Robin Williams Called Conan After He Lost “The Tonight Show” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

there's a line in the Spamalot Diaries. you and and Mike Nichols there's a lot. of Correspondence back and forth between. you two and at one point Mike Nichols. writes you and he says I've given I've. been thinking a lot about you Eric and. your childhood and he's talking about he. acknowledges that he had a crazy insane. childhood but he's talking about how. your childhood was so difficult and he. said this line that really stuck with me. which is I guess we all inoculate. ourselves against our own childhood and.

that really stuck with me that whatever. happens to us individually and this in. close to anyone listening it happens to. you you tend to dismiss it like well no. no I was fine oh my God what this other. person went through you know what I mean. and and and when Mike Nichols says that. line he. said he because you're so good I don't. know how much of it is. being English and how much of it is your. own character as Eric Idol your own. personality.

but I could just see how you have a. stiffer upper lip you could be very. dismissive of any kind of pain in your. life oh that's I'm fine oh this poor. other person but how much is that how. much of that is English how much of that. is you and you're going to be charged. for therapy when this is. over I don't know I mean I I think you. learn empathy I mean you start by being. an egotistical by going into Show. Business look at me I'm in Show Business.

and then you can behave very badly and I. learned from lots of very good people. like Robin Williams taught me how to be. nice to fans I would just tell them to. off and they would laugh and go. away you know but that was good enough. for them CU oh he told me to off I. just was told to off by Eric idle. and that became a thing and then I. thought you and then I watched Robin and. and his empathy and. remembering that this is somebody's.

moment in their life and it's a big. moment in their life cuz they've they've. waited they love you they want this. moment so if you are a or. dismissive um it it it it's it's it's a. nasty memory so what I always do is I. always say oh I'm Eric and I get their. name yes and then you were on a onetoone. human ba basis with them and you're not. some kind of God and they're not some. object fan so I I I I try and and I I.

think that works in all sorts of. situations where you remind people that. they're people and we're just here at. this moment it's funny you mention Robin. because I didn't realize how close you. guys were you guys were very close and I. was lucky enough to have some great. interactions with Robin Williams before. he passed and one of the most. memorable examples to me of his kindness. is when I went through my whole Tonight. Show debacle and finally I'm the show is.

done and I don't know if I have a career. anymore what am I going to do next you. remember this this part very well Sona. because Sona was with me during all that. and I'm lying on the floor uh in the. living room of my house and my phone. rings and I pick it up and it's Robin. Williams I don't even know how he got my. phone number and I'll never forget he. goes like how you holding up Chief yeah. and I said uh oh Robin thanks so much. for calling and he said you know listen. you know you're going to be fine you're. going to be great I know you like to. ride bikes cuz he was really into.

bicycling and he said I know you like. riding bikes uh go down um to this the. bike shop down in Santa Monica I want. you to go down there and I've set up a. bike for you and I said what and he said. no no no just just head on down there. and so and uh ride around you'll feel. better and I went down and it's was a. colana which is a very nice bike and he. said I told him to paint it in all these. crazy Irish colors and I get down there.

and it's the most it's the. ugliest I mean it was just you know. greens and and Shamrocks and everything. and I couldn't believe and he was like. oh you're going to like that bike Chief. don't worry about it and I just thought. I uh I thanked him many many times I. just couldn't believe that he was. thinking about me you know how we are in. life but that's how he you think about. someone oh that's too bad what happened. to him oh whatever anyway I'm gonna go. get a sandwich no no he reached out he.

thought what might please you he went. and got to a shop and chose I mean he. would put a lot of effort into making. you feel better which I thought that's. very very Robin That's fantastically. typical Robin and that generosity and. kindness is a is something with combined. with the wit on the man was is is not a. common combination yeah you know I don't. think Dr Johnson was busy sending people. may might have done but I I think he had.

Boswell do it he had Boswell Boswell. send that a bike.