'Aladdin' Genie Voice Actor Performs Tribute to Robin Williams

Voice talent Jim Meskimen was touched by the loss of Robin Williams in a unique and personal way. Since 2008, he has been the voice of Disney’s Genie character from Aladdin, having voiced him in a series of Disney video games. Williams, of course, famously brought the Genie to life in the original Disney classic.

The character is one of Williams’s signature performances, leading Meskimen to wonder if he should continue voicing the character now that the actor who originated him has died.

In a video tribute to the late comedian, Meskimen explained that he chose to answer that question by putting pen to paper. “I decided to write this poem, to work it out for myself, and to answer the question,” he said.

Meskimen then presented the poem, in the voice of Robin Williams. See the full tribute in the video above or read it below:

"In Memory Of Robin Williams" by Jim Meskimen

They didn’t burn all the pianos
When Fredrick Chopin died

Didn’t outlaw oil paints
when Picasso took his final ride

No one put a stop to baseball
When Mickey Mantle’s time was up

Or banned all Russian novels
When Tolstoy went belly up

On Shakespeare’s death, nobody said
“Now hath arrived the day —

From this point hence let none dare
Put forth pen to write a play!”

We celebrate what’s left
By the departed, it’s our choice

Yet it does seem sacriligeous
To do Robin Williams’ voice

A voice that was designed to soothe,
Soft, deep tones that resonate

And cascade gently outward
From behind a smiling face

A voice that could accelerate
To catch up with the mind

Like shifting into overdrive
To not get left behind

A voice that could change character
Like seconds on a clock

Or hijack nationalities
For a spin around the block

Shift age, shift viewpoint, shift I.Q.,
Whatever’s not nailed down

Destroy, rebuild, destroy again,
A formidable clown

We’ll hear this voice in future times
In reruns on TV,

It will occupy the world wide web
Live on, digitally

We’ll hear its echoes come
From other mouths and other lips

In tributes and homages, and,
Like psychedelic trips

We’ll think the owner’s back again
With his familiar sound

But they’ll all be imitations —
Just an audible rebound

New jokes aren’t in the pipeline now,
Not that the well went dry —

But the jester who possessed this voice
Just chose to say goodbye

With the wealth of joy he left us
We should probably rejoice

But it’s hard to grasp we lost the guy
Who used to have this voice.