night premiere, it wasn't the big-event show Fox wanted it to be. (Fox chief Kevin Reilly announced his resignation Thursday, but said it wasn't about ratings.)

Also read: 75 Shows of Summer: TheWrap's Ultimate TV Viewing Guide (Photos)

It's not much comfort to be the best of the worst. But the cancellations show just how complicated the decision to end a show can be. Despite cracking broadcast television's top 30 shows last year, “Crazy Ones” didn't live up to CBS's hopes for Williams’ return to television. And the show lost much of its lead-in from “The Millers,” which had a massive lead-in from “The Big Bang Theory.”

Among the other highest-rated canceled shows were ABC's”Super Fun Night” (which averaged a 2.3), NBC's “Revolution,” Fox's “X Factor” and CBS's “Intelligence” and “We Are Men” (which all averaged a 2.2),  CBS's “Friends With Better Lives” (2.1), and CBS's “Hostages and ABC's “Back in the Game (which each had a 2.0).

Also read: 23 Summer TV Shows We Can't Wait to Watch

CBS has stringent standards for its shows, which may explain why it was responsible for so many of the cancellations. It slipped in 2013-14 to No. 3 in the key 18-49 demographic, down from first-place the season before. So the network was ruthless in getting rid of what wasn't working.

NBC also made tough decisions, perhaps for the opposite reason: It finished the season in first, and didn't want to give any ground.

The producers of “Crazy Ones,” which aired on Thursdays, can look with envy on shows like “Mom” (2.4) and “The Mentalist” (2.0) which survived despite lower ratings. But the situations for those shows weren't the same: “Mom” earns its 2.4 on a weaker night, Monday. And “The Mentalist” is a drama, not a comedy, and has been an enduring hit for CBS.

J.J. Abrams and his fellow “Almost Human” producers may also wonder why “Bones” (2.4) got another chance when their higher-rated show didn't. But again, it's an enduring show that has proven its value to the network. And it aired on Fridays, one of television's toughest nights.

Some networks have higher standards than others, based on how well they're doing overall. The CW, less established than its broadcast rivals, doesn't have a single show that cracked a 1.3 average last season. But it also makes decisions that aren't entirely by the numbers: “The Tomorrow People” was canceled with a 0.7, but “Reign,” which had the same rating, survived. So did “Who's Line Is It, Anyway?” and “Hart of Dixie,” which averaged a 0.6.

Here's an expanded chart of broadcast's highest-rated canceled shows, based on the most recent available numbers:

highest rated canceled broadcast shows

SEE ALSO: Here Are The 24 New Shows Coming To TV This Fall

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Zelda Williams Quits Twitter After Trolls Harass Her With Photoshopped Images Of Her Dead Father

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Zelda Williams Robin Williams

Zelda Williams, daughter of Robin Williams, was forced to quit Twitter after internet trolls spammed her with gruesome Photoshopped images of her father, who was found dead in his California home on Monday. 

She originally asked her followers, most of whom were tweeting messages of love and support, to report the trolls. Soon after, she took back her request.

US Weekly reports Zelda, 25, tweeted"I'm sorry. I should've risen above. Deleting this from my devices for a good long time, maybe forever. Time will tell. Goodbye."

Zelda, who is the second of the late actor's three children, was the first to take to social media following the public announcement of her dad's death. On Instagram, she posted the following quote from "The Little Prince" late Monday night:

Zelda Williams Instagram

Along with Twitter, she is also stepping away from Instagram, releasing the following statement:

I will be leaving this account for a bit while I heal and decide if I'll be deleting it or not. In this difficult time, please try to be respectful of the accounts of myself, my family and my friends. Mining our accounts for photos of dad, or judging me on the number of them is cruel and unnecessary. There are a couple throughout, but the real private moments I shared with him were precious, quiet, and believe it or not, not full of photos or 'selfies.' I shared him with a world where everyone was taking their photo with him, but I was lucky enough to spend time with him without cameras too. That was more than enough, and I'm grateful for what little time I had. My favorite photos of family are framed in my house, not posted on social media, and they 'll remain there. They would've wound up on the news or blogs then, and they certainly would now. That's not what I want for our memories together. Thank you for your respect and understanding in this difficult time. Goodbye. Xo

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World's Largest PR Firm Has A Guide For Turning Robin Williams' Death Into An Opportunity

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Edelman, the world's largest public relations firm, published a post on its official blog Tuesday with advice for businesses and mental health organizations who might want to use actor Robin Williams' suicide to generate publicity.

