The Tragic Clowns Part II- Robin Williams, Bernie Mac, and Phil Hartman - Paperback

by Joe Guse (Author)

On August 11th, 2014, the world was stunned to learn that Robin Williams had taken his own life. He was a beloved funnyman, and his movies and comedy had touched people around the globe. His suicide made people once again wonder about the link between comedy and tragedy, and why it is that so many comedians meet tragic ends. In this book the author (a psychologist and former comedian) explores this question, and analyzes Robin's life as well as Bernie Mac's and Phil Hartman's to try and provide further clarity regarding why it is so many people who make us laugh meet such sad and tragic endings.

Author Biography

Dr. Joe Guse is a former comedian from the Pacific Northwest, who performed around Chicago for several years before deciding to go into psychology as a career. Joe made this seemingly odd transition after working as an entertainer in nursing homes, where he found that there was a very strong relationship between laughter, resilience, and healing. This relationship between laughter and mental health has been the crux of Joe's work as a psychotherapist, and he has since written 19 books on various topics detailing his experiences integrating laughter into his work. Joe works in private practice in Chicago, and also does seminars around the country helping people explore the relationship between humor and mental health in their own lives. Joe holds 2 Master's degrees in Human Development and Counseling Psychology, and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. He is a Clinical Psychologist licensed in Illinois, Washington, New Zealand, and Australia.