Misplaced Pages

#362637

139-448: Dennis Michael Miller (born November 3, 1953) is an American political commentator, stand-up comedian, talk show host, writer, actor and former sportscaster . Miller was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1991, and he subsequently hosted a string of his own talk shows on HBO , CNBC , and also in syndication. From 2007 to 2015, Miller hosted

278-401: A Franz Kafka novella, and it stiffened his resolve to start pursuing a comedy career. Leaving the ice cream parlor Miller joined the staff at Point Park's Recreation Room, where he was in charge of the bowling alley, video games, and running the air-hockey league. A patron from that time recalled that Miller sat on pool tables telling jokes and honing his comedy to those in the rec room, which

417-657: A Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for the recording of his 1979 live show at the Copacabana in New York City, Reality   ... What a Concept . Williams starred as the lead character in The World According to Garp (1982), which he noted "may have lacked a certain madness onscreen, but it had a great core". Critic Roger Ebert wrote of his performance, "Although Robin Williams plays Garp as

556-541: A Murdochian attack dog, and he often sits there and sucks it up while people tell him just how awful the administration of his beloved commander-in-chief really is... Miller, it turns out, is considerably more interested in 'diversity' than some of his liberal counterparts." The show was openly pro-President George W. Bush and its debut coincided with a major decline in Bush's approval numbers. While Miller's rating started out well with his first episode ( The New York Times put

695-615: A legitimate heart attack on the September 10, 2012 episode of Raw , Cole broke character and continued to provide updates on his colleague's condition whilst simultaneously calling the action. His professionalism in the situation led to a slow babyface transition, which was cemented when the two men hugged in the ring upon Lawler's return to commentating two month later. In some cases, commentators are also active managers for wrestlers, usually following continuity as heels. Former Extreme Championship Wrestling color commentator Cyrus

834-633: A 10K run in Central Park in 1975. His favorite books were the Foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov , and his favorite book as a child was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe , which he later shared with his children. Williams was an enthusiast of both pen-and-paper role-playing games and video games. His daughter Zelda was named after the title character from The Legend of Zelda ,

973-424: A Rising Star. After about a year in New York City, he returned to Pittsburgh. It was there that local television station KDKA-TV was shooting a piece for its Evening Magazine and offered him a job at the station. By the end of 1980 Miller was acting as a warm-up in the afternoons for KDKA's Pittsburgh 2Day . He then began starring in humorous segments for the syndicated Evening Magazine . By 1983 he had become

1112-485: A call will or will not be overturned. This helps viewers who may not understand some of the rules or calls, understand further. These analysts are typically former referees . In North American English , sportscaster is a general term for any type of commentator in a sports broadcast. It may also refer to a sports talk show host or a newscaster covering sports news. In video games , and particularly esports , commentators are often called shout-casters ; this term

1251-412: A daily, three-hour, self-titled talk radio program, nationally syndicated by Westwood One . On March 9, 2020, Dennis Miller + One show, launched on RT America . It ran twice-weekly and featured celebrity interviews. Miller is listed as 21st on Comedy Central 's 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time, and he was ranked as the best host of SNL ' s Weekend Update by Vulture.com . Miller

1390-460: A debut for Miller at The Improv . Miller resigned from KDKA and moved to Los Angeles to try to further his comedy career. Miller's brothers Rich and Jimmy joined him in Los Angeles, taking up varied jobs around The Improv such as booking shows, acting as a bouncer, and selling tickets. Jimmy became a power talent agent with Gold Miller, and Rich ran RCM Entertainment, booking comedians across

1529-556: A devoted cycling enthusiast, having taken up the sport partly as a substitute for drugs. Eventually, he accumulated a large bicycle collection and became a fan of professional road cycling , often traveling to racing events such as the Tour de France . In 2016, Williams' children donated 87 of his bicycles in support of the Challenged Athletes Foundation and Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation . Williams

SECTION 10

#1732772599363

1668-734: A disadvantage from other publishers, Time Inc. and Ludtke filed a lawsuit against Kuhn. The lawsuit was taken to the United States District Court in 1978 where Judge Constance Baker Motley ruled the act as violating the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution . The court ruled that the Yankees organization devise a plan to protect the players of their privacy while female sportswriters conducted interviews, suggesting

1807-468: A doctor modeled after Oliver Sacks , who wrote the book on which the film is based. Sacks later said the way the actor's mind worked was a "form of genius". In 1991, Williams played an adult Peter Pan in the film Hook , although he had said that he would have to lose 25 pounds for the role. Terry Gilliam , who directed Williams in two of his films, The Fisher King (1991) and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), said in 1992 that Williams had

1946-485: A drug overdose, which happened the morning after the two had partied together, along with the birth of his son Zak, prompted him to quit drugs and alcohol: "Was it a wake-up call? Oh yeah, on a huge level. The grand jury helped, too." Williams turned to exercise and cycling to help alleviate his depression shortly after Belushi's death; according to bicycle shop owner Tony Tom, Williams said, "cycling saved my life". In 2003, Williams started drinking again while working on

2085-472: A family favorite video game series, and Williams sometimes performed at consumer entertainment trade shows. Williams was a big fan of anime and collecting figures. His daughter described him as a "figurine hoarder"; one of his figures was the character Deunan Knute from the anime film Appleseed , which Williams was a fan of. He also liked the film Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence . Williams also became

2224-524: A florist, and an ice cream scooper at the Village Dairy. As an ice-cream scooper, Miller recalled that he was twenty-one, five years out of high school, and wearing a paper hat while working alongside teenagers. A spur to quit the ice cream scooping job was when he took the order of the prettiest girl from his high school, which filled him with embarrassment. Miller later said that at the time he feared that if he stayed in such jobs, his life would become

2363-436: A former player or coach and the other being an outsider, such as a journalist ( Howard Cosell was one long-running example) or a comedian (such as the before mentioned Dennis Miller). A sideline reporter assists a sports broadcasting crew with sideline coverage of the playing field or court . The sideline reporter typically makes live updates on injuries and breaking news or conducts player interviews while players are on

2502-560: A forty-year career. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and "Macho Man" Randy Savage pioneered the "babyface sympathizer" for color commentary in wrestling. Michael Cole , as a play-by-play announcer for WWE since 1999, has also portrayed this role for most of his announcing career. From 2010 to 2012, Cole served as a heel announcer, showing arrogance and contempt for faces and more sympathy for the heels (partially due to bullying from other face wrestlers, and jealousy from on-screen authority figures and other commentators). However, after Lawler suffered

