Mark Critch on Robin Williams: Brilliant actor, comedian, improv person

Local actor/comedian Mark Critch says he was "absolutely shocked" by the death of Robin Williams on Monday.

The larger-than-life actor reportedly committed suicide at his California homeafter a long battle with additions and severe depression.

Critch says Williams had an influence on his career ever since hewas a boy.

"For me, Live at the Met andthe Throbbing Python of Love, these cassettes, thesebrilliant improv stand-up shows were just like a trigger, likea calling. There's-other-people-out-there kind of a thing," he said.

Critch interviewed Williams twice on CBC's This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

"I was very nervous. He's an icon, he's a mountain of a talent. Andapproaching him, he was immediately turned on. He was immediately funny.And heknew so much about Canada. He was making Chretien jokes and Harper jokes and all this," he said.

Critch recalls Williams spending a lot of time afterwardsigning autographs and speaking with young fans.

"He seemed like a very sensitive kind of guy, a very caring kind of a guy. [He]went to Juilliard. Brilliant actor, brilliant stand-up comedian, brilliant improv person, and for that you had to have a sensitivity, feel the room,to trust yourself, be very naked," he said