Henry Rollins Under Fire Following Robin Williams Suicide Blog

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Henry Rollins has come under fire from fans, the media, and fellow celebrities after penning a blog post in which he discusses the suicide of actor and comedian Robin Williams. Writing in his regular column for LA Weekly, Rollins claims that he cannot take someone commits suicide “seriously.”

In the post, titled Fuck Suicide, Rollins explains that “when someone negates their existence, they cancel themselves out in my mind.” The outspoken artist claims that though he has many records, books, and films by people who have committed suicide, “I regard them all with a bit of disdain.”

“When someone commits this act, he or she is out of my analog world. I know they existed, yet they have nullified their existence because they willfully removed themselves from life. They were real but now they are not,” he adds. Rollins also writes that “it’s hard to feel bad when the person did what they wanted to” and that he “simply cannot understand how any parent could kill themselves.”

The social media response to the generally beloved former Black Flag frontman, noted for his humanist attitude and spoken word performances, has been overwhelmingly negative. One fan tweeted, “Thinking about getting my WWHRD (What Would Henry Rollins Do) tattoo removed.”

Director Judd Apatow weighed in, tweeting, “Henry Rollins moronic comments about Robin Williams reveal why most people don’t connect with his work. He’s a fool and a blowhard.” Comedian Tom Arnold also commented, writing “Always wanted to like and respect Henry Rollins but right now I’m considering killing myself just so I never existed to him” and calling him a “pussy.”

Meanwhile, US outlet The Oregonian has condemned Rollins’ essay, saying he got “everything” wrong about depression and suicide. In an article criticising the artist’s stance, the outlet quotes doctors, depression experts, and Williams himself to refute the claims made by Rollins.

It’s not the first time that Rollins has condemned suicide in such a fashion. During his 1992 spoken word special, Talking From the Box, Rollins told a crowd, “If you ever kill yourself I would love to be able bring you back to life just so I could kick your ass,” while recounting the murder of his friend and Black Flag roadie Joe Cole, to which he refers in his controversial LA Weekly essay.

Rollins’ blog post comes shortly after a wave of criticism and radio boycotts were lobbed at KISS bassist Gene Simmons. In a July interview, the often controversial Simmons trivialised the plight of people living with depression, saying, “Fuck you, then kill yourself.” Simmons later apologised.

Watch: Henry Rollins on Life and Suicide from Talking from the Box

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