2641-511: A happy birthday. In 1986, Williams teamed up with Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal to establish Comic Relief USA . This annual HBO television benefit devoted to the homeless raised $ 80   million as of 2014. Bob Zmuda , creator of Comic Relief, explains that Williams felt blessed because he came from a wealthy home, but wanted to do something to help those less fortunate. Williams made benefit appearances to support literacy and women's rights, along with appearing at benefits for veterans. He

2780-476: A high, nasal voice, and he made the most of the script. The cast and crew, as well as TV network executives, were deeply impressed with Williams's performance. As such, the executives moved quickly to get the performer on contract just four days later before competitors could make their own offers. Mork's appearance proved so popular with viewers that it led to the spin-off television sitcom Mork & Mindy , which co-starred Pam Dawber , and ran from 1978 to 1982;

2919-603: A host than a fellow conversationalist, and seems as happy to listen as to interrupt." In the beginning of the series, Miller had a chimpanzee on the show named Ellie, who was declared a "consultant." After a few appearances Ellie was replaced by a smaller, friendlier chimp named Mo. Mo was noted for swinging across the studio on a rope, doing somersaults on the sofa while giving the appearance of reading Variety , and for nuzzling Miller while he gave his monologue. The group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting objected that one of

SECTION 20

#1732772599363

3058-470: A mile a minute. I'd never seen so much energy contained in one person. He was like an untied balloon that had been inflated and immediately released. I watched in awe as he virtually caromed off the walls of the classrooms and hallways. To say that he was 'on' would be a major understatement." Williams and Reeve had a class in dialects taught by Edith Skinner , whom Reeve said was one of the world's leading voice and speech teachers. According to Reeve, Skinner

3197-427: A murderer on the run from a sleep-deprived Los Angeles police detective (played by Al Pacino ) in rural Alaska. That same year, in the psychological thriller One Hour Photo , Williams portrayed an emotionally disturbed photo development technician who becomes obsessed with a family for whom he has developed pictures for a long time. In the 2004 science fiction psychological thriller The Final Cut , Williams played

3336-481: A niche in the late-night television landscape after Carson's retirement from The Tonight Show that May and his replacement by Jay Leno . Bob Odenkirk and Norm Macdonald served as writers for the show. The Dennis Miller Show built an insignificant audience and was cancelled in July. Beginning in 1994, Miller hosted Dennis Miller Live , a half-hour talk show on HBO . The show was taped at CBS Television City on

3475-618: A nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor . The film is set in 1965 during the Vietnam War , with Williams playing the role of Adrian Cronauer , a radio shock jock who keeps troops entertained with comedy and sarcasm. Williams was allowed to play the role without a script, improvising most of his lines. Over the microphone, Williams created voice impressions of various people, including Walter Cronkite , Gomer Pyle , Elvis Presley , Mr. Ed and Richard Nixon . "We just let

3614-704: A paternal half-brother, Robert (also known as Todd), and a maternal half-brother, McLaurin. While his mother was a practitioner of Christian Science , Williams was raised in his father's Episcopal faith. During a television interview on Inside the Actors Studio in 2001, Williams credited his mother as an important early influence on his humor, and he tried to make her laugh to gain attention. Williams attended public elementary school in Lake Forest at Gorton Elementary School and middle school at Deer Path Junior High School . Williams described himself as

3753-579: A professional who specializes in editing the memories of unsavory people into uncritical memorials that are played at funerals. His many television appearances included an episode of Whose Line Is It Anyway? , and Williams starred in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit . He headlined his own one-man show , Robin Williams: Live on Broadway , which played at the Broadway Theatre in July 2002. Williams's stand-up work

3892-481: A public statement revealing that players from the New England Patriots had exposed themselves while interviews were being conducted. This prompted other female reporters who had been harassed to come forward. Their credibility was undermined by accusations that female interviewers appeared as being "too friendly" or conversing too long with players as though they were flirting. Thus, the issue of sexism

4031-440: A quiet child who did not overcome his shyness until he became involved with his high school drama department. His friends recall him as very funny. In late 1963, when Williams was 12, his father was transferred to Detroit. The family lived in a 40-room farmhouse on 20 acres (8 ha) in suburban Bloomfield Hills , Michigan, where Williams was a student at the private Detroit Country Day School . He excelled in school, where he

4170-461: A relatively plausible, sometimes ordinary person, the movie never seems bothered by the jarring contrast between his cheerful pluckiness and the anarchy around him." Williams continued with other smaller roles in less successful films, such as The Survivors (1983) and Club Paradise (1986), although he said these roles did not help advance his film career. In 1986, Williams co-hosted the 58th Academy Awards . The following year, he appeared in

4309-595: A six-year hiatus, in August 2008, Williams announced a new 26-city tour, Weapons of Self-Destruction . The tour began at the end of September 2009, and concluded in New York on December 3, and was the subject of an HBO Special on December 8, 2009. Years after the films, Janet Hirshenson revealed in an interview that Williams had expressed interest in portraying Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter film series, but

Dennis Miller - Misplaced Pages Continue

4448-465: A sketch comedy special Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin (1987), acting alongside Carol Burnett , Carl Reiner and Whoopi Goldberg . Williams was also a regular guest on various talk shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Late Night with David Letterman , on which he appeared 50 times. Williams's first major break came from his starring role in director Barry Levinson 's Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), which earned Williams

4587-714: A troubled homeless man in The Fisher King , respectively. Among the actors who helped Williams during his acting career, he credited Robert De Niro, from whom Williams learned the power of silence and economy of dialogue when acting. From Dustin Hoffman , with whom Williams co-starred in Hook , he learned to take on totally different character types, and to transform his characters by extreme preparation. Mike Medavoy , producer of Hook , told its director, Steven Spielberg , that he intentionally teamed up Hoffman and Williams for

4726-564: A vampire on a day pass. No. In mid-2014, Williams was admitted to the Hazelden Foundation Addiction Treatment Center in Center City, Minnesota , for treatment for alcoholism. In March 2009, Williams was hospitalized due to heart problems. He postponed his one-man tour for surgery to replace his aortic valve , repair his mitral valve and correct his irregular heartbeat . The surgery

4865-580: Is Mixed Martial Arts, specifically the UFC organization and Peter Drury for the Premier League Football Association). The vast majority of play-by-play announcers are male; female play-by-play announcers had not seen sustained employment until the 21st century. Radio and television play-by-play techniques involve slightly different approaches; radio broadcasts typically require the play-by-play host to say more to verbally convey

5004-588: Is and become "incensed" on the viewer's behalf". When asked if he had the credentials to do a quasi-news show, Miller stressed he was an entertainer. "I don't have credibility, I'm a comedian. I'm not Ed Murrow up on the roof in a London Fog reporting on the Blitz." The hour-long show contained a daily news segment called "The Daily Rorschach ," an interview segment, a panel discussion dubbed "The Varsity," and humorous field pieces by fellow SNL alum Tim Meadows and Last Comic Standing ' s Ant . Stylistically, Miller