The post, which was entitled "Carpe Diem," was written by Edelman executive vice president Lisa Kovitz. "Carpe Diem," which is Latin for "Seize The Day" and was part of a memorable quote from Williams' character in the movie "Dead Poets Society." While Kovitz claimed Williams' death created a " carpe diem moment" for organizations and businesses, she also acknowledged the need to avoid seeming "exploitive of a terrible situation."

"There’s a very careful line they need to walk so as to not seem exploitive of a terrible situation but at the same time, it is a national teachable moment that shouldn’t be ignored," Kovitz wrote, adding, "(We too are balancing that line with this post.)"

Kovitz urged mental health organizations and businesses to take a "visible and aggressive approach" and create content for their websites and social media pages tied to Williams' death.

"Some mental health organizations still have nothing on their websites or Twitter feeds regarding the situation and the need to seek out help. Perhaps they were trying to be non-exploitive or stay business as usual. While that approach may be the best for them, this event calls that strategy in to question," Kovitz wrote. "Since the issue of depression is clearly a continuing conversation, we would certainly want these organizations to consider another approach that is more visible and aggressive."

Kovitz also offered specific strategies for organizations to promote their experts and generate coverage including promoting their experts to TV bookers and seeing if they had a local connection to the story. 

In an email to Business Insider on Wednesday, Kovitz said Edelman believed "that this terrible event created the moment to have a real, serious and useful conversation about mental health." 

"This actually did begin as an internal memo -- we do this quite regularly on all kinds of topics related to media relations on a wide variety of topics.   We believed it was worth surfacing more broadly given how the news cycle was progressing," said Kovitz.

She also said she is aware companies need to be "careful" and "respectful" in how they choose to capitalize on a situation like Williams' death. 

"We were extremely careful to say that this is also a time when you need to be particularly careful on how you offer experts, research and information to be respectful but the fact  is those stories are going to happen," Kovitz said. "Many people are simply not prepared to act at the speed of news and it is important to have a plan in place so that you can be useful, as needed and as appropriate."

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Robin Williams' Ex-Wife And 3 Children Release Heartbreaking Statements

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Following his unexpected death Monday, Robin Williams’ three children and ex-wife of 19 years, Marsha, released heartbreaking statements late Tuesday evening.

Williams married Marsha Garces Williams in 1989 and had two children: daughter Zelda, 25, and son Cody, 22, before divorcing in 2008. Zak, 31, is the actor’s only child with Valerie Velardi, whom he was married to from 1978 to 1988. 

While Williams' actress-daughter, Zelda, previously posted a quote from "The Little Prince" to social media hours after her father's death, she recently wrote a more lengthy statement:

Robin Williams Zelda Williams

“My family has always been private about our time spent together. It was our way of keeping one thing that was ours, with a man we shared with an entire world. But now that’s gone, and I feel stripped bare. My last day with him was his birthday, and I will be forever grateful that my brothers and I got to spend that time alone with him, sharing gifts and laughter. He was always warm, even in his darkest moments.

While I’ll never, ever understand how he could be loved so deeply and not find it in his heart to stay, there’s minor comfort in knowing our grief and loss, in some small way, is shared with millions. It doesn’t help the pain, but at least it’s a burden countless others now know we carry, and so many have offered to help lighten the load. Thank you for that.

To those he touched who are sending kind words, know that one of his favorite things in the world was to make you all laugh. As for those who are sending negativity, know that some small, giggling part of him is sending a flock of pigeons to your house to poop on your car. Right after you’ve had it washed. After all, he loved to laugh, too. … Dad was, is and always will be one of the kindest, most generous, gentlest souls I’ve ever known, and while there are few things I know for certain right now, one of them is that not just my world, but the entire world is forever a little darker, less colorful and less full of laughter in his absence. We’ll just have to work twice as hard to fill it back up again.”

Zelda's brother, Cody, 22, released the following statement of his own:Robin Williams Cody

“There are no words strong enough to describe the love and respect I have for my father. The world will never be the same without him. I will miss him and take him with me everywhere I go for the rest of my life, and will look forward, forever, to the moment when I get to see him again.”

Zelda and Cody's mother Marsha, who was married to Williams from 1989-2008, had kind words for her ex-husband:robin williams wife marsha

“My heart is split wide open and scattered over the planet with all of you. Please remember the gentle, loving, generous — and yes, brilliant and funny — man that was Robin Williams. My arms are wrapped around our children as we attempt to grapple with celebrating the man we love, while dealing with this immeasurable loss.” 

