Bob Choi:         News of Robin Williams' apparent suicide strikes a sad note in my heart. He is one of my favorite actors. He never rely on good looks or fast action computer graphics to win his audience, just his excellent portrayal of the human spirit and his trademark sense of humor. Through his many acting roles, he has brought much wonder and joy to the world. We shall miss him.

Johnson Yue:     Sad news indeed partner Bob. He was such a talent and gifted entertainer the world will turly miss.

Stella Tse:         Yes, he was truly a very special and gifted person, just like many before him, including Leslie Cheung, with the underlining pain that people do not see.  May he rest in peace and heaven. 

Bob Choi:          The incidence of mental depression seems to be much higher among the truly gifted... On that score, i should feel pretty safe!

Stella Tse:         Not necessarily, some stats says that about 1/3 of population suffer from depression during a part of their life.  Like many diseases, it could be genetic and it could be environmental.

Sue Tang:          I remember Robin Williams when I first saw him on Mock and Mindy and was blown away by how talented and witty he was.  He was one of a kind gifted individual.  I still remember how genuine and heartfelt it was when he said in 'Good Will Hunting' that true love means when you learn that you love someone more than you ever love yourself.  A man with a childlike smile always, funny but speak from the heart.  A man who gave so much and kept nothing for himself. See what Bob Sutton wrote about Robin Williams below that shows what a human being he was...........

The news about Robin Williams' death is so sad; he was such a great and rare talent. Just like so many of you, I can't quite believe it. I never met Robin. I was, however, helped enormously by someone close to him. It is a long story, but based on Robin's experience with a nearly identical medical condition, she helped me choose a heart surgeon. Partly as a result of her detailed advice, in 2010, I ended having a "cow valve" replacement for my aortic valve performed at the Cleveland Clinic by a wonderful surgeon named Mark Gillinov -- just as Robin had a couple years earlier.

And I have an especially revealing story about how Robin treated others. Back in 2006, I spent several days in a recording studio in San Francisco narrating the audio version of my bookThe No Asshole Rule. At one point, I read a part about how, in my opinion, one of the best tests of a human being is how well or badly he or she treats others with less power. Right after I read this section, the two engineers I was working with began talking about various famous people they had worked with in this and other studios over the years.

I asked them: Who was the most civilized and who was the biggest asshole? They answered the second question first -- they both agreed that the biggest asshole was Dr. Phil. It took them a few minutes longer to answer the first question, but they soon agreed it was Robin Williams. They declined to give me any details about Dr. Phil, but were quite specific about why Robin was their favorite: He talked to them, asked for their opinions, joked with them, asked if they were comfortable, and in general treated them with warmth and respect.

Robin was, in the eyes of those two engineers, a first-rate human-being, a mensch. We all die, the least of us manage that. Few of us leave such an astounding legacy -- in ways both large and small. My heart goes out to his family and friends.

Stelle Tse:         Indeed by all accounts with what I've read and heard in the last couple of days, Robin Williams is a kind gentle genuine soul.  I also remember his role as Mork, his performance was out of the world - it was so believable in him as an alien.  I love all his dramatic roles, in Good Will Hunting, Good Morninng Vietnam...

Norman Chiu:   My favorite is Miss Doubtfire, he will be missed...

Metis Hon:        It's a shame that we've lost this talented actor. These days, artists and actors/ actresses are under tremendous pressure to out-perform each other. Many talented people, their families and followers have very high and unrealistic expectations, this often leads to low self-esteem and severe depression in the person concerned. Many resort to taking comfort in alcohol and drugs. According to the post, Robin Williams was struggling to pay his bills because of reduced work commitment but how come those near him didn't notice his suicidal intention?

Fame and wealth thus do not always equal to happiness.

If you look around carefully, you can see lots of cases of clinical depression among not just adults but also school children as life becomes more and more demanding and competitive. We should take time to listen and give support.

Peter Wu:         There is lots of truth in what you say Metis.

For people in the entertainment industry, image is everything because it sells.One you have made it to stardom, people come to expect and associate you with certain things, like glamour, wealth, beauty, power, depending on what image you project.So people expect you to dress well, people expect you to look nice, people expect you to stay young, people expect you to live well, people expect you to have money. People expect you to tip well (especially in HK)!

And once you are on that pedestal, it’s almost impossible to climb down. Trouble is, it takes a lot of money to maintain and project that image. That’s where the pressure comes in. Clearly some celebrities can make the transition from stardom to obscurity but many can’t.

There are many instances of former movie stars who become a recluse and die in impoverished circumstances, because they could not stand of thought of climbing down the pedestal. That may explain their seeking a solace in alcohols and drugs, to escape reality.

At the end of the day, I believe how and whether you handle that pressure, and adjustments in your career cycles depend on who you are, your personality disposition, and your mental well-being.

My guess is what happened to Robin Williams is the tip of the iceberg among many in the entertainment industry. I hope his passing is a wake-up call for many in similar circumstances to seek professional help.

Pony Ma:         美人自古如名將，不許人間見白頭

Bob Choi:         Only the good die young... while the rest of us live til we rot! ok, ok, that sounds rather negative.

                          Lets me try again: The good did not die young, they just graduated ahead of schedule. better?