Loss. Entertainment journalist ben torres who you heard just a while ago says he is among the short list of iconic comics. You think about people like eddy murphy or david chappelle, in his own way, gary shandley. People who break the mold and do things differently. He owed a lot to Jonathan Winters and always said so. And owed sid scaesar, you know, anybody who is just out there breaking barriers and create laughter in their own way. That is what he was into. Robin williams created legacies both at home here in the bay area and at home. Williams often turned up at events at the bay. Abc interviewed williams, it is a big, big deal. It is often difficult to interview a talent like that. This was back in 2003. It is like nascar without explosion, people just having a good time, and the people out there, and for the ladies, a lot of sexy guys, watch, and for the guys, a lot of sexy guys, you know that, watch now. He was there in his riding gear, he loved to cycle. The producers of sesame street have also just put out a tweet. They sent this tweet out saying we mourn the loss of our friend, Robin Williams. Obviously this is a story were still trying to confirm. A whole lot of information on and there are so many people responding with very fine thoughts of this actor comedian. Reporting live in the news room, im sergio quintana. Thank you so much. You mentioned the sesame street tweet, we want to show you the picture right there. Saying we mourn the loss of our friend Robin Williams who always made us laugh and made us smile. And mark klaas, he said when his daughter was kidnapped this great man stepped in to spread the word and raise money. We have somebody on the phone right now. Yeah, this is josh brody. Josh, can you explain your relationship with robin back in a comedy club . Yeah, years ago i was in a club called the pointless sisters, at that time robin was working at the city zoo as a bartender and comedian. So he got a slot as the open act. And the next couple of years he got to be a fantastic comedian. Went to los angeles to try to make it there. And got the spot on the happy days that turned into the mork character. Interesting, you knew him was a bartender across the street . How was he was a bartender . I never partook of his wares, as a comedian, he showed the genius a couple of years later. But he was an amazing actor and could do a lot more as a stage performer than a lot of actors who were just clever and had a lot of funny jokes. So did you imagine back in 1987 that he would turn into such a huge star . Not a clue, i knew he would do Something Wonderful but didnt know he would explode like that. And josh you talked about how he had a quick wit. Did he do a lot of improv at that time . When he was opening for us, barely. When i toured with him a couple of years later, i was at the show where robin had come to play with me. Decided we would be at the perfect opening act for his first tour because we could also serve as the core of his backup act, and wanted music in his show. And in that tour he was very, very quick. I would say probably 70 of the material was prepared and would be more or less the same night after night. But the way in which he would select the material to do when and in response the audience was yelling out or other stuff going on in the club, was very much made up. A long way from being a bartender. Joshua, thank you so much for your time. One of the few people who could say that Robin Williams opened for him. It did flip flop shortly after that. I just pulled up a tweet here from katie couric who tweets the world has lost a comic genius and huge talent. Interviewing Robin Williams was like taking the wildest roller coaster ride of your life. And i can confirm that because the times i spoke to him was exactly like that. And when we would do these cycling events, we had hours and hours and hours to fill because the races go so long. So you saw Robin Williams you knew i got 15 or 20 minutes right here. And they were fantastic, always the highlight of the race when he would drop by just towards the end of the race and go on a rift. It was just like the roller coaster ride that katie described. And without robin there would not be a comedy scene in San Francisco. He paved the way for all of us. Such a nice compliment. Lets go and talk about his movie career because there are such a long list of films and a variety of characters. Appeared in boulevard and brooklyn, both released this year. Merry frigging christmas and theyre in post production, interesting how they will turn out and the reception that they get. In that film, williams brought back the role of teddy williams. The trailer for that film was just released this month. And williams had also signed on to do a sequel to mrs. Doubtfire. Remember, the original was back in 1983. That movie made more than 400 million worldwide, the second biggest grossing film of the year. Just amazing. All right, just one more last tweet here from somebody who tweeted i grew up watching jumanji. Mrs. Doubtfire and his other films, rest in peace, Robin Williams, thoughts and prayers go out to see family. Well have lots more on the sudden and shocking news of the death of Robin Williams as we continue with on this news cast. And we have other news we must get to. The death of a mother named misty holt, used as a human shield a month ago during a bank robbery in stockton a month ago. The Police