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Laugh Until It Hurts: It’s Just About… Life

August 12, 2014 By markbrodinsky 2 Comments

robin

If this blog is all about finding your WHY, then today, I have to apologize and do a 360-degree turn on the meaning of that word and ask, WHY?

As soon as I heard the news the first text I sent was to an old friend of mine, because I knew he remembered, “Our boy is gone, Robin Williams is dead.” I knew Dave would remember.  I don’t get to see Dave much these days, but there are definitely ties that bind. He quickly text me back, “That’s a shame, such a talented guy and to this day those comedy specials he did were priceless.”

Priceless is right. Dave remembered. It was genius at work.

I was only 17-years-old, but they are times I won’t ever forget. Because it was more than one time, it was over and over and over.  In 1982 Robin Williams did an HBO special called an Evening with Robin Williams. For me and my group of my friends, there were plenty of evenings spent watching this special I had recorded on my VHS player, it seemed nearly every weekend, watching it so many times and laughing so hard, it hurt. Robin Williams literally took our breath away with laughter, he was so crazy, so quick, so manic, so topical, so damn funny. I can’t even remember all the lines now, (well maybe some of them I’m not repeating here), but I definitely remember the way it made me feel.  I knew I was watching something special. There had been no one like him, nor will there be again.

mork and mindy

Just four years earlier Williams burst onto the scene of American consciousness in a show called Happy Days. He had a guest appearance as an alien named Mork and before you knew it there was this show called Mork and Mindy, that everybody was talking about. That was of course until ABC, the network that owned the show, got greedy and in only its second season ABC moved Mork and Mindy from it’s cushy spot on Thursday nights, to a Sunday night time slot up against a juggernaut called Archie Bunker’s Place. Archie crushed them in the ratings. It was really the beginning of the end for Mork and Mindy, but in the end, it was all for the best… because Robin Williams was destined for much more than acting like a wacky alien. Stand-up comedy was his wheelhouse and he rocked the world.

robin sad

That HBO special was followed by plenty more and then of course morphing into an acting career on the big screen. The guy won an Oscar,  an Emmy, Golden Globes, a Grammy, you name it. I’m not going to recount his entire career here, there are about a billion articles on the web you can read and I’m sure remember in some way how Robin Williams touched your life.

I don’t believe any life is more important than any other. But some of us in life get the opportunity to touch others in a massive way. In this case it was comedy, and a man who could not be stopped. Robin Williams was born to make us laugh.  I don’t know his whole story, but I’m sure he started off small, worked hard and then was ready when preparation met opportunity.  Robin Williams took full advantage of that opportunity to touch millions of lives with his talent, his genius, to make us not just smile, but laugh and laugh hard. If when you pass away even the leader of the free world feels compelled to release a statement, you know it was big. From President Obama:

“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. The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin’s family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams.”

And now so many of us have found sadness in the loss of  someone who brought laughter to so many. The irony of it all is how so many comedians suffer a similar fate. Behind all the laughter they give to us as their gift, they always seem to hide so much pain. Instead of facing it, they mask it, or avoid it by being funny, by making the rest of us feel good, making us smile, making us laugh until it hurts, yet they are apparently the ones in pain. The funniest people seem to harbor the greatest demons, ones they can’t escape, so they try to keep them at bay with vices like drugs and alcohol. We  have seen it time after time after time. I’m not condemning it, because I don’t know their demons, it just makes me sad.

All the world wants to laugh. If music is the soundtrack of our lives then laughter is its safety net. Life comes at you from all directions and if you have the ability to help others focus, at least for a while, on what it means to smile, then you must be doing something right. Robin Williams did that for me, and for countless others. The proof is in the fact that more than 30 years after I first saw his HBO special, I still remember how he made me feel. That’s saying something. That’s legendary. That’s laughter, so much so that today, it hurts.

robin very sad

Until next time, thanks for taking the time.

