Shepard Smith and Todd Bridges are both backing off critical comments they made in the wake of Robin Williams' suicide.
First, upon reporting news of the star's death yesterday, the Fox News anchor editorialized on air, asking of Williams and his kids:
"It's hard to imagine, isn't it? You could love three little things so much, watch them grow, they're in their mid-20s, and they're inspiring you, and exciting you, and they fill you up with the kind of joy you could never have known.
"And yet, something inside you is so horrible or you're such a coward or whatever the reason that you decide that you have to end it. Robin Williams, at 63, did that today."
Yes, Shep, it is so hard to imagine. Hence why no one who has never dealt with mental illness can imagine it - or should judge anyone who tragically can imagine it.
After receiving a lot of backlash, Smith apologized for his comments to TV Newser. Sort of.
"The last thing I would ever suggest about a man I know nothing about personally, is that he's a coward," he said. "That goes against everything I am. If those words, I used so innocently, offended his family, from the bottom of my heart, I could not be more sorry."
(Note to Smith: no one has ever used the word "coward" innocently. Moreover, you're a liar. In every interpretable way, you suggested Williams was a coward.)
A coroner has confirmed that Williams died of "asphyxia due to hanging." He used his own belt to take his life yesterday, shortly after failing to slit his left wrist with a pocket knife.
The actor's personal assistant discovered his body and called 911 just prior to noon.
Todd Bridges, meanwhile, referred to Williams' act as "selfish," wondered why he didn't get psychiatric help and added via Twitter:
"Rest in peace Robin Williams I hope you found what you were looking for. You don't think that my life has been hell and I've had so many ups and downs now. If I did that what am i showing my children that when it gets tough that's the way out No you gotta buckle down ask God to help you. That's when prayer really comes into effect."
The former Diff'rent Strokes star later deleted the Tweets and apologized.
"I would like to apologize for the terrible timing of me comments that I made in reference to the untimely death of Robin Williams," he wrote. "My best friend committed suicide a few months ago, and I was devastated to discover that he did not solicit my help.
"I am sure that my attitude toward Williams's death was a delayed reaction of my best friend's death. Again, I apologize."
The role that started it all. Robin Williams starred as an alien on the late 1970s sitcom Mork & Mindy.
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