PBS with Christine Pepper and 3 others We note the passing of Robin Williams.

Many will remember Robin Williams for his manic style of comedy, but he had a very serious side that wasn’t as widely known to the public. Williams made several trips to Iraq and Afghanistan to entertain the troops, work he believed was especially important. At the end of his interview for PBS’ Pioneers of Television, Williams discovered that a crew member had a son in Afghanistan. He spent the next 30 minutes inquiring about the young man, and expressing his deep respect for America’s men and women in combat. Williams felt a special affinity for the soldiers because they were far from home, alone, and isolated.

In this clip from Pioneers of Television, Williams talks about how he honed his comedy: http://to.pbs.org/1pLDM17