Mark

Mark Brodinsky, Author, Huffington Post Blogger, Financial Services

The #1 Amazon Best-Seller: It Takes 2. Surviving Breast Cancer: A Spouse’s Story

Leave a comment here on the blog, contact Mark on social media, or e-mail: markbrodinsky@gmail.com

 

 

 

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Comments

  1. Mariah says

    August 12, 2014 at 8:48 am

    Well said Mark, I remember the HBO special and how much it made me laugh too!

    Reply
  2. Glenda says

    August 12, 2014 at 6:09 pm

    Loved him in Mrs Doubtfire!! Well said Mark

    Reply

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Love seeing new blogs hit the ground running like this one (by a dad no less), but I also urge anyone vaguely interested in blogging to stay tuned, I am. Good luck on your journey – glad that I am along for the ride.

Rachel Blaufeld

Great blog Mark! I always appreciate reading what you have to say. You are very gifted and talented and hopefully someday you’ll not just blog, but write a book.

 Stephen Koncurat

I’m definitely along for the ride. We’ve all seen how much damage the written word can inflict. More positive writers are needed. And I love how you are using your personal experiences – those with your wife and children – and your gift of writing to open eyes and to inspire others.

Victoria Endicott

Absolutely beautifully written! The girls in your life must be very proud of you. Thanks for sharing Mark, I look forward to reading more!

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Very shortly this site will be famous amid all blogging and site-building users, due to it’s pleasant posts.

Leila Galloway

Absolutely beautiful! Are you at all thinking of penning a book? You’ve got a fan base out there that really thinks you should Mark. You write so eloquently. Glad that I got onto this site.

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Mark, You are truly a gifted writer and obviously, a special father and husband . Always a delight to read your words.

I’m speechless…beautiful words flow from your heart just like a gentle waterfall into a tranquil stream… thank you so much for the friend request I was blessed the day I clicked confirm.

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From your first writing in 4th grade entitled “People” which was published in the school newspaper, you have always been able to write. Never more so than when you started “Caringbridge” and now your blog, everyone who reads says what a wonderful writer you are. Our DREAM for you is to become an author and encourage people every day. You are by the far the best and we hope and pray you reach your dream.

Bonnie Brodinsky

I know you always thank us for reading but I would like to say thanks for writing.

Stuart Abell

Great piece. You are an inspiration!

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Mark I just wanted to let you know that you are succeeding in your “ultimate goal”. I have gained so much from your blogs. I look forward to reading them for the special lift that they give me. Thank you.

Amy F.

I love waking up and starting my day with my coffee and your blog! It a great way to start my day with positive uplifting thoughts!! It puts me in a positive frame of mind throughout the day and allows me to reflect on my personal life, make changes, and grow !!!

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You are quite talented Mark. Thanks for sharing!

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I always look forward to your Blog Mark. Thanks for sharing and as you always do, make it a great / remarkable Day!

Chuck Connolly

Thanks for your Blog Mark. It is fun, encouraging and a nice break from a day full of ups and downs.

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With my busy schedule, there is (sadly) little time for reading. But I have two must-reads every time I come across them, the sports section and your blogs. Keep inspiring and following your dream!

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Mark, you are a truly remarkable individual. You do speak from your heart, I can’t wait to read your book. You are an incredible writer.

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Mark, I am glad I clicked on your post this morning, which lead me to your writing, your goal.
Would like to connect. This speaks to me.

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I can’t wait to read the book. I have followed all the blogs and feel so good that I know u guys. You make me cry but you make me laugh too. All the very best to you!

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WOW!!! It Takes 2 is a must read for anyone who has known someone diagnosed with cancer or other life threatening disease. This is the real story of a family lead by an incredible woman, Debbie Brodinsky, who took radical steps to beat the breast cancer beast. The story is told by her husband, Mark Brodinsky, through journal entries he kept starting with diagnosis through one year cancer free. This author's unique ability to pour his heart out onto the page draws you in from the beginning and holds you until the very end.

