The much-loved actor and comedian died at the age of 63, having taken his own life.
My heart truly goes out to them.
I never knew the man, and I was shocked to the core.
How they felt I cant begin to comprehend.
Sadly, many of you will already be well aware where this is heading.
Theres something deeply unsettling about it, yet it now comes off as The Way Things Are Done.
What this piece is about, however, is a call for change, however futile it may be.
The reporting of Robin Williams passing, however, seemed to excavate new depths.
Within hours of the news breaking, once-respected names were falling over themselves to come up with appropriate clickbait.
Variety is supposed to be the kind of film outlet we all look up to.
Not last Tuesday, it wasnt.
As for Mail Online urging us not to miss the story of Williams utterly heartbroken wife?
I dont know where to start.
Ill spare you the reposting of Wednesdays tabloid headlines.
Chances are you know what they are already.
They were greeted by stories looking at any possible angle from which to get traffic to a website.
The widely-tweeted screenshot that seemed to encapsulate everything that was wrong, though, was this one.
This was from ABC, a Disney-owned company and one of the major television networks in the US.
To be clear: inside that house was a grieving family.
ABC, I should note, has since apologised.
But why do it in the first place?
Where is the public interest in that?
Where is thehumanityin that?
This may all sound a bit holier-than-thou and preachy, but seriously: doesnt this have to stop now?
Theyd argue, of course, that if we didnt choose them, then they wouldnt be so popular.
And unfortunately, thats absolutely right.
Its a plea that likely wont work.
Their responses were genuine.
I find it incredibly uncomfortable.
But I found no shortage of examples.
Its been a terrible week, particularly for Williams friends and family.