Zak Williams, 31, is the actor's only son with his first wife, Valerie Velardi. He, too, was very close to his father and had these words to share:robin williams son zachary zach zak

“Yesterday, I lost my father and a best friend and the world got a little grayer. I will carry his heart with me every day. I would ask those that loved him to remember him by being as gentle, kind, and generous as he would be. Seek to bring joy to the world as he sought.”

Zak's mother is Robin's first wife, Valerie Velardi, to whom the actor was married for ten years from 1978-1988.valerie velardi robin williams first wife

At the time of his death, Williams was married to Susan Schneider, whom he wed in 2011. Susan released a statement Monday immediately following her husband's death:robin williams susan schneider

“This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken. On behalf of Robin’s family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin’s death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.” 

SEE ALSO: Robin Williams' Daughter Releases First Heartbreaking Statement

MORE: Robin Williams Set Up A 3-Part Trust Fund For His Kids Amid Money Troubles Before Death

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Jimmy Fallon Shares Robin Williams' First-Ever Appearance On 'The Tonight Show' During Teary-Eyed Tribute

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jimmy fallon the tonight show

As Hollywood grieves the loss of Robin Williams, late-night host Jimmy Fallon opened “The Tonight Show” with a tribute to the comedian.

Fallon fought through tears and had to take a few pauses while discussing Williams’ life and encouraging his audience to view Williams’ stand-up.

"You would watch him and you would cry laughing. And you would think, 'I am never going to see anyone like this human ever,'" Fallon said. "It's just amazing. His brain was always thinking 10 steps ahead of what he was saying. He was like the Muhammad Ali of comedy."

To show what he meant, Fallon shared a clip of Williams' first appearance on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson where the comedian got up from his chair, dodged cameras, and ran up to the audience.robin williams johnny carson tonight show

The moment shows just how easily Williams could light up a room.

Everyone is smiling. Everyone is laughing. robin williams johnny carson

Even the security guard with his arms crossed in the background is wearing a slight smile.security guard robin williams the tonight show

After the clip, Fallon ended his tribute by getting on top of his late-night desk and saluting Williams with an, "Oh Captain, my Captain, you will be missed," a nod to the actor's Oscar-nominated performance in 1989's "Dead Poet's Society."jimmy fallon robin williams tribute the tonight show

Check it out below:

SEE ALSO: Norm MacDonald Tweets Amazing Robin Williams Story About His First Encounter With 'The Funniest Man In The World'

AND: Robin Williams' ex-wife and 3 children release heartbreaking statements

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Ben Affleck And Matt Damon 'Owe Everything' To 'Good Will Hunting' Co-Star Robin Williams

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Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are the latest celebrities to pay tribute to the late Robin Williams.

Except that Affleck and Damon have a special connection to Williams, who starred in the then-unknown young actor-writers' first, Oscar-winning film, "Good Will Hunting," for which Williams won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1998. "Good Will Hunting" went on to rake in nearly $226 million worldwide, and was a huge critical success.

Affleck posted a great statement on Williams' passing to his Facebook page:

"Heartbroken. Thanks chief - for your friendship and for what you gave the world. Robin had a ton of love in him. He personally did so much for so many people. He made Matt and my dreams come true. 

What do you owe a guy who does that? Everything. 

May you find peace my friend. #RobinWilliams"

Damon released the following statement of his own:

“Robin brought so much joy into my life and I will carry that joy with me forever. He was such a beautiful man. I was lucky to know him and I will never, ever forget him.

I truly hope the people in the media can find it within themselves to give his family some privacy during this horrible time.” 

In one scene between Damon and Williams in "Good Will Hunting," Williams' improv is so fantastic that you can even catch the camera shaking after catching the cameraman so off-guard with laughter.

According to Matt Damon's commentary on the DVD, Williams improvised the line about his character's wife farting in bed. Watch the great scene below:

When accepting his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for "Good Will Hunting" in 1998, Williams said to the young stars: "Thank you, Ben and Matt. I still wanna see some ID!" 

He ended the speech with, "Most of all, I want to thank my father, up there (pointing to the sky). The man who, when I said I wanted to be an actor, he said, 'Wonderful! Just have a backup profession, like welding.' Thank you."