Report reveals who shot the bullets, sadly we learned that the bullets came from the Stockton Police. Laura . Hi, cheryl, well, Stockton Police here maintain they had no choice but to fire on these suspects as this bizarre event unfolded here on the streets of stockton about a month ago. Today we learned for every one shot those suspects fired police returned six. Misty holt singh died from gunshots fired by Police Officers as they confronted the bank robbers who used her as a human shield. Get the hostage, get the hostage. Get down, get down. Stockton police chief eric jones confirmed the hostage who died after a frightening bank robbery and gun battle last month was killed by police. Although we probably saved more lives and more hostages from being taken, for all persons involved and in honor of misty holt singh, we will examine and reexamine july 16th to look for best practices, protocols, procedures, tactics and potential training. In a statement, misty singhs family says that the family was saddened to receive the ballistic information on her death. The manner in which her life was taken raises serious questions and concerns. Holt was one of the hostages taken during the robbery. After a running gun battle two hostages got away and two of three gunmen were killed. Police say the suspects fired about 100 rounds with another 200 found unfired in the car they escaped in. 33 Police Officers fired about 600 rounds hitting holt singh ten times. The singh family has retained an attorney but has not filed any legal actions against the city. In stockton, laura anthony, abc 7 news. Still ahead, rebuilding after a calamaty. Some Good Samaritans pitch in to make a house a home, a Progress Report tonight you will see only on abc 7 news. And much more on the life and sudden shocking death of comedian robin willi we have an update on this story for you. It has been four years since a small plane crashed in a house in East Palo Alto sending debris everywhere and residents running for cover. Sadly, three passengers died on the plane. The home was destroyed bouncing back for the owner has really been difficult. But now friends are mobilizing to give her a fresh start. David louie has more of the story you will see only on abc 7 news. Reporter larry and cheryl you can see the house is a lot different now than you saw before. The words written in chalk says a lot, lisa you are loved. That love motivated an army of volunteers, which will undergo final inspection. This is a home that four years ago a small plane crashed into her house after making a wrong turn and hitting power lines after takeoff from nearby el paso airport. That single event changed her life, not only destroying her home but also robbing her of her work as a licensed operator of a daycare. She had kids she worked with that she helped to learn to read and write. It was just amazing to see what lisa did. And she was always someone who gave back. Reporter that is had friends banded together to raise money and to enlist help to rebuilding peninsula, a Nonprofit Group with 25 years of knowhow working with contractors and volunteers, expertise that lisa didnt have. To be able to find the contractors and to be able to track their progress and keep the project on track it would have just delayed things that much longer. Reporter volunteers from Sacred Heart School and many others worked with contractors to rebuild the fivebedroom house. They never picked up a paint brush before but they picked it up pretty quick, where theyre here to help out. They donated a lot of their Summer Vacation time to helping us out. Reporter the grass roots project was able the raise 280,000. The surprise trade union and builders donated goods and services. This week, lisa is going to be able to move back into her home and being able to move back in is just the goal that we have had for this entire year. And we are all thrilled. Reporter but this is only phase one. Phase two will create a new play area with new exercise equipment so lisa jones can get back to what she loves most, nurturing children. Just came on and said lisa, you dont have to worry about this, that and the other. And just kept me going. A great example, how a community that cares can help a person in need bounce back from a nightmare. In East Palo Alto, david louie, abc 7 news. We want to get back to our coverage now of the tragic passing of comedian and actor Robin Williams. Late today we just learned the news and weve all just been cheering our own memories of the time we met him. Just an amazing man. Not only a worldwide star and hollywood icon, but also a San Francisco icon. I want to share this tweet from kelly finney, michaels daughter, used to see him jogging down the street when i lived in San Francisco, one of the tougher celebrity losses. Michael joins us now. You talked earlier how you would see him because you guys inspector the same School District . Yeah, our kids went to school together. Hearing a lot today about how he was on all the time. And i really when i saw him he was with his kids or at an event where the kids were there. Or maybe it would be at an event where just the parents were. And he would be there acting like any other dad that you would expect to see. He was fun outgoing and certainly didnt take over the room. You had to go up and say to him actually at school events. Because he was shy. I think he was knowledgeable this was a school event