I think it's about the truth but not caps lock, THE TRUTH, a smaller truth. The truth that only comedians can seem to share and get away with. Chris Rock ranting and asking the question "what the fuck is wrong with Michael Jackson" years before the King of Pop's demise. A question on most people's minds that only Rock expresses. Or those late HBO Carlin concerts where, for 15 minutes he talks about how screwed we all are from advertising and capitalism and there are no laughs. Louie C.K. talking about how he hates his kids. Even Seinfeld's more prosaic truths like aliens would think dogs were the masters. Comedians get away with telling the truth -- and they're the only ones. Certainly politicians don't tell the truth. How do tell a politician is lying? Their lips are moving. Religious leaders think they're telling the truth but who knows. A truth that requires faith seems a little suspect no? I teach history at a community college and although my students want THE TRUTH, I don't have it.
The facts that I can be certain about in my classes are the least interesting part. A few semester ago I had a student who wanted to know for certain that the Nazis staged the Reichstag fire. Quite plausible but.... I even put it in my syllabi -- history is not about THE TRUTH.
Robin Williams was another comedian who got away with telling the truth. Of course in order to tell the truth you have to experience certain things. His stand-up material dealing with alcoholism is astonishing (says Slick a long-time recoveree) he knows what he's talking about. The same with cocaine. Getting older. Being bi-polar etc. etc.
It can't be easy working constantly in this material at the same time that you're living it. And I always think that many of my problems could be solved if I had more money. But apparently that's not at all true. Celebrity, fame, the big bucks, I guess, cause other problems.
Back in 1995(?) the great guitarist Danny Gatton took his life. He went out to the garage with a pistol and ended it. A guitarist friend couldn't really understand it because Gatton was just beginning to get the kind of recognition he deserved after decades of flying beneath the popular radar. Danny Gatton left a legacy. There's a truth in his playing that can be accessed. Just as Robin Williams has left some truth.
When I was about six years sober I had a conversation with a fellow alcoholic who said to me that the struggle wasn't over the next drink so much as it was not killing yourself. You want to ask why someone like Williams or Gatton takes their life. I don't have that truth.