5143-566: Is derived from Shoutcast , an internet audio streaming plugin and protocol associated with the Winamp media player. They are also sometimes referred to as simply casters . While sports broadcasts took place from 1912, Florent Gibson of the Pittsburgh Post newspaper broadcast the first sports commentary in April 1921, covering the fight between Johnny Ray and Johnny "Hutch" Dundee at

5282-618: Is meant to convey the event as it is carried out. Because of their skill level, commentators like Al Michaels , Brian Anderson , Ian Eagle , Kevin Harlan , Jim Nantz , and Joe Buck in the U.S, David Coleman in the UK, and Bruce McAvaney in Australia may have careers in which they call several different sports at one time or another. Other main commentators may, however, only call one sport ( Joe Rogan for example announces only one sport which

5421-630: Is said to have "[captured] his different sides: the funnyman mugging for the camera, and a sweet, more thoughtful pose that appears on a small TV he holds in his hands", according to Mary Forgione of the Los Angeles Times . This photo was installed in the National Portrait Gallery in the Smithsonian Institution shortly after Williams died to allow visitors to pay their respects. He also appeared on

5560-591: The Happy Feet film franchise (2006–2011), and an uncredited vocal performance in Everyone's Hero (2006). He also voiced the holographic character Dr. Know in the live-action film A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001). Williams was the voice of The Timekeeper , a former attraction at the Walt Disney World Resort about a time-traveling robot who encounters Jules Verne and brings him to

5699-975: The Night at the Museum trilogy (2006–2014). Williams lent his voice to the animated films Aladdin (1992), Robots (2005), Happy Feet (2006) and its 2011 sequel . During his career, Williams suffered substance abuse issues and instances of severe depression. He was found dead at his home in Paradise Cay, California , in August 2014, at age 63. His death was ruled a suicide . According to his widow, Williams had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease , and had been experiencing depression, anxiety and increasing paranoia. His autopsy found "diffuse Lewy body disease ", and Lewy body dementia professionals said that his symptoms were consistent with dementia with Lewy bodies . Robin McLaurin Williams

Dennis Miller - Misplaced Pages Continue

5838-556: The Weekend Update anchor. The spot was supposed to go to comic Jon Lovitz , but Lovitz was scheduled for other parts on the show and needed the Update segment to do costume changes, so Miller was drafted to read the news. His comedy was apolitical before SNL but politics came easy through opening a newspaper and building a new act around a few headlines. He made his stage persona a bit sardonic, as he noticed people who had done

5977-509: The BBC -inspired music video of international celebrities doing a cover of The Rolling Stones single " It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It) " for the charity Children's Promise. In response to the 2010 Canterbury earthquake , Williams donated all proceeds of his Weapons of Self Destruction Christchurch performance to help rebuild the New Zealand city. Half the proceeds were donated to

6116-618: The Drama League Award for Outstanding Distinguished Performer. In May 2013, CBS started a new series, The Crazy Ones , starring Williams, which was canceled after one season. The Angriest Man in Brooklyn was his last movie to be released during his lifetime. In the movie, Williams played Henry Altmann, an angry, bitter man who tries to change his life after being told he has a terminal illness . Four films starring Williams were released after his death in 2014: Night at

6255-717: The Holy City Zoo , a comedy club in San Francisco, where Williams worked his way up from tending bar. In the 1960s, San Francisco was a center for a rock music renaissance, hippies , drugs , and a sexual revolution , and in the late 1970s, Williams helped lead its "comedy renaissance", wrote critic Gerald Nachman . Williams said that he found out about "drugs and happiness" during that period, adding that he saw "the best brains of my time turned to mud." Williams moved to Los Angeles and continued performing stand-up at clubs, including The Comedy Store . There, in 1977, he

6394-760: The Motor Square Garden , Pittsburgh. One of the highest-paid sportscasters in the United States is Tony Romo , a former NFL quarterback and professional golfer who serves as lead color analyst for the NFL on CBS ; Romo earns $ 17,000,000 per year for his contributions to the network. Jim Rome being the highest paid sports Broadcasters in The United States, making over 30,000,000 per year, Jim also has his own Sports talk show called The Jim Rome Show syndicated by CBS Sports Radio. In 1975,

6533-659: The Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh , hitching rides or taking buses. He continued to do stand-up in Oakland and at places like Brandy's in the Strip District and the Portfolio on Craig Street, eventually saving up $ 1,000 which he used to try to fast-track his comedy career by moving to New York City. Once there, Miller had to bribe a landlord to give him a room for $ 200, then had to pay the security deposit of $ 250 and

6672-630: The Red Cross and half to the mayoral building fund. Williams performed with the USO for U.S. troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. For several years, Williams supported St. Jude Children's Research Hospital . During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Williams had an addiction to cocaine . He was a casual friend of John Belushi , and the Saturday Night Live comic's death in 1982 from

6811-612: The Roxy to help keep his improvisational skills sharp. In England, Williams performed at The Fighting Cocks . David Letterman , who knew Williams for nearly 40 years, recalls seeing him first perform as a new comedian at The Comedy Store in Hollywood, where Letterman and other comedians had already been doing stand-up. "He came in like a hurricane", said Letterman, who said he thought to himself, "Holy crap, there goes my chance in show business". The first film role credited to Williams

6950-640: The Weekend Update desk, he was included in some sketches. He did a few recurring characters as well as celebrity impersonations including Gary Hart , George Harrison , and Nathaniel Crosby . It was thought that he would renew his contract with NBC until at least 1993, but Miller left SNL in 1991, turning over the anchor's chair to Kevin Nealon . Miller was happy with his role on the show, but chose to move on because he had turned 38 and his 18-month-old son Holden made him want to strive for things to "make

7089-461: The Weekend Update segment as nice guys quickly lost the role. Miller began his fictional news reports with "Good evening, and what can I tell ya?" and closed with "Guess what, folks? That's the news, and I... am... outta here!" Fans of SNL became accustomed to his snarky delivery, high-pitched giggle, and frequently primped hair—idiosyncrasies that were spoofed by Dana Carvey , Tom Hanks , and Jimmy Fallon , all of whom have impersonated Miller on

SECTION 50

#1732772599363

7228-585: The "Daily Rorschach" segment on his CNBC television show. Sportscaster The main commentator , also called the play-by-play commentator or announcer in North America, blow-by-blow in combat sports coverage, lap-by-lap for motorsports coverage, or ball -by-ball for cricket coverage, is the primary speaker on the broadcast. Broadcasters in this role are adept at being articulate and carry an ability to describe each play or event of an often-fast-moving sporting event. The play-by-play announcer