about the kids and all of that. We would see him out. He would jog past our house all the time. He lived in adjacent neighborhoods. And actually he was famous, i was trying to rack my brain to remember the food he gave out on halloween that he was famous for giving out something. But i dont remember what it is. Somebody put it on my Facebook Page. Probably something good. But i know he would be there actually talking to the kids and hanging out. He was famous for that. On my Facebook Page people are beginning to talk about the holy city zoo days that you guys were talking about. And i thought that was interesting. Did he really make the comedy circuit be here in San Francisco maybe. A lot of comedians are giving him credit for that. Amazing, that is amazing. I want to go back to the meetings because it was probably one of the few locations where he didnt feel like he had to be on. Everything was like a public appearance, where it would be like a roomful of parents where you didnt have to be the star of the show. You just get to sit there and listen to mundane stuff we all go through. And then you would be there and the kids are getting hot dogs and playing the games and all that for the spring event they had at the school. And he would just be hanging out. You would be having a coke with him and you know talking. A normal guy. Absolutely, he did not take over. Very friendly. You know, just say hello. Say hello back. Very easy going. He was great with kids, too, by the way. That was the dad side of him. We heard from the Music Entertainment critic who said in his view, Robin Williams was always on. And you had the same experience and so did i. Always on, could not stop. Right, just wasnt my experience with him. And at local coffee shops and walking down Chestnut Street or whatever, he was pretty casual. That is one thing. He did not live like a star. I think we all agree on that. His everyday life he was just wandering around. Although he did have the trappings of stardom, one of the huge homes he had up for sale. 620,000 acres and a 20,000 foot square home. No, he didnt live like me or you. But he was very casual about it. It was not like my public or something odd like that. He just and lets get back to the pillars of San Francisco. I consider him one of those. And one person signed onto my Facebook Page and said hey, he was one of our home boys. That was it. That it what well miss about it. He was a part of the fabric in the bay area. I was really impressed he showed up at one of my events, the tenderloin group. And he actually jumped in the pool with the children. You didnt shove him . No, no, i would have paid money but didnt have it. He was lovely. Just enjoyed the crowd. I was just struck by so many of the pictures we see cycle you through here of the many different roles and characters and head shots. I mean, such an amazing career and such a tragic loss. Because there is nobody else on the planet that could do what Robin Williams did on a nightly basis. Nobody, i mean, there is plenty of other good comedians out there. There is nobody that could do what Robin Williams did. Truly oneofakind. I mean, you know what . Once in a generation in every field along comes somebody that just blows everything out of the water. That is him. You want to talk about your daughter again, she said im going the watch night of the museum 3 like 500 times. She loved him and loved that movie, too, so did my son, as a matter of fact. No, he was a big part of our lives. In the trandential way. You know, you bump into him and all right, michael, thank you. All right, lets bring in Spencer Christian now for memories of Robin Williams as well as a look ahead to the weather. Ill try to be brief with this. I encountered him on at least two occasions back in the 90s. Of course we all love his comedic brilliance. And the fact he worked at this other worldly speed. I just love thinking back on the great dramatic roles he played in good morning vietnam, dead poets society. Awakenings, bird cage, mrs. Doubtfire, good will hunting. On and on. His talent was just remarkable, as great a genius and dramatic actor he was as a comedian. And as you pointed out larry, there is nobody like him and well probably never see anyone like him. I need to talk a little bit about the weather right now just to give you a view of what is going known the bay area and what is coming our way. We have a nice, lovely, mild warm summer day right now. The live doppler 7 hd showing sunny skies, in the sierra we have a wide area of powerful thunderstorms and numerous lightning strikes and red flag warning for high fire danger, most of northern california, until 11 00 tomorrow morning. That includes the good portion of the bay area, the north counties of sonoma, napa and marin. Although the chance of lightning strikes here is just minimal there is an outside chance. Live view for emeryville. The low clouds stacking up in the area. Drizzle minimal. Chance of lightning strikes mainly in the north area if they occur at all. Water vapor satellite image showing an upper level low moving generally in our direction, as it moves towards us it will bring clouds and moisture overnight and the probability of some drizzle, mainly along the coast or out over the peninsula. Perhaps even beyond that but it will float be very widespread. And of course, there is a very, very remote chance of isolated thunderstorms. But by midday, afternoon