[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

While the media reaction is part of the morbid cult of celebrity I don't think Robin Williams was ever polluted with that "public idol" role which ruins most celebrities as human beings. He managed to always be himself, flawed, funny, but honest and sincere. His roles interestingly reflected aspects of himself, but again, you'd have to watch him on something like Charlie Rose to find that more serious side.. If you combine a dash of "Cadillac Man" with "Mrs. Doubtfire" sprinkled with some of "The Birdcage" and "The Awakening" and finish it off with "Hook" I think you actually get a glimpse at the real person. In fact, its very interesting, I can't think of very many actors whose roles actually seemed to accurately reflect their personality and experience..

Also my own bias, I literally grew up watching Robin Williams, and his cheesy "family charm" era coincided with my childhood so I may see him in an entirely more romanticized light than either (a) people ten years older than me who know him more for his raunchier 80s persona or (b) people ten years younger than me who probably don't even know who he is