(Williams' acceptance speech begins at 1:00)

SEE ALSO: Robin Williams' Ex-Wife And 3 Children Release Heartbreaking Statements

MORE: Hollywood Reacts To The Death Of Robin Williams

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Here's How Robin Williams Got To Know His Audience When Performing For US Troops Overseas

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Robin Williams

Robin Williams made four United Service Organization (USO) tours to bases throughout the Middle East during the American campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On each occasion, according to Thom Shanker of The New York Times, Williams did his best to mingle with soldiers and commanders to get a flavor of the bases he was entertaining. 

Although Williams was personally opposed to the war in Iraq, the actor and comedian never let politics lessen his dedication to entertaining American soldiers during their deployments. 

"No one was more supportive of the troops," Rear Admiral Frank Thorp IV told Shanker. "And none of them knew that he was against the war. He was so very human and humble.”

Whereas other entertainers on U.S.O. tours would generally relax in climate-controlled tents on bases before their shows, Williams would make an effort to meet the troops before his set, and work them into his act. 

Shanker noted

Long before his stand-up set was scheduled, [Williams] would quietly wander the audience starting with the very back rows, immediately recognizable, of course, and always agreeable to posing for selfies and signing autographs ...

But he was really working the crowd to pick up the flavor and the vibe — and even the commanders’ personalities and quirks — of every desert outpost to produce a personalized routine for each location.

Although each of his stand-up sets was specific to the base he was entertaining, Williams would always start each U.S.O. show with the familiar opening of "Good morning, Iraq," or Afghanistan, in reference to his portrayal of Air Force officer and radio broadcaster Adrian Cronauer in the 1987 film "Good Morning, Vietnam." 

Williams died on Monday in a suspected suicide. 

H/t Mark Landler 

SEE ALSO: The Air Force sergeant brilliantly played by Robin Williams is 'gobsmacked' by his death

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Apple Pays Tribute To Robin Williams With A Dedicated Memorial Page

The Role Of Impulsiveness Is One Of The Saddest Things About Suicide

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Golden Gate Bridge Bay LightsRobin Williams reportedly suffered from severe depression, addiction, and alcoholism before he killed himself at his California home Monday.

We may never know exactly when and how Williams arrived at the decision to commit suicide, but one of the saddest realities about suicide is that it often results from impulsive decisions that might have never occurred again if the person had survived or backed out. 

Anywhere from one-third to 80% of all suicide attempts are impulsive acts, according to The New England Journal of Medicine. 24% of those who made near-lethal suicide attempts decided to kill themselves less than five minutes before the attempt, and 70% made the decision within an hour of the attempt.

Suicidal urges are sometimes caused by immediate stressors, such as a break-up or job loss, that go away with the passage of time. 90% of people who survive suicide attempts, including the most lethal types like shooting one's self in the head, don't end up killing themselves later. That statistic reflects the "temporary nature and fleeting sway of many suicidal crises," reports The New England Journal of Medicine.

A 1978 study of 515 people who were prevented from attempting suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge between 1937 and 1971 found after more than 26 years 94% were still alive or had died of natural causes. 

Many rare survivors of Golden Gate Bridge suicide attempts recall regretting their impulsive decisions instantly  even as they were falling. A couple survivors who jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge told their stories to The New Yorker back in 2003, like then-18-year-old Kevin Hines who jumped in 2000 after pacing on the bridge for a half hour while passersby ignored him.

He finally jumped based on the thought that "nobody cares." 

"My first thought was, 'What the hell did I just do? I don't want to die,'" Hines told The New Yorker.

Then-28-year-old Ken Baldwin, like Hines, chose to hurdle over the bridge's railing rather than stand on it first because he didn't want to lose his courage to jump. Although he was severely depressed on that day in 1985, he changed his mind the moment after his leap. "I instantly realized that everything in my life that I'd thought was unfixable was totally fixable — except for having just jumped," he said.

That indecisiveness is explained by suicidologist Edwin S. Shneidman, according to a review of his works by Antoon Leenaars:

The prototypical psychological picture of a person on the brink of suicide is one who wants to and does not want to. He makes plans for self-destruction and at the same time entertains fantasies of rescue and intervention. It is possible — indeed probably prototypical — for a suicidal individual to cut his throat and to cry for help at the same time.

The period where the chance of lethal suicide is at its highest and most dangerous is relatively short, typically just hours or days rather than months, according to Shneidman.

Of course, not all suicides are impulsive, as some are the result of extensive planning and conviction. Impulsive suicide involving decisions made in as little as five minutes is one of two types generally seen among patients suffering from depression, according to Dr. Charles Nemeroff.

