I often think one of the most fascinating parts of humor
and comedy is the paradox behind them. Some of the most brilliant comedians
often deal with intense depression. Although we often view laughter as being
happy, laughter often comes from a much darker place. One of the more recent
examples would be Robin Williams. He was a heart-warming man who knew how to
make every generation laugh and smile. Unfortunately, he committed suicide just
over a year ago. When I first heard the devastating news, I questioned how
someone with so much liveliness on film could be so torn apart inside. Now I am
not naïve to think that people’s characters on television directly relate to
their personal lives, but I would think that a person who has a job
specifically to bring people joy would be joyful as well. I believe the Relief
Theory plays a large role in why comedians often deal with depression. The Relief Theory states that people use humor as a means to
relieve tension. Comedians can use humor as a means to deal with their internal
struggles, however humor does not truly fix the issue. The comedian may go up
on stage or on film for an immediate relief, but after the audience laughs and
they leave, their problems still exist. In order to truly fix depression, one
needs intimate human contact. Although an audience might seem like a form of human contact, an audience is only a façade. An audience only sees an actor on stage
and does not understand the internal struggles of the person standing in front
of them. Audiences go to shows or watch movies for a laugh, not to uncover
someone’s personal problems. The removal of the audience from the performer is
the reason why so many people were shocked when Robin Williams passed away. On
film, people perceived him as a happy and lively man, but never understood his
deeper pain. Although comedians may use the Relief Theory to drive their
comedy, they only experience a limited form of relief and do not find a long
term solution to their pain.
Although comedy can be entertaining, the comedian will
always sacrifice a part of themselves to be at the service of other’s joy.
Comedy then becomes extremely dangerous for the comedian because the audience
will only see the “actor” or the fake self and the comedian becomes stuck in a
world that does not know his or her true self. When Robin Williams died,
President Obama sent his condolences to the Williams family by saying:
“Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor,
a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and
everything in between. But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an
alien – but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us
laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to
those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized
on our own streets.”
Although I understand where Obama was coming from by making this statement, it is important to remember that Robin Williams was never just a character. Williams was a misunderstood man who
dealt with real human problems and depression. I believe that people’s purpose in
life should never just be for the entertainment of others. Individual needs should
always come first, and unfortunately we only chose to perceive Williams as the
characters he performed and not the actual man himself. Comedy is a gift and
enjoyable, but we must remember that the person performing is more than the
character on stage. Robin Williams sacrificed a vital part of himself, his
happiness, in order to make the rest of the world happy. As noble as that
sound, it should never come to that point.
