A Season in Hell #184: Farewell Captain, My Captain

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Happy 4th anniversary to Radio Valencia today!!! It's all about tragi-comedy tonight. And what a day to celebrate. I should be writing about how exciting it is to be celebrating four awesome years, and what is certainly the best "radio" station in San Francisco, and one of the finest in the Bay Area, but this day will be forever connected with the passing of a talent among great talents, Robin Williams.

Instead of waxing poetic about what a great cultural loss, and preaching about the need to open our hearts to those experiencing depression, I'm going to let my show speak for itself. Every set has some live stand up from the late Mr. Williams. I'm sure you'll agree he was a master of his craft, and we won't see another like him in our lifetime.

His passing does remind me of this old "joke" however:

In the year 1806, a well-dressed man in his twenties visited a doctor who was renowned throughout London for being able to treat what nowadays we'd call depression, but back then was called melancholia.

The patient explained that he felt overcome by a terrible sadness, that he didn't want to get up in the morning. He could not see any point in his existence.

"With your condition I would normally prescribe a course of my patent powders," said the doctor, "but it so happens that I have recently come across something which will alleviate your condition much more quickly.

"You must," he continued, "go to the Covent Garden theatre to see the pantomime, Harlequin and Mother Goose. This is the happiest thing I have ever seen performed on a stage, tears of laugher ran down my face. Why, sir, I can almost guarantee that watching Grimaldi the clown will cure you completely!"

"Ah, but doctor," said the man sadly, "I am Grimaldi the clown."

It feels as though you said to yourself "I've done all I can do, and it still isn't enough. When are you people going to start being happy? Forget it, I'm done.".

Enjoy.

jh

A Season in Hell with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM
Radio Valencia, 87.9FM in SF
http://radiovalencia.fm

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Step Right Up: Tom Waits
Alcohol: Robin Williams
Freddie's Dead: Curtis Mayfield

All in a Day: Joe Strummer
Tombstone Blues: Bob Dylan
Cocaine: Robin Williams
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Gil Scott-Heron

Loran's Dance: Idris Muhammad
Cops: Robin Williams
It's A Man's Man's World: James Brown
Happiness is a Warm Gun: The Beatles

1985: Paul McCartney and Wings
Sailor Song: First Aid Kit
Reagan: Robin Williams
Cassidy: Bob Weir

Wanted Criminal: delphine de St. Paer
N.I.B.: Brown Sabbath
Childhood: Robin Williams
Useless King of the Punks: King Buzzo

Taiyo No Baka: Boris
The Way to Eden: Star Trek Live