7367-537: The Catholic Youth Organization basketball team for boys 15–16 years old. His first inspiration to pursue a comedy career came when as a child he was taken to see comedian Kelly Monteith at a Pittsburgh club. After the show, Monteith was kind enough to answer the young Miller's questions about being a comedian. Two other early influences were Jonathan Winters and Tim Conway . Miller went to Keystone Oaks High School . At Keystone Oaks, Miller

7506-733: The Hudson (1984), What Dreams May Come (1998) and Bicentennial Man (1999). During the early 2000s, Williams demonstrated a new rank of his versatility by playing darker roles than he had in the previous decades. Williams appeared with fellow comedian, Billy Crystal , in an unscripted cameo at the beginning of a 1997 episode of the third season of Friends . Williams's performances garnered various accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Good Will Hunting ; as well as two previous Academy Award nominations, for Dead Poets Society , and as

7645-576: The Iguana . Reeve wrote, "He simply was the old man. I was astonished by his work and very grateful that fate had thrown us together." The two remained close friends until Reeve's death in 2004. Their friendship was like "brothers from another mother", according to Williams's son Zak. During the summers of 1974, 1975, and 1976, Williams worked as a busboy at The Trident in Sausalito, California . He left Juilliard during his junior year in 1976 at

7784-612: The June 1979 issue of the magazine. Miller won $ 500 in Playboy ' s first annual humor competition with the following joke: The only difference between group sex and group therapy is that in group therapy you hear about everyone's problems, and in group sex you see them. Miller gained more exposure when he tried out for the New York Laff-Off Contest. The contest had 40 slots but 32 of them had already been filled by

7923-567: The Laff-Off, he was seen by dozens of talent agents, resulting in bookings at colleges and other clubs. While he was working in New York City, Hustler Magazine listed Miller in a piece called "The 10 Funniest People in America You'll Never See on TV". During this time, Miller supported himself by working day jobs such as bartender and payroll clerk, and by night made the rounds of New York clubs The Comic Strip, The Improvisation, and Catch

8062-538: The Museum: Secret of the Tomb , A Merry Friggin' Christmas , Boulevard , and Absolutely Anything . Williams married actress Valerie Velardi in 1978, following a live-in relationship with comedian Elayne Boosler . Velardi and Williams met in 1976 while he was working as a bartender at a San Francisco tavern. Their son, Zachary Pym, was born in 1983. Velardi and Williams were divorced in 1988. While it

8201-609: The NHL's footsteps and allowed for other female sportswriters to be given the same access as men sportswriters. It was not until the year 1977 when Melissa Ludtke , a sportswriter from Sports Illustrated , was given the assignment to cover the New York Yankees playoff series but was denied entry into the men's locker room. Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn and other officials chose to discriminate against her based on her sex. Knowing that this would put Sports Illustrated in

8340-718: The National Hockey League (NHL) made headlines when two coaches of the NHL All-Star Game in Montreal allowed Robin Herman ( The New York Times ) and Marcelle St. Cyr ( CKLM radio in Montreal) access into the men's locker room. Both were believed to have been the first women ever allowed to enter a professional men's locker room to conduct a post-game interview. Sport organizations began to follow in

8479-547: The New York audition he went to dinner with Michaels and Jack Nicholson. Miller felt that this was just another aspect of his audition, to see if he could handle himself around famous people, so he "just sat there quietly". Miller later recalled the conclusion of the meeting with Michaels: "He looked at me and goes, 'Would you like to do my newscast?'. And I said, 'Yeah, I would', and he said, 'Well, I'll see you tomorrow'. And then I walked out. And I remember thinking, 'My life has just changed.'" Miller succeeded Christopher Guest as

SECTION 60

#1732772599363

8618-429: The United States, which is called by color commentator Cris Collinsworth , a former NFL receiver, and play-by-play commentator Mike Tirico , a professional announcer. In the United Kingdom, however, there is a much less distinct division between play-by-play and color commentary, although two-man commentary teams usually feature an enthusiast with formal journalistic training but little or no competitive experience leading

8757-423: The ability to "go from manic to mad to tender and vulnerable   ... [Williams had] the most unique mind on the planet. There's nobody like him out there." While Williams voiced characters in several animated films, his voice role as the Genie in the animated musical Aladdin (1992) was written for Williams. The film's directors said that they had taken a risk by writing the role. At first, Williams refused

8896-472: The boy proud." Miller soon had a late-night talk show in development ( The Dennis Miller Show ), and it was believed that fans of Letterman would naturally be interested in Miller's show and prefer that over Leno's in that time slot. He told an interviewer, "I had a great gig and this came up. It seemed like an opportunity that doesn't present itself too frequently in your life, so I opted to take it... I wanted to see what other talents I had, so I decided this

9035-436: The cameras roll," said producer Mark Johnson, and Williams "managed to create something new for every single take". Williams appeared opposite Steve Martin at Lincoln Center in an off-Broadway production of Waiting for Godot in 1988. Many of his subsequent roles were in comedies tinged with pathos , such as Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and Patch Adams (1998). Looking over most of Williams's filmography, one writer

9174-471: The cast of The Richard Pryor Show on NBC , Williams was cast by Garry Marshall as the alien Mork in a 1978 episode of the TV series Happy Days titled " My Favorite Orkan ". Sought after as a last-minute cast replacement for a departing actor, Williams impressed the producer with his quirky sense of humor when he sat on his head when asked to take a seat for the audition. As Mork, Williams improvised much of his dialogue and physical comedy, speaking in

9313-450: The color commentators (especially when they support heels) are usually more blatant about their stance than the play-by-play announcers. Jesse "The Body" Ventura and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan pioneered the "heel sympathizer" for color commentary in wrestling. Jerry "The King" Lawler later made a successful transition into the same role, though Lawler has since shown more sympathy for faces, partially due to his popularity with fans after

9452-484: The combination of a play-by-play announcer and color commentator is now considered the standard, it was much more common for a broadcast to have only one play-by-play announcer working alone. Vin Scully , longtime announcer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, was one of the few examples of this practice lasting into the 21st century until he retired in 2016. The three-person booth is a format used on Monday Night Football , in which there are two color commentators, usually one being

9591-467: The commentary, and an expert former (or current) competitor following up with analysis or summary. There are however exceptions to this—most of the United Kingdom's leading cricket and snooker commentators are former professionals in their sports, while the former Formula One racing commentator Murray Walker had no formal journalistic training and only limited racing experience of his own (he had come from an advertising background and his initial hiring

