Watch Robin Williams Call For Moral Commitment To End Homelessness

[sheshe2]

Williams, who died in an apparent suicide on Monday, was staunchly committed to a number of social justice issues, but paid particularly close attention to the plight of homeless people.

But it was a stern (and, of course, at times funny) testimony he gave to Congress in 1990 that’s now making the rounds again, which conveyed the depths to which he went to try and put an end to homelessness.

“Homelessness is not irreversible,” the late actor said. “With politics and moral commitment, a massive increase in affordable housing, and the types of social services that are envisioned in the act, homelessness can and should be eliminated.”

snip

Together with Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal, the Academy Award-winning actor helped raise more than $80 million for Comic Relief, a nonprofit that donates 100 percent of its proceeds to help homeless people in need throughout the U.S.



Much More http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/12/robin-williams-homelessness_n_5672182.html

One quote from him here. "I know having a comic before you here is like having a porcupine in a hemophiliac ward."

FYI to those that trashed my earlier thread on Robin and cheered that a thread about Williams and his humanity was alerted on due to an unverified quote.. An unverified quote does not make it untrue. I took my thread down because of the negative comments scattered around ***those DUers that loved and praised Robin Williams. I thank you.*** He was a hero of those less fortunate. Thanks to all that loved him and deemed, not only his acting ability having been priceless to us all but acknowledged his never ending humanity. Such a kind and moral man.

Peace to you Robin, you touched so many hearts.

[ismnotwasm]

1. I saw your thread. I looked up myself

I was..displeased..at the get-off-my-lawn equating of "unverified" with "fake news". I didn't understand the apparent..need..to be absolutely shitty about Robin Williams getting credit for being a good guy.

This is a nice thread. Thank you SheShe.

[sheshe2]

3. Thanks,ism. Hug.

I don't understand either. With all the bad going on I got shit on for an unverified quote, not fake just unverified. This is what we alert on now?

Robin was a good man that passed far to young.

[BainsBane]

11. I'm guessing it is a proxy issue

An us vs. them divide.

[sheshe2]

15. He was called a coke head...

and not the type to worry about homeless people.

Thanks for being here Bains.

[LoveMyCali]

2. I have heard stories of Robin hiring homeless people before too

But don't know where or have any links. I certainly think it fits with what we do know about Robin Williams. I still miss him, I don't think I've ever been affected so much by a celebrity death.

[sheshe2]

4. A great and kind human being.

Thank you, LoveMyCali.

His testimony before Congress was awesome. Bravo Robin.

[George II]

5. Homeless in America is probably the worst legacy of Reagan's administration....

...I saw your original OP, sad that you had to take it down.

[sheshe2]

6. Thanks George.

I just wasn't in the mood to get trashed, I have enough going on in my life. Also, I did not want a good man, Robin to get taken down as well.

His testimony was awesome. He got some laughs because that is what he is comfortable with. It in no way negates the seriousness of the problem and what he is trying to do to correct it. A good man that we lost far to soon.

[George II]

8. See my followup post, the gist of your first OP, hope that helps.

[George II]

7. Here is a commentary after we lost him, mentioning his notable dedication to the homeless...

...(wish I could bold parts of it):

Following Robin Williams’ death, many of his fans and co-stars have shared tales of the actor’s kindness and humorous nature.

Now, one fan has shared an incredibly touching story of Robin’s rider requirements - which aren’t what you’d expect from a Hollywood star.

While many stars are known for outrageous demands and extreme requests, Robin had a rather unusual - though potentially equally difficult - task for production companies.

Writing on his website, Brian Lord recalls a list he received from the star’s office after enquiring about whether Robin was available for an event.

“When I got Robin Williams’ rider, I was very surprised by what I found,” he writes. “He actually had a requirement that, for every single event or film he did, the company hiring him also had to hire a certain number of homeless people and put them to work.

“I never watched a Robin Williams movie the same way after that. I’m sure that on his own time and with his own money, he was working with these people in need, but he’d also decided to use his clout as an entertainer to make sure that production companies and event planners also learned the value of giving people a chance to work their way back. “

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/13/robin-williams-dead-rider-film_n_5674896.html

[sheshe2]

9. Tears.

Thank you George.

I wish the humanity of Robin was more wide spread. Sadly it has been proven that it is not.

[George II]

10. Here's your poignant graphic about Mr. Williams' commitment to the homeless:

[sheshe2]

12. Thank you for posting, George.

[NastyRiffraff]

31. That is clearly not meant to be a quote

but an example of what he actually DID to help the homeless. Of course, whoever alerted on the original probably doesn't understand the difference. Or chooses not to. Or just gets a--er--charge out of alerting.