The other type involves "the sort of classic notion that, I've been hopeless and helpless for so long. I'm hopeless that I'll ever be better, and I'm helpless to do anything about it," Nemeroff said. That type often includes planning, notes, and goodbyes. 

SEE ALSO: Here's One Way Of Understanding Why Some People Kill Themselves

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Robin Williams' Rep Says This Wasn't About Money Troubles

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Robin WilliamsRobin Williams “had no financial problems” that might have contributed to his apparent suicide, his spokeswoman told TheWrap on Wednesday.

“Robin had no financial problems,” Mara Buxbaum, Williams’ longtime publicist and the president of ID-PR told TheWrap. She added, “We should be blessed to have Robin's financial status.”

Shortly after Williams’ death was confirmed Monday, online gossip publications jumped to potential money issues of the late actor, something that his publicist said simply do not exist.

“I understand the desire to understand the ‘Why,'” Buxbaum continued. “It's not going to happen. The better thing to do is to try to understand severe depression. That isn't going to be answered, and you can speculate all you want.”

robin williams crazy onesStill last year, Williams told Parade magazine that part of the reason for his return to TV via CBS’ “The Crazy Ones” was to have a steady gig and pay the bills: ”The idea of having a steady job is appealing. I have two [other] choices: go on the road doing stand-up, or do small, independent movies working almost for scale [minimum union pay].”

“The movies are good, but a lot of times they don't even have distribution,” he added. “There are bills to pay.”

“My life has downsized, in a good way,” Williams continued. “I'm selling the ranch up in Napa. I just can't afford it anymore.”

“The Crazy Ones” was canceled after just one season; Williams earned an estimated $165,000 per episode.

Buxbaum says that in that interview her client was expressing his appreciation for stability, and was otherwise joking about a comfortable financial status.

“Robin often said things in jest, and sometimes it just doesn't translate in print,” she said.  “There were plenty of times over the years that Robin was offered to do TV,” Buxbaum told us. “Robin wanted to do ‘The Crazy Ones’ because of (show creator) David Kelley and the material. That's why he took the show … not because he needed the money.”

Another topic that he often cracked wise about were his divorces, Buxbaum said.

When asked by Parade if he lost all of his money in the two splits, Williams said: ”Well, not all. Lost enough. Divorce is expensive. I used to joke they were going to call it ‘all the money,’ but they changed it to ‘alimony.’ It's ripping your heart out through your wallet. Are things good with my exes? Yes. But do I need that lifestyle? No.”

On reported trust funds and the financial status the late comic and actor leaves behind, she concluded, ”We will not comment on specifics other than to say Robin's family is amply taken care of.”

According to Forbes, Williams’ net worth was an estimated $50 million. Public real estate records show that Williams’ Napa Valley mansion, which rests on 653 acres and is named Villa Sorriso, has been on the market since April for $29.9 million. Williams also leaves behind a 6,500-square-foot waterfront home in Tiburon, Calif., valued at roughly $6 million.

The two properties have mortgages that totaled $7.25 million as of 2011. Doing some math, that means Williams left behind real estate with equity of around $25 million, subject to a Villa Sorriso sale.

See video: Robin Williams on Battling Depression, Addiction: ‘I Get Bummed’

“Presumably there are no probate issues because he had good legal advice and had a fully funded living trust,” legal trust expert Bruce Givner said, adding: “Presumably there will be no interesting legal issues because his trust provided that the assets would be held for his wife and children.”

“Whether there was estate tax planning we probably won't know because his estate planning documents will never become public,” he continued. “The only way they will become public is if he died without a will or trust; with only a will and not a living trust; or if there is litigation.”

Givner is no stranger to high profile Hollywood clients, having represented Phil Spector all the way through jail and probating Robert Blake's estate, among many others.

While Givner doesn't know Williams’ specific bequeathment situation, he can make a fairly reasonable assumption, he said. “No one with any type of wealth will have a will as their main dispositive document,” Givner told TheWrap.

Plus, California is the home of the alternative living trust, a substitute for a will, Givner said. And the living trust has many advantages over a will — the main one being privacy.

While a probated will goes to probate court and is public, a living trust doesn't, unless there is a dispute. In 98 percent of cases there are no fights and living trusts are never made public.

On Monday, Williams was found dead in his residence “with a belt secured around his neck, with the other end of the belt wedged between the closed closet door and door frame,” according to the coroner. There was no note.

SEE ALSO: Robin Williams Most Underrated Roles

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