9730-417: The country. In Los Angeles, Leno was a big influence on Miller, as he was to many up and coming comedians in the area at the time. Young comedians gathered at Leno's home late at night and he offered critiques with humorous, biting wit. Leno also taped television appearances of his group and showed them during such sessions while offering more humorous critiques. Miller later fondly recalled the time, saying it

9869-413: The cover of the August 23, 1979, issue of Rolling Stone , photographed by Richard Avedon . With his success on Mork & Mindy , Williams began to reach a wider audience with his stand-up comedy, starting in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, including three HBO comedy specials: Off The Wall (1978), An Evening with Robin Williams (1983), and A Night at the Met (1986). Williams won

10008-500: The critically acclaimed dramas The World According to Garp (1982), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Awakenings (1990), Insomnia (2002), One Hour Photo (2002) and World's Greatest Dad (2009). He also starred in Toys (1992), The Birdcage (1996) and Patch Adams (1998), as well as family films, such as Hook (1991), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), RV (2006) and

10147-561: The depth of the young actor's talent became evident when Williams was cast in the musical Oliver! as Fagin . He often improvised during his time in the drama program, leaving cast members in hysterics. Dunn called his wife after one late rehearsal to tell her Williams "was going to be something special". In 1973, Williams attained a full scholarship to the Juilliard School ( Group 6 , 1973–1976) in New York City . He

10286-597: The direct-to-video sequel, The Return of Jafar (1994); the Genie was instead voiced by Dan Castellaneta . When Jeffrey Katzenberg was replaced by Joe Roth as Walt Disney Studios chairman, Roth organized a public apology to Williams. He would, in turn, reprise the role in the second sequel, Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996). During this time, Williams lent his voice to FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992). Other dramatic performances by Williams include Moscow on

10425-414: The disease as "the terrorist inside my husband's brain", Schneider said that "however you look at it—the presence of Lewy bodies took his life", referring to his previous diagnosis of Parkinson's. She noted "how we as a culture don't have the vocabulary to discuss brain disease in the way we do about depression. Depression is a symptom of LBD and it's not about psychology – it's rooted in neurology. His brain

10564-615: The dressing room area while others could be between the respective team benches). In the United States, sideline reporters are heavily restricted by NFL rules; in contrast, both the 2001 and 2020 incarnations of the XFL featured sideline reporters in a much more prominent role. In motorsports, it is typical for there to be multiple pit reporters , covering the event from along the pit road. Their responsibilities include covering breaking news trackside, probing crew chiefs and other team leaders about strategy, and commentating on pit stops from along

10703-476: The field or court because the play-by-play broadcaster and color commentator must remain in their broadcast booth. Sideline reporters are often granted inside information about an important update, such as injury because they have the credentials necessary to do so. In cases of big events, teams consisting of many sideline reporters are placed strategically so that the main commentator has many sources to turn to (for example some sideline reporters could be stationed in

10842-610: The figure at 746,000 people), by March 2004 his numbers had slipped to 300,000. This was in contrasted to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart , which attracted 1.9 million viewers, and which aired at the later time slot of 11 pm. By April 2005, Miller's viewership had declined to 107,000 (a 59% drop from the year before). CNBC canceled the show in May 2005 as part of the network's move to refocus on financial news (airings of Late Night with Conan O'Brien and shows hosted by John McEnroe and Tina Brown were also cancelled). Miller's show

10981-608: The film The Big White (2005) in Alaska. In 2006, he checked in to a substance-abuse rehabilitation center in Newberg, Oregon , saying that he was an alcoholic. Years afterward, Williams acknowledged his failure to maintain sobriety , but said that he never returned to using cocaine, declaring in a 2010 interview: No. Cocaine—paranoid and impotent, what fun. There was no bit of me thinking, ooh, let's go back to that. Useless conversations until midnight, waking up at dawn feeling like

11120-547: The film because he knew they wanted to work together, and that Williams welcomed the opportunity of working with Spielberg. Having Woody Allen , who directed him and Billy Crystal in Deconstructing Harry (1997), helped Williams. Allen knew that Crystal and Williams had often worked together on stage. Williams was the host of a talk show for Audible that aired in April 2000 and was only available on Audible's website. In Insomnia (2002), Williams portrayed

11259-443: The film was the highest-grossing of 1992; it won numerous awards, including a Special Golden Globe Award for Vocal Work in a Motion Picture for Williams. His performance paved the way for other animated films to incorporate actors with more star power. Williams was named a Disney Legend in 2009. Due to Disney breaking an agreement with Williams regarding the use of the Genie in the advertising for Aladdin , he refused to sign for

11398-512: The first month's rent of $ 250. Thus, he spent $ 700 of his $ 1,000 savings on his first day in New York, for a sparse, bunker-like room. While in New York he submitted a joke for a Playboy magazine contest for humor writing that was judged by an all-star panel including Rodney Dangerfield , Bill Cosby , David Brenner , Martin Mull , Art Buchwald , and Buck Henry . Of around 15,000 entries, Miller tied for second and his joke and picture appeared in

11537-602: The future. In 2010, Williams appeared in a sketch with Robert De Niro on Saturday Night Live , and in 2012, he guest-starred as himself in two FX series, Louie and Wilfred . Williams made his Broadway acting debut in Rajiv Joseph 's Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo , which opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre March 31, 2011. For his performance, Williams was nominated for

11676-483: The guest is talking. As the date for the show's opening approached, Miller told an interviewer that he was both thrilled and "scared shitless" by the opportunity. He saw Carson's approach as the standard but hoped to be original. In 1992, Miller began hosting his eponymous late-night talk show. Syndication lasted seven months. Launched in January 1992, it was an attempt by syndicator Tribune Entertainment to carve out

11815-524: The host of Punchline, a Saturday-morning newsmagazine aimed at teenagers. In one episode he interviewed fellow comedian Pat Paulsen . Miller later reflected on this time, saying that "you have to start somewhere," and that he was "just pleased to be in front of a camera." During performances at comedy clubs in Pittsburgh, Miller befriended Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld . In 1984 Leno found Miller an apartment in Los Angeles and he and Seinfeld arranged

11954-532: The intent of studying to become a sports writer. At Point Park University Miller became a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. Miller likened his social status at this period as being lower than Booger of Revenge of the Nerds . Miller majored in journalism. In the fall of his senior year at the university, he began writing for the South Hills Record , mixing humor into his sports reporting. When

12093-563: The journal Neurology two years after his death, Schneider revealed that the pathology of Lewy body disease in Williams was described by several doctors as among the worst pathologies they had seen. She described the early symptoms of his disease as beginning in October 2013. Williams's initial condition included a sudden and prolonged spike in fear , anxiety , stress and insomnia , which worsened in severity and included memory loss , paranoia and delusions . According to Schneider, "Robin

