this was a known genius who (although he is on record denying bipolarity) clearly leveraged his manic-depressive brain chemistry to extraordinary effect throughout a performing career of almost four decades. Our old chum DeSitter takes a sour view of the suicide, and holds that Williams "owes" the world for the wealth that celebrity brought him. I responded that to the extent Williams "owed the world" anything for his celebrity, he retired that principal a long time ago, and that we, the public, are just greedy for additional interest. He didn't owe us a damn moment more of entertainment.

Hundreds of thousands of people die every day whose contributions to human good, however profound (and many fail by several scores of meters to clear that bar), are confined to a modest circle of friends and family. Williams was particularly gifted, and far more people felt rightly or wrongly "touched" by his public persona. It's regrettable that these distraught fans most of them proceed immediately to wallow in a spurious sense of personal bereavement.

cordially,