Wapsi Square Forum

Title says it all

Actually, not quite. The title does give the main fact, but is somewhat short on context... How, when, where, etc.

Found dead, asphyxiation, at home in San Francisco. Presumed suicide at this point.

Apparently was having relapse and depression issues. He was supposedly up at Hazelden Clinic in the Twin Cities for a while this month, but was back home.

Sad, regardless.

I just looked it up, and they really don't say much about it. I can't help but wonder why they think it might be suicide. There are many ways one can end up asphyxiated... Must be some particular detail that was not mentioned in the news report.

It's already sad when a well-known person, who meant a lot to many, goes, but even sadder if they take their own life.

When you have a person dealing with depression, and the death was ruled by asphyxiation, it usually means self-strangulation by either bedsheet or some other means.

Is that so? I didn't know that...

jwhouk wrote:When you have a person dealing with depression, and the death was ruled by asphyxiation, it usually means self-strangulation by either bedsheet or some other means.

OTOH, there was Vaughan Bode, the cartoonist, David McDaniel, the SF writer and fan, and David Carradine, three cases i can call to mind right off hand, of death by autoerotic asphyxiation.

Yes. Thing is, depressed people generally do not have a high sex drive. Depression generally does that to the chemical trails that trigger pleasure seeking.

Whatever it turns out to be, it's a shame.

Also: if you or someone you love is hurting, talk to them about it. If it's you, there's a number you can call, 24-7, in the US and Canada: 1-800-273-HELP (8255).

Yes, the world just got a little less funny.

On the other hand, he spent so much of his life making people laugh that I can't help but imagine he would like people to be indulging in some black humor about the situation right now. Unfortunately the most appropriately inappropriate thing I can think of is a scene from Family Guy involving a trip to KFC which doesn't translate well written, it needs to be heard.

He's now, somewhere, hanging out with Carlin and Johnathan Winters, making Burns and Allen crack up.

btw- His wife's message to us said (and I paraphrase), don't study on his passing, embrace the Love and the laughs.

PS- google his appearance @ the Actors Studio...

Just like that old joke:

A man goes to a doctor, claiming he’s depressed. He feels as if the world doesn’t care about his problems, as if he’s the pole the universe pisses on. The doctor ponders the man’s problems, unsure of what to do, until suddenly he remembers: “The circus is in town, and Pagliacci the clown is there! Why don’t you go see his show, I’m sure that’ll cheer you up.” The man breaks down crying and sobs, “But I AM Pagliacci!!”

MerchManDan wrote:Just like that old joke:

A man goes to a doctor, claiming he’s depressed. He feels as if the world doesn’t care about his problems, as if he’s the pole the universe pisses on. The doctor ponders the man’s problems, unsure of what to do, until suddenly he remembers: “The circus is in town, and Pagliacci the clown is there! Why don’t you go see his show, I’m sure that’ll cheer you up.” The man breaks down crying and sobs, “But I AM Pagliacci!!”

That was the perfect one to use.

Make you want to laugh and cry at the same time = Conan Remembers Robin Williams, The Best Talk Show Guest In The World

TazManiac wrote:He's now, somewhere, hanging out with Carlin and Johnathan Winters, making Burns and Allen crack up.

Remembering the TV history I would just bet that Johnathan Winters was the first one to greet him saying "Hi Dad."

For those that do not understand this one, on Mork & Mindy winters played Mork's backward aging son Myrth on the fourth and final season. It was also Robin Williams first TV Series.