Robin Williams named his comedy heroes: “The most topical of anybody”
Every generation of comedians – whether it’s stand-up, sitcom, or silver screen – is inspired by the legends who came before, and Robin Williams was no different.
Jonathan Winters was a towering influence on the future superstar from his earliest days when he was dipping his toes into comedic waters. They eventually became firm friends after striking up a mentor/protégé relationship that gave each of them a leg-up at opposing ends of their respective careers.
Richard Pryor was another Williams who held the highest of esteem, with the latter naming him as having given the single greatest live comedy performance of all time. That’s a high accolade coming from someone who conquered the stage the way the other did. The Academy Award-winning actor cast a huge shadow over the stand-up circuit before he even broke into movies.
When he did, Williams became a bigger star than ever before, setting the template that his successors have followed for generations by alternating broad comedies that leaned into his inimitable brand of manic improvisation with tightly scripted dramas that showcased the versatilities and subtleties that weren’t required when standing in front of a crowd trying to split them at the sides.
Given the way he was indebted to Winters, though, it was strange he found himself omitted from Williams’ list of his comedy heroes. Then again, the way his mind and mouth worked at a mile a minute, he probably could have rattled off dozens had he not been put on the spot to come up with an answer.
“Up until recently, if it’s stand-up, you’ve got to say Pryor, George Carlin. [Sam] Kinison. Bob Goldthwait. Charlie Fleischer for obscure comedy-he does wonderful, strange impressions,” he revealed to Playboy before mixing it up and throwing someone best known for their TV hosting duties into the ring for doing topicality better than the rest.
“Among comics, if you asked who’s their favourite, usually Jay Leno is in the top three, if not the top because he is so quick and he’s the most topical of anybody,” Williams said. “He has that Elvis jaw, that face you could cut windows with, but he has a rock-hard view of the world that cuts through shit on either side. Like he was doing all those Sununu jokes, just beating the shit out of him.”
Casting his eye over the latest socio-political goings-on wasn’t typically in Williams’ wheelhouse when it was the stream-of-consciousness shtick he did better than virtually anyone before or since. Still, he felt like he had to celebrate Leno’s ability to be quick off the draw.
In most circles, he isn’t considered to be on the same level as Pryor and Carlin, but if it’s good enough for a talent like Williams, then it’s hard to argue.