12232-611: The mid-1970s, and released several comedy albums including Reality ... What a Concept in 1980. He rose to fame playing the alien Mork in the ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy (1978–1982). Williams received his first leading film role in Popeye (1980). Williams won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting (1997). His other Oscar-nominated roles were for Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989) and The Fisher King (1991). Williams starred in

12371-469: The middle of its prime-time schedule in an election year." Their president Pamela Thomas-Graham said, "When we hired Dennis, we knew exactly what his political beliefs were and his viewers will hear them. The reason we hired him is we think he's witty, smart and interesting." She contrasted his political leanings to that of John McEnroe's, whose own talk show followed Miller's in the lineup. Miller promised to serve as "an ombudsman " who will tell it like it

12510-517: The on-field activity that cannot be seen by the radio audience. It is unusual to have radio and television broadcasts share the same play-by-play commentator for the same event, except in cases of low production budgets or when a broadcaster is particularly renowned ( Rick Jeanneret 's hockey telecasts, for example, were simulcast on radio and television from 1997 until his 2022 retirement). The analyst or color commentator provides expert analysis and background information, such as statistics, strategy on

12649-413: The paper changed its payment structure to pay around an eighth of a penny per column inch, he quit. He graduated from Point Park in 1976 with a degree in journalism. He later reflected, "I'm just not that interested in other people's business and that's a tragic flaw in a journalist." After college Miller moved through several occupations, including a clerk at Giant Eagle deli, a janitor, a delivery man for

12788-453: The pit wall. On occasion in motorsport, the reporter on the sideline is an understudy to the lead commentator, as Fox NASCAR has used this tactic numerous times based on the career of Cup lead Mike Joy, a former pit reporter. Those who made the switch included Steve Byrnes (Truck Series, 2014), Vince Welch (Truck Series since late 2015), and Adam Alexander (who did Cup for Fox-produced TNT broadcasts from 2010–14, Xfinity on Fox since 2015) did

12927-532: The point of shilling for the Republicans, but despite his increasingly aggressive America-first humor, he is unusually evenhanded in his selection of guests." "The Varsity," which offered a wide variety of political viewpoints on current topics, included frequent panelists Ed Schultz , Gloria Allred , Willie Brown , David Horowitz , Mickey Kaus , Steven Katz , Lawrence O'Donnell , Phil Hendrie , and Harry Shearer . In these segments, Miller acted "less like

13066-489: The primary is usually to place them in position to interfere with the match they are calling, the second is to provide promoters with the opportunity to determine if this performer can speak well extemporaneously. Robin Williams Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and

13205-633: The question of whether the drive to perform was a need for approval from others. When he finally made his début at the Oak's Lounge on Sleepy Hollow Road in Castle Shannon, most of Miller's family was in the audience to cheer him on. He began appearing onstage at the Oak's Lounge in Castle Shannon while working at the Giant Eagle deli in Kennedy . Miller lived without a car and without much money in

13344-577: The real Dennis Miller." The show's website provided a live stream of the broadcast, which was free, but a subscription to the Dennis Miller Zone (DMZ) was required in order to access archived broadcasts. The show aired on 250+ stations, airing on tape delay on some of those stations between 6–9 pm ET and 9 pm-12 am ET. His on-air sidekick "Salman" ( David S. Weiss ) also wrote for Dennis Miller Live . His producer Christian Bladt previously appeared on-camera as dozens of different characters during

13483-890: The role because it was a Disney movie and he did not want the studio profiting by selling merchandise based on the movie. Williams accepted the role with certain conditions: "I'm doing it basically because I want to be part of this animation tradition. I want something for my children. One deal is, I just don't want to sell anything—as in Burger King, as in toys, as in stuff." Williams improvised much of his dialogue, recording approximately 30 hours of tape, and impersonated dozens of celebrities, including Ed Sullivan , Jack Nicholson , Robert De Niro , Groucho Marx , Rodney Dangerfield , William F. Buckley Jr. , Peter Lorre , Arnold Schwarzenegger and Arsenio Hall . Williams's role in Aladdin became one of his most recognized and best-loved, and

13622-425: The same stage where The Price Is Right is taped. It utilized a small set, sparse lighting, no band and Miller speaking to the largely-unseen studio audience from a darkened stage. Miller hosted one guest per show, with whom he discussed the topic of the day. Early on, guests were all interviewed live via satellite, but soon most appeared live in the studio. Miller and his writing staff won five Emmy Awards during

13761-486: The same too. In British sports broadcasting, the presenter of a sports broadcast is usually distinct from the commentator, and often based in a remote broadcast television studio away from the sports venue. In North America, the on-air personality based in the studio is called the studio host . During their shows, the presenter/studio host may be joined by additional analysts or pundits, especially when showing highlights of various other matches (e.g. in 1985, Jim Nantz

13900-497: The show was very popular because Williams became "a man and a child, buoyant, rubber-faced, an endless gusher of ideas", according to critic James Poniewozik . Mork became popular, featured on posters, coloring books, lunch-boxes, and other merchandise. Mork & Mindy was such a success in its first season that Williams appeared on the March 12, 1979, cover of Time magazine. The cover photo, taken by Michael Dressler in 1979,

14039-567: The show was written to accommodate his extreme improvisations in dialogue and behavior. Although he portrayed the same character as in Happy Days , the series was set in the present in Boulder, Colorado , instead of the late 1950s in Milwaukee . Mork & Mindy at its peak had a weekly audience of sixty million and was credited with turning Williams into a "superstar". Among young people,

14178-401: The show's producers was Mike Murphy, who was an adviser to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (Miller's first guest on the show), and charged that CNBC was setting up a conflict of interest. LA Weekly praised Miller for approaching the panel in a "relatively relaxed and straightforward attitude." Despite having "worked briefly as a commentator for Hannity and Colmes on Fox, he's far from being

14317-594: The show's run, which aired 215 episodes over nine years. HBO cancelled the show in 2002. Miller was considered for a prime-time talk show at MSNBC in 2002 as well as a regular commentator on the Fox News show Hannity & Colmes in 2003 before landing a prime-time political show weeknights on CNBC , simply called Dennis Miller . It began airing on January 26, 2004, in the 9:00 p.m. ( ET ) slot, which placed him against Fox's Bill O'Reilly . CNBC announced that they were "comfortable with an unabashed Bush fan in

14456-481: The show. During his time at SNL , Miller released a stand-up comedy album, The Off-White Album in 1988. It drew heavily from the observational and metaphor -driven style he was known for on the show, and showed glimpses of the political humor that influenced his later work. An HBO special, Dennis Miller: Black and White , aired shortly after the release of the CD. Although Miller spent much of his time on SNL behind

