Celebrating Robin Williams

Ryan Dosier - As I sit here watching Aladdin for what must be the hundredth time, I find myself, once again, legitimately stunned speechless by the immense talent of Robin Williams. A singular, irreplaceable entity of a man, a warlock of comedy whose instinct is unmatched, and a force of nature if ever there was one, Robin Williams seemed to light up any production he was in, perhaps none more so than Aladdin. It's hard to imagine the Genie without Robin Williams' voice, because his manic energy, his rampant enthusiasm, and his unstoppable wit inject the movie with glorious light and wonder.

But what Robin Williams brought to Aladdin, and what he brought to almost all of the characters he gave life to, was an amazing sense of heart. The Genie's quieter moments of compassion for Aladdin are some of the finest scenes in the film. Watching the Genie as a kid, I felt like I was getting away with something. There was no way something this fun could be for kids, right? And that, more than anything, is what Robin Williams gave to me as a viewer--a sense that he was too good for me. How could it be legal to witness someone so unendingly funny and so deliriously smart?

With his incredible performances, Robin Williams could do and say anything, be anyone, and run the gamut of all emotions. Again, one need only turn to Aladdin to see Robin do some of his finest work. Watching the film, it feels like animation is where Robin truly felt the most free. Only on the stand-up stage did Robin ever match the maniacal genius energy he oozes throughout Aladdin. And yet, as impressive and all-encompassing as Robin's work in the film is, his performance is so intimate. Every wink to popular culture, every look to the "camera," every snappy aside that Robin delivers as the Genie feels like it's just for you. By catching it, you develop a sense of personal connection to Robin... like he's doing this just for you.

I'm sure this post is rambling, but trying to capture my emotions is proving more difficult than I expected. Robin Williams means so much to me as a performer, a comedian, and a man. Losing the light he brought to this world brings sadness to me and millions of others... knowing he extinguished that light himself is impossibly devastating. Though his contributions to the Disney pantheon are relegated to a handful of films, Robin Williams' major influence on Aladdin, Disney, film, voice acting, comedy, myself, and the world far exceed anything I could capture in writing. Robin Williams is pure, unrestrained magic caught on film for us to enjoy for boundless years to come. He is a shining treasure, a diamond in the rough, and we'll never have a friend like him again. You're free now, Genie.

John Henson 1965-2014

Mitchell Stein- It is with sadness and deep sorrow that we bid farewell to John Paul Henson, late son of Jim Henson and Jane Henson.
Jim Henson is of course famous for his Muppet creations (currently owned by the Walt Disney Company) not to forget Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and many others.

John Henson is known for his work as Sweetums during the 1990’s, when it became physically impossible for the late Richard Hunt to continue performing the character.
After Richard’s unfortunate death, John took over performing duties for Sweetums in Muppet Treasure Island and a few other productions before having it passed over to Matt Vogel, who remains performing him today.

You probably haven’t heard his name or knew he existed until today, but you knew him well through the characters he performed and the love that his family continues to put into the franchises and characters until today. If you’ve seen Muppet-Vision 3D, you’ll recall some very memorable scenes which included Sweetums, all those were performed by John, even during the hard transition that the company was going through those years, with the passing of Jim Henson. Times were rough, yet he did it as a labor of love. John played the character for a couple of months, where near the end of the show he would run out into the audience and gain delight and screams from the audience. He also trained other performers who would play Sweetums in the next years to come, says Brian Jay Jones, author of Jim Henson: The Biography (source: L.A. Times). 


While he may not have been one of the frontrunners of the Muppet franchises, he played an important role in the company and keeping Jim’s legacy alive along with the rest of the wonderful Henson family continues to do.

We bid farewell to John Paul Henson. May he rest in peace, and his legacy should always live on.

Photos: Muppet Wiki (muppet.wikia.com) 

The Mickey Mindset: mickeymindset@gmail.com

Diane Disney Miller Passes Away at the age of 79

In very sad news today, we're saddened to report that Diane Disney Miller, the only surviving child of Walt Disney, has passed away this morning at the age of seventy-nine. 

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Diane Disney Miller", says Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company. "She is remembered by Disney fans across the world as the beloved daughter of Walt Disney and one who graciously shared her family history and personal memories of her father." 

RIP Diane Disney Miller, who has left quite a legacy behind. She will be remembered.