tomorrow, sunny skies, warm conditions, the accuweather forecast, midtoupper 60s along the coast and the bay. Looking at our weather, and well continue to reflect on the amazing life of Robin Williams. All right, spencer thank you. All right, well be right back with more remembering the life and times of Robin Williams. Tragic loss today. Well be right back. Sky 7 over tiburon, california, where we learned today that the genius comic, Robin Williams died about noon today. We learned about his death about three or four hours. Were all still reeling from this. And i want to bring in the talk show host and comedian in his own right. Brian, thank you for the time. It is my understanding you spoke with Robin Williams last week . Well, i called robin last week about doing a benefit that we put together every year for the davis street center. I do on my sunday show, i have comics on. And the last time i talked to robin he said he really wanted to come on and do the sunday show. Cheryl was right, im reeling. It is just so it is so out of the blue. You know, we throw the word genius around a lot. And a lot of times the word genius is just not applicable. But Robin Williams was a genius. I started to do comedy back in 1982 and i met him then. The first week i was doing comedy, he just had his first major film role. Here is this major movie star now who was a big tv star in mork and mindy, im an 18yearold kid who is trying to figure out how to write a joke. And he was just as kind and generous, and the last time i saw him in person a couple of months ago, me and dana carvey and Robin Williams, you know, just calm and kind and unassuming. As they say with the depressives, i am in the depressive. Been in the suicidal position, you never really know who is suffering a lot of times until it is too late. Hey, brian, Michael Finney here, im glad you brought that up, in your one man show not a genuine black man, you talk about your depression, did you see that in robin . No, in fact i did not. And i did a second show that was all about depression. And people were just so shocked and surprised that somebody who th they say is so funny could be so sad, but the thing they dont realize about this strange breed of comics, most of us laugh so we dont cry. Were one step ahead of the tears. And that is why we laugh. And robin could make you laugh faster than anybody else. Robin could come up with a line or joke and pick up a rock off the street and come up with 50 funny lines quicker than you could possibly imagine. And now knowing the depression he dealt with, you realize that was right upon him and that is what made him so quick and funny. Brian were a little up against the clock here because the world news will begin in a few moments but quickly i want to ask you, in your conversation on friday did you get any sense at all that Robin Williams was in this desperate state that his publicist claims . Was there any notion that anything was wrong . No, i did a show over the weekend with a couple of comedians. I talked about i wanted to get with robin. A couple of comics said we saw him recently in the last couple of days and he just didnt seem like himself. In october he will be fine. And one of the very funny comics who knew him very well, said i dont know, he is just not like himself. Wow. Well, we do know that he has been in and out of rehab. That is a difficult situation for him and for his family, as well. Yes, because rehab is tough enough if you have a private life. But when you have lived a life under the microscope as robin has in 1978 with mork and mindy debut, you have this giant glare of the light on you. So there is no personal or private life. Recovery is hard enough as it is. But when you add that element to it a lot of times it can be impossible. Which is why you see the Lindsay Lohan and these kinds of folks going in and out, in and out of rehab. Brian, as a man who has lived in the bay area for many, many years and a fellow comic, can you tell us what this loss means . It is indescribable. It is not real to me yet. I just found out about it within the last hour. And it is just not real to me. I cant encapsulate it, because it is like somebody is going to pinch me and ill wake up and realize it was just a nightmare. We can honestly say one by one were losing the greats. Brian, i want to say thank you, and we appreciate it. Thank you, i want to put up the condolences and thoughts and prayers to robins family. I want to make it clear the last time i talked to him in person he talked how proud he was to his daughter, zelda, w was making her way in hollywood. And when you have a father that was that famous and renowned, to try to make a living, it is hard. Thank you, brian, we appreciate the time. And thank you for joining us, well have much more coverage on world news and abc 7 tonight, a special west coast edition, as a nation learning of a loss. A beloved actor, comedian, family man has died. Robin williams was 63. Tonight here a look back at his storied career, his roles from mork and mindy. Fly, be free to his oscar winning part in good will hunting. You dont know about real love. It only occurs when you love someone more than you love yourself. To dead poet society, what were hearing from his wife tonight, how hollywood has reacted. Tonight a special west coast edition of world news, remembering Robin Williams
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