Close friends of Robin Williams shared details about the late’s addictions and revealed how he struggled with substance abuse in the early stages of his career in the ’70s and ’80s.
The revelations came midway through the second season of Vice TV’s “Dark Side of Comedy,” which delves into Williams’ life through statements from close friends.
Allan Stephan, a close friend and comedian, recalled that Williams could not get on stage without drugs. “He said, ‘Do you know anyone who has some snow?’ “I have to keep going and I can’t do it without snow.” I sat down and said, “I’ll help you.” He said, “Do you have snow on you?” I said, “No, are you crazy?” “You are Robin Williams,” he recalled.
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Robin Williams (1951-2014)
The actor and comedian Robin Williams has died
Mike Binder, another friend of Williams, told a similar story about the actor’s drug use. He recalled how the Hollywood star, upon learning that it was substances, took the package and within a very short time returned it empty.
“It was 8:15 at night and I said to him: ‘Robin, have you drunk everything?’ to which he replied: ‘It was an accident, I’m sorry.’ He was a monster with drugs,” Binder said.
Williams’ problems with drugs and alcohol and the impact on his mental health became apparent during his time on the series Mork & Mindy. Director Howard Storm described how the actor arrived on set completely upset, which greatly affected his work at the time.
“He was out all night trying to wake up everyone in town,” he wrote in New York Times writer Dave Itzkoff’s biography “Robin.”
However, Williams’ life changed when John Belushi, also a comedian and member of the band The Blues Brothers, died of an overdose in 1982. The tragedy deeply affected the actor, who quit drinking and began his battle with addiction.
The night before Belushi’s death, Robin Williams celebrated with the TV star at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, where the musician and actor was found dead.
“His death shocked a whole group of people in show business and sparked a huge turn away from drugs. And the baby came to me. “I knew I couldn’t be a father and live a life like that,” the actor told People magazine at the time.
The comedian remained sober for two decades, but in 2005 he suffered a relapse. He sought treatment for his addiction in 2006 and again in July 2014. The actor died last year.
The actor also suffered from Lewy body dementia, a neurodegenerative disease that affects thinking, memory and movement. Despite his personal problems, Williams managed to stay sober for most of his life and was a successful actor and comedian until his tragic demise.