Comedians in Bend remember Robin Williams

The tragedy of Robin Williams’ death was felt on the High Desert. Comedy fans all over the world are grieving the loss of one of the true legends of the entertainment business.

NewsChannel 21 caught up with some comedians at Monday night’s show who described Williams in their own words.

“Eccentric,” Ryan Traughber said.

“Prolific,” Barbara Gray said.

“Fun — that’s how I’d describe Robin Williams,” Dave Ross said.

It’s hard to describe someone as brilliant as Williams in one word. Gray has been a lifelong fan of his work, and was crushed when she heard the news.

“There’s nothing to describe that feeling, that weird numb feeling when one of your idols passes, especially in a way like that,” Gray said. “It was really weird to hear.”

His unique talent changed the way we thought about comedy and influenced those trying to follow in his footsteps.

“I mean, he really did shape a lot of my opinion of comedy,” Ross said.

Comedians today look up to Williams as an idol. One of the reasons he’s so revered is because of his versatility as an entertainer.

“He didn’t just do comedy,” Traughber said. “He was also in quite a few dramatic roles, and played the heck out of those roles. For somebody to have that kind of talent is just something I’m going to aspire to do for the rest of my life.”

Ross actually got to meet Williams for a brief moment, and hopes to honor him through his work.

“If I accomplish a fraction, like a thirty seconds of what he accomplished, then I would be in heaven, you know,” Ross said.

At the end of the day, he’ll be remembered as one of a kind.

“I mean, there’s nobody that will come close to who he was, and everything he’s done,” Traughber said.

Robin Williams, gone at the age of 63.