Thanks to Mark and Debbie Brodinsky for this gift...I have a new perspective on what it means to be a breast cancer survivor. You are a hero, Debbie Brodinsky!

TeeBThree
September 25, 2013

ittakes2_reviews_2

This book gives a heartfelt, in depth description of what it is like to go through breast cancer with the one you love. It is beautifully written and I felt as though I was living it with them! I highly recommend this book!

Jgs17
September 24, 2013

ittakes2_reviews_2

In It Takes 2, Mark Brodinsky windows us into his world where his wife, the cancer patient, is not the only victim. Part journal, part roadmap, It Takes 2 goes to the real humanity of facing the mortality of one's better half. Mark's candid perspective, love, and fierce intention resonate with hope in a story which is about much more than cancer. Mark himself is perhaps the most heroic character for the way he appreciates this life and so many of us in it...as he says, "thanks for caring."

Réné Pallace
September 24, 2013

ittakes2_reviews_2

It Takes Two: A Spouse's Story by Mark Brodinsky should be read by every person who is experiencing serious illness or injury or by a loved one of someone who is experiencing either of those situations. The book is an eloquent testament to the power of love and the healing energy derived from the belief that things will get better. There is not one word of "poor me" from the author or his wife who suffered breast cancer and the radical surgery she elected to have to beat the cancer. Rather, the book is a celebration of the courage displayed by them both in seeing it through.

The book also encourages readers to speak and write down their true feelings and be validated in them. John Mackovic writing in the Palm Springs, CA Desert Sun on November 2, 2013 quoted author and artist Doe Zantamata who said, " To be happy, you don't have to do anything new. You just have to remember how to believe again...Believe everything good is possible. Believe in your dreams. Believe in people. Believe in love. But most of all...believe in yourself." The author, his wife, their family and extended family and friends never stopped believing in his wife's recovery, and I think, in themselves. Read this book and believe.

Paul A. Riecks
November 4, 2013

ittakes2_reviews_2

This book is a must read for anyone with a family member with breast cancer. It takes you through the spouse's perspective from diagnosis to recovery. Mark journaled his wife's journey and put all of his emotions out there. It is beautifully written and inspiring to anyone going through breast cancer. Thank you, Mark for sharing Debbie's story.

Jmu1109
October 23, 2013

ittakes2_reviews_2

A friend recommended this book. This was a great perspective of a man standing beside his partner and passing along to the reader fear, hope, useful information and a broader story than his own. I loved Vinnie the tattoo artist. This is a great book. Thanks for sharing, Mark and "thanks for caring"

Blahsan

ittakes2_reviews_2

This book is a must read. What sets this book apart from other books about surviving breast cancer is that it is told by the husband and his point of view, not from the survivor. At times sad, at times poignant but even through the worst of it you can always feel the love he has for his wife, her strength and the strength of their extended family and friends. The posts that are included from their friends and family lets you really into the heart and strength of the family. I would recommend this book to anyone who is currently going through this, whether you are the person or the caregiver. I also recommend this book to anyone who has a friend that has been or is currently going through their fight now. It was an eye opener for me.

L. Bogash
Seven Valleys, PA

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There isn't a shortage of books about breast cancer, but most are written from the perspective of the person who has battled cancer or a physician or other expert. What an enlightening experience to read about breast cancer from a husband and caregiver's perspective! Not only does the author give us insight into his wife's experience and emotions, but he openly shares and reveals his love, compassion, support, and, yes, sometimes anger at the disease as he stands by his wife's side during their journey to beat the beast. Your story may not be the same, but I guarantee if you have a loved one battling cancer, you won't go wrong reading It Takes 2.

 PattiM
September 25, 2013

 

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From the moment I opened this book I never stopped reading. Mark invites the reader to come along on this journey that his family went through. I cried, laughed and learned so much. This book will give comfort and knowledge to those going through similar situations. Most importantly, Mark and his family never give up. They get knocked down and get right back up. They fought cancer together and with their strength, determination and will to prevail... They do!

 Jenny Schloss 

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