14595-504: The suggestion of Houseman, who said there was nothing more that Juilliard could teach Williams. Gerald Freedman , another of his teachers at Juilliard, said Williams was a "genius" and that the school's conservative and classical style of training did not suit him; no one was surprised that Williams left. Williams began performing stand-up comedy in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1976. He gave his first performance at

14734-431: The teams and athletes, and occasionally anecdotes or light humor. They are usually former athletes or coaches in their respective sports, although there are some exceptions. The term "color" refers to levity and insight provided by the analyst. The most common format for a sports broadcast is to have an analyst/color commentator work alongside the main/play-by-play announcer. An example is NBC Sunday Night Football in

14873-460: The top regulars who appeared at the three comedy venues sponsoring the competition. Many of the 350 comedians Miller was up against had hours of crafted material, while he had fine-tuned around ten minutes. To his surprise and delight, Miller earned one of the remaining slots. For the competition itself he appeared at the Improv and received a standing ovation, moving him on to the finals. While he lost

15012-402: The use of towels. After the access of allowing women in was put into effect, the Yankees organization allowed reporters to spend ten minutes interviewing players and was then asked to leave and wait. Male reporters were unhappy with this and blamed the women from keeping them out and not being able to do their job. In 1990, the issue made its way back into the headlines when Lisa Olson made

15151-567: The wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedies alike, Williams is regarded as one of the greatest comedians of all time. He received numerous accolades including an Academy Award , two Primetime Emmy Awards , six Golden Globe Awards , five Grammy Awards , and two Screen Actors Guild Awards . Williams was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2005. Williams began performing stand-up comedy in San Francisco and Los Angeles during

15290-587: Was "struck by the breadth" and radical diversity of most of the roles Williams portrayed. In 1989, he played a private-school English teacher in Dead Poets Society , which included a final, emotional scene that some critics said "inspired a generation" and became a part of pop culture. Similarly, Williams's performance as a therapist in Good Will Hunting (1997) deeply affected even some real therapists. In Awakenings (1990), he plays

15429-566: Was a consistent thread throughout his career, as seen by the success of his one-man show (and subsequent DVD), Robin Williams: Live on Broadway (2002). In 2004, Williams was voted 13th on Comedy Central 's list of "100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time." Two years later, he was the Surprise Guest at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards , and appeared on an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition that aired January 30. After

15568-556: Was a member of the Physical Fitness Club, and in his senior year he worked on the Keynote newspaper and served on the student council, but lost his bid for senior class president. By high school, he had already developed a reputation for humor. Despite this, his actual personality at this time was one that was reserved, lacking self-confidence, and hidden under a layer of comedy. He graduated from high school in 1971 with

15707-577: Was a regular on the USO circuit, where Williams traveled to 13 countries and performed to approximately 90,000 troops. After his death, the USO thanked Williams "for all he did for the men and women of our armed forces". Williams and his second wife Marsha founded a philanthropic organization called the Windfall Foundation to raise money for many charities. In December 1999, he sang in French on

15846-483: Was a small part in the 1977 low-budget comedy Can I Do It... 'Til I Need Glasses? . However, his first starring performance was as the title character in Popeye (1980), in which Williams showcased the acting skills previously demonstrated in his television work. Accordingly, the film's commercial disappointment was not blamed on his performance. Mork and Mindy After the Laugh-In revival, and appearing in

15985-439: Was announced that Miller would start his own show, he was a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson . Carson offered him some advice while reflecting on his own 30-year career from which he was retiring in May 1992. In preparation, Miller sharpened his interviewing skills by practicing on the show's stage hands. He felt that the secret to interviewing well was listening to the guest rather than trying to set up jokes while

16124-507: Was bewildered by Williams and his ability to instantly perform in many different accents. Their primary acting teacher was Michael Kahn , who was "equally baffled by this human dynamo". Williams already had a reputation for being funny, but Kahn criticized his antics as simple stand-up comedy. In a later production, Williams silenced his critics with his well-received performance as an old man in Tennessee Williams 's Night of

16263-512: Was born at St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago , Illinois , on July 21, 1951. His father, Robert Fitzgerald Williams (1906–1987), was a senior executive in Ford 's Lincoln-Mercury Division . His mother, Laurie McLaurin (1922–2001), was a former model from Jackson, Mississippi , whose great-grandfather was Mississippi senator and governor Anselm J. McLaurin . Williams had two older half-brothers:

16402-507: Was born in Pittsburgh and grew up in the suburb of Castle Shannon . He is of Scottish descent. Miller's parents separated and he was raised by his mother, Norma who was a dietitian at a Baptist nursing home. Miller is reluctant to speak about his father, usually just saying he "moved on when I was very young." He is the oldest of five children. Miller attended Saint Anne School , a Catholic elementary school. At St. Anne's, he managed

16541-628: Was completed March 13, 2009, at the Cleveland Clinic . His publicist, Mara Buxbaum, commented that Williams had severe depression before his death. His wife, Susan Schneider, said that in the period before his death, Williams had been sober but was diagnosed with early-stage Parkinson's disease , which was information that he was "not yet ready to share publicly". An autopsy revealed that Williams had diffuse Lewy bodies (which had been misdiagnosed as Parkinson's), and this may have contributed to his depression. In an essay published in

16680-424: Was discovered by Lorne Michaels at The Comedy Store . Miller subsequently auditioned for SNL in Los Angeles, and did well enough for a second audition at Times Square in New York. About 70 people watched this second audition—this was most of the show's staff along with Lorne Michaels, Paul Simon , and Dan Aykroyd . Miller walked into a well-lit room and was told "Go ahead, you have eight minutes, Dennis." After

16819-850: Was falling apart." Medical experts struggled to determine a cause, and eventually diagnosed him with Parkinson's disease. The Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA) clarified the distinction between the term used in the autopsy report, "diffuse Lewy body dementia", which is more commonly called "diffuse Lewy body disease", and refers to the underlying disease process—and the umbrella term, " Lewy body dementia "—which encompasses both Parkinson's disease dementia (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). According to LBDA spokesperson Dennis Dickson, "The report confirms he experienced depression, anxiety, and paranoia, which may occur in either Parkinson's disease or dementia with Lewy bodies.   ... In early PD, Lewy bodies are generally limited in distribution, but in DLB,

16958-573: Was finalized in 2010. In 2011, Williams married graphic designer Susan Schneider, and they remained married until his death. They lived at their house in Sea Cliff, San Francisco , California. Williams said, "My children give me a great sense of wonder. Just to see them develop into these extraordinary human beings." In New York City, Williams was part of the West Side YMCA runners club and showed promising results with 34:21 minutes at

