When Nathan Lane appeared on Oprah in 1996, he hadn’t come out publicly. When she asked him if he was worried about being typecast as gay, Robin Williams swooped in and helped deflect the question.
View Reddit by holyfruits – View Source
View Reddit by holyfruits – View Source
I love the “I got your back” look robin gave Nathan right before Nathan started talking.
It’s a good thing Nathan wasn’t totally typecast because he was perfect in his role in Only Murders in the Building.
Robin Williams was a tremendous ally during his lifetime and everybody I have talked to in my industry who worked with him right down to the PAs said he was remarkably fun to work with.
Rest in peace my dude.
Oprah Winfrey is and always has been a terrible person. We can also thank her for Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz.
It seems unfair to live in a timeline where Robin Williams is no longer with us but meanwhile Oprah lives a life of wealth and ease.
Nathan Lane [mentioned how Robin stuck up for him during this moment in a recent interview](https://www.today.com/popculture/nathan-lane-says-robin-williams-protected-interview-oprah-winfrey-rcna76537):
>”I said to Robin beforehand, ‘I’m not prepared. I’m so scared of going out there and talking to Oprah. I’m not prepared to discuss that I’m gay on national television. I’m not ready.’ …She was like, ‘How come you’re so good at that girlie stuff? Are you worried about being typecast?’ And then Robin sort of swoops in and diverts Oprah, goes off on a tangent and protects me because he was a saint.”
He broke the mold
Aaaaaand can us brits get a mirror please. (For the clip)
It’s amazing how far we’ve come since then. Oprah now comes off like a gigantic asshole and you can see how painfully uncomfortable Nathan Lane is. She’s literally asking him whether or not he’s going to be typecast as who he really is and how much of a problem that would be…
What’s the relevant timestamp ?
Ah man can’t watch it due to copyright bs. Anyone got a mirror?
[“I pierced the toast!”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igSr0dxgEfU)
Birdcage was an instant classic. I pierced the toast. and Oprah is like Barbara Walters. I think when you think about the Corey Feldman interview. Doing some good things doesn’t mean you’re not a truly bad person underneath. Robin knew exactly what to do.
> This video contains content from LDS Affiliate US, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds
Why the hell are the Mormons claiming copyright on that clip? 😕
Obligatory fuck Oprah.
The Birdcage is one of my all time favorite movies.
Robin was such a treasure
I keep wondering when we’ll all realize that Oprah was and still is a shithead.
Both of those guys are my heroes!
Matt Baume did a great video on the Birdcage recently which put this clip into context, a great video if you have a chance to watch it all
https://youtu.be/ozTjoeHy7mI
There’s a clip of a guest saying they are irreligious.. and Oprah would have none of it. “You don’t believe in God?”
No
Well do you ever look to the stars and admire the vast unknown, and our place in it?
Sure
Then you believe in God! That’s God!
Or some bullshit to that effect.
Geez, there are so many examples of Robin acting with compassion. It sadly reminds me of how much pain he must have been going through while knowing so many people would miss him and be hurt by his leaving.
RIP
I rarely click videos on Reddit but I watched this entire thing with the biggest smile on my face. RIP Robin…
Biggest comedy genius AND the biggest heart. Robin was truly one of a kind.
I’d like to think Nathan’s nod to Robin was his “thank you for defusing the situation”. It sorta looked like that’s what he did.
Man I never knew what Nathan Lane looked like, only knew he his name from voicing Timon. Gotta say, they really captured his likelihood when animating Timon!
It helped a lot when I learned that Robin Williams was suffering from a crippling brain disease when he chose to end it. [Here’s a writeup from his wife about it](https://n.neurology.org/content/87/13/1308).
TIL Nathan Lane is gay.
But he didn’t deflect it, he just delayed it and deleted the serious atmosphere. Nathan’s answer was perfect.
The Birdcage is one of my favorite movies. I get something new every time I watch it.
This was a no-win situation. Gay people were desperate for any and all representation. We get representation, and one of the actors is likely, obviously, flamboyantly gay. If interviewers don’t ask, they’re contributing to the systemic silence, but if they do ask, they’re being intrusive.
The movie in question is the Birdcage and it’s brilliant. As are the French play and film it’s based on, La Cage aux Folles.
Also, he did but seems Nathan Lane didn’t need help – he answered extremely well and was very funny throughout this, no matter how stupid her questions were.
Fking regional blocks.
Everything went to shit when we lost robin williams
Birdcage was ahead of it’s time, and is funnier now than it was when it first came… out.
FUCK THE SHRIMP!
At 17:04 you can see him give Nathan the briefest wink of all time. What a goddamn gem.
Maybe, maybe not — Robin Williams will also just fill any silence with laughter. Either way, Nathan Lane’s response is what stands out to me.
Robin Williams demonstrating exactly how to be an ally.
Oprah is the worst.
TIL Nathan Lane is gay.
Is anyone able to translate the ASL Robin signs starting around 22:30? It might just be babbling, but he clearly spells something out and does the sign for “bullshit” at the end.
Robin is/was a National Treasure.
Oprah is to women as Joe Rogan is to men
Does anyone know at what point in this 45 minute video that happens?
Williams backed him up repeatedly.
Oprah just kept needling the point, Nathan kept squirming and Robin kept covering.
Robin saying “don’t make me come out there” was just *chefs kiss*
Oprah isnt anything special… yet she is treated like she did something amazing for humanity
Simple rule:
It doesn’t matter how well you know them.
It doesn’t matter if you think it’s “for the best”.
It doesn’t matter if you think “they’re taking too long”.
It doesn’t matter if you feel like it’s the right call to make.
You do NOT _out_ other people.
Robin Williams was a rare human.
“I think the saddest people always try their hardest to make people happy because they know what it’s like to feel absolutely worthless and they don’t want anyone else to feel like that.”
RIP
I miss him. One of the few celebrity deaths I never got over and still hurts to think about even now