[George II]

34. Exactly, the tip off was the lack of " " !!

[spanone]

13. K&R...

[Me.]

14. Peace To Him

And thanks to you for re-posting.

[sheshe2]

16. No, I thank you for this,ME

"Writing on his website, Brian Lord recalls a list he received from the star’s office after enquiring about whether Robin was available for an event.

“When I got Robin Williams’ rider, I was very surprised by what I found,” he writes. “He actually had a requirement that, for every single event or film he did, the company hiring him also had to hire a certain number of homeless people and put them to work.”


www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/13/robin-williams-dead-rider-film_n_5674896.html

“Brian Lord, senior vice president at Premiere Speakers Bureau and 1998 graduate of DePauw University, was in negotiations to book Robin Williams for an event a few years ago. His recollections of Williams' "rider" -- the part of the contract agreement where a performer stipulates extras that are required, such as food and backstage conditions -- are noted in a Huffington Post article.”

www.depauw.edu/news-media/latest-news/details/31131/

[murielm99]

17. K&R

[Gothmog]

18. K&R

[mythology]

19. What's the point of bemoaning people not agreeing with you 100%?

This is a discussion board and within the rules of the board, people are allowed to respond even if it's not to agree with you. Next time try actually verifying what you post. If you can't stand behind what you post, maybe you should consider that before you post it. Trying to play the victim when you didn't confirm if something was true isn't a good look.

Robin Williams did plenty of good things in his life that are verifiable. You could have posted about those and I'm guessing people wouldn't have disagreed. But instead you posted something that can't be proven and then follow it up with this melodrama. I don't get why people insist on trying to make themselves out to be the victim rather than just saying "oops, I'll check next time" Everybody makes mistakes, but trying to blame others for them, that's just silly.

[BainsBane]

20. Actually HuffPo has reported on a rider in his contract specifying exactly

What Sheshe said. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/13/robin-williams-dead-rider-film_n_5674896.html

It turns out she was right.

It's pretty obvious the push back had nothing to do with Williams.

We see continual repetitions of false claims by and about politicians, yet we are supposed to believe that there is a sudden, abiding concern for truth when it comes to a movie star?

This isn't the first time Snopes has been wrong. Yet somehow fact checking sites look me Politifact and factcheck.org (as well as the WAPO) run by reputable news outlets are denounced as "fake news."

Now, I'm sure as a person committed to the truth, you will acknowledge your error and apologize for your rude statements to the OP.

[melman]

21. No

HuffPost reported that some random dude said that on his blog.

[BainsBane]

22. Okay

That still seems a far cry from being proven false.

It's interesting to see such a new-found commitment to fact checking. Will you be extending that to politics as well, or just to earth-shattering discussions of Hollywood?

[BainsBane]

23. Actually, the "blog"

Was by someone who received a copy of the contract and was responsible for fulfilling it.
Yet you felt compelled to misrepresent that accounting is order to present a false perception of the article.
Why exactly is that?

[sheshe2]

25. Thanks, Bains.

[Me.]

24. Your Random No

Doesn't make it untrue

[BainsBane]

26. Funny how the concern for facts and truth

has suddenly evaporated.

[VermontKevin]

27. The ugly comments made to this poster on the other thread were baffling.

Even if she was wrong, which she is clearly not I don't know why the poster was treated with such rudeness.

[BainsBane]

28. It had nothing to do with Robin Williams

that much I can guarantee.

[VermontKevin]

29. My daughter sent me this yesterday.

https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-only-protested-the-affordable-care-act-because-the-president-was-black-please-dont-take-away-my-health-insurance

I get it.

[sheshe2]

32. That was a sad read.

They only want a white man can give them...not that black man or that woman. Well they got their white man and now they are going to get tRumpcare. So shortsighted.

[VermontKevin]

36. "Watch out, you might get what you're after"

[sheshe2]

37. Funny they mentioned Mitt in that article...

after all ACA was much the same as Mitts MASS healthcare bill.

[sheshe2]

35. Apparently.

[Gothmog]

30. I admired Robin Williams a great deal

May he rest in peace

[sheshe2]

33. He was a good man, Gothmog.

We lost him far to soon.

[NastyRiffraff]

38. The Fisher King

A film with Robin Williams that was (in part) about homelessness. Or rather, homeless people. The trailer shows it as a light-hearted comedy, and it partially was, but it was touching and wonderful.

<

>

[sheshe2]

39. I loved that one, NR.

He had a true talent to make us laugh and cry.