17097-493: Was known for having dual roles as a heel manager and a somewhat neutral commentator, and continues to do so during his clients' matches in New Japan Pro-Wrestling and All Elite Wrestling . Acting as a commentator has also been used to keep injured wrestlers – such as Samoa Joe on Raw between late 2019 and April 2021 – in the public eye while recuperating. Special guest color commentators serve two purposes:

17236-399: Was like "sitting at his knee, querying Yoda ". Miller appeared on Star Search , where he lost out to fellow comedian Sinbad after the two tied on judges' scores; Sinbad won with a higher studio-audience approval rating. Miller made his first appearance on Late Night with David Letterman on June 24, 1985 (other guests were Phil Collins and María Conchita Alonso ). In 1985, Miller

17375-640: Was losing his mind and he was aware of it   ... He kept saying, 'I just want to reboot my brain. ' " Williams was found dead at age 63 in his home in Paradise Cay, California , on August 11, 2014. The final autopsy report, released that November, concluded that Williams's death was a suicide resulting from " asphyxia due to hanging". Neither alcohol nor illegal drugs were involved, and prescription drugs present in his body were at therapeutic levels. The report also noted that Williams had depression and anxiety. An examination of his brain tissue suggested that Williams had "diffuse Lewy body dementia". Describing

17514-472: Was more of a comic double act than a traditional sports commentary pairing). In the United States, Pat Summerall , a former professional kicker, spent most of his broadcasting career as a play-by-play announcer. Comedian Dennis Miller 's short-lived run as part of the Monday Night Football booth in 2001 caused what Miller himself described as a "maelstrom" of perplexed reviews. Although

17653-409: Was on the school's wrestling team and was elected class president. As both his parents worked, Williams was partially raised by the family's maid, who was his main companion. When Williams was 16, his father took early retirement and the family moved to Tiburon, California . Following their move, Williams attended Redwood High School in nearby Larkspur . At the time of his graduation in 1969, he

17792-576: Was one of 20 students accepted into the freshman class, and Williams and Christopher Reeve were the only two accepted by John Houseman into the Advanced Program at the school that year. William Hurt and Mandy Patinkin were also classmates. According to biographer Jean Dorsinville, both Franklyn Seales and Williams were roommates at Juilliard. Reeve remembered his first impression of Williams when they were new students at Juilliard: "He wore tie-dyed shirts with tracksuit bottoms and talked

17931-480: Was raised and sometimes identified himself as an Episcopalian . In a comedy routine, Williams described his denomination as: "I have that idea of Chicago Protestant, Episcopal—Catholic light: half the religion, half the guilt." He also described himself as an "honorary Jew", and on Israel 's 60th Independence Day in 2008, Williams appeared in Times Square , along with several other celebrities, to wish Israel

18070-453: Was rejected by director Chris Columbus due to the "British-only edict". In 2006, Williams starred in five movies, including Man of the Year , a political satire, and The Night Listener , a thriller about a radio show host who realizes that a child with whom he has developed a friendship may not exist. Williams continued to provide voices in other animated films, including Robots (2005),

18209-523: Was replaced with a second airing of Mad Money with Jim Cramer . In January 2007, Miller signed a deal with Westwood One (later acquired by Dial Global, which rebranded itself as Westwood One ) to launch The Dennis Miller Show , a weekday three-hour talk radio program. The program debuted on March 26, 2007, and ran through February 27, 2015. A few months into his radio show, Miller noted that his radio show best represented his actual unvarnished views, saying "This time, if I'm fired, they will be firing

18348-598: Was reported that Williams began an affair with Zachary's nanny, Marsha Garces , in 1986, Velardi stated in the 2018 documentary, Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind , that the relationship with Garces began after the two had separated. On April 30, 1989, Williams married Garces, who was six months pregnant with their first child. They had two children, Zelda Rae (b. 1989) and Cody Alan (b. 1991). In March 2008, Garces filed for divorce from Williams, citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce

18487-455: Was seen by TV producer George Schlatter , who asked him to appear on a revival of his show Laugh-In . The show aired in late 1977 and was his debut TV appearance. That year, Williams also performed a show at the L.A. Improv for Home Box Office . Although the Laugh-In revival failed, it led Williams to his television career; Williams continued performing stand-up at comedy clubs such as

18626-556: Was seen by some as "attempting to be serious, angry, and funny all at the same time," and the show was compared to that of Bill Maher . Reviewers felt Miller's riffs would benefit from a live audience, and the show incorporated a "nightclub-style audience of 100 or so" beginning on March 9, 2004. "The Daily Rorschach," which were wordy riffs on news events, was reminiscent of his role on SNL 's Weekend Update and his HBO show. On Miller's interviews, L.A. Weekly remarked, "Miller may be up front about his own political affiliation, even to

18765-442: Was still present, despite the equal access to men's locker rooms. Though not always the case, in professional wrestling , the color commentator is usually a " heel sympathizer " (or a supporter of the "bad guys") as opposed to the play-by-play announcer, who is more or less the "voice of the fans" as well as " babyface sympathizers " (or supporters of the "good guys"). Though both are supposed to show neutral stance while announcing,

18904-589: Was the only place the commuters gathered. Miller and the other patrons closely followed the NFL at the time as it was the " era of the Super Steelers ". In 1979, after seeing a Robin Williams comedy special on HBO, Miller began to pursue his dream of being a stand-up comedian. In Pittsburgh, Miller began a comedy career by performing at open-mic nights. He backed out of his first two attempts to perform at an open mic due to stage fright and anger with himself over

19043-481: Was the shot." Miller did not appear on the 2015 show for the 40th anniversary of Saturday Night Live , and rumors spread that he and fellow alum Victoria Jackson had not been invited due to their conservative political activism. He took to Twitter to dispel the claims, saying Lorne Michaels was classy, well-mannered and invited everyone, but he declined. He later told an interviewer that he would have loved to be there, but could not due to family commitments. After it

19182-666: Was the studio host for The Prudential College Football Report in Studio ;43 in New York for CBS Sports , and during his four-year tenure there [1985 through 1988 college football seasons], he had Pat Haden [in 1985] and Ara Parseghian [in 1987 and 1988] as his co-hosts/pundits). Various sports may have different commentator roles to cover situations unique to that sport. In the 2010s, as popularized by Fox, American football broadcasts began to increasingly employ rules analysts to explain penalties and controversial calls and analyze instant replay reviews to predict whether

19321-647: Was voted "Most Likely Not to Succeed" and "Funniest" by his classmates. After high school graduation, Williams enrolled at Claremont Men's College in Claremont, California , to study political science ; he dropped out to pursue acting. Williams studied theater for three years at the College of Marin , a community college in Kentfield, California . According to the College of Marin's drama professor, James Dunn,

#362637