A tearful Billy Crystal paid homage to longtime friend Robin Williams, hailing him as the brightest star in the comedy galaxy.
Williams committed suicide on August 11, following a prolonged depression. He was 63.
The Oscar-winning actor and Crystal, 66, shared a long history as they co-hosted eight editions of TV show 'Comic Relief' and also worked together on 2006 event to raise money for Hurricane Katrina relief, said The Hollywood Reporter.
"He made us laugh hard, every time you saw him on television, movies, nightclubs, arenas, hospitals, homeless shelters, for our troops overseas and even in a dying girl's living room.
"The brilliance was astounding. The relentless energy was kind of thrilling. I used to think if I could just put a saddle on him and stay on for eight seconds, I was going to do okay," the actor said.
"Well, as genius as he was onstage, he was the greatest friend you could ever imagine: supportive, protective, loving. It's very hard to talk about him in the past because he was so present in all of our lives," Crystal added, sharing personal stories of Williams' ante-upping banter with the former's own immigrant relatives in private moments.
"For almost 40 years, he was the brightest star in the comedy galaxy," he said.
A video montage of the comedian's clips and quips followed Crystal's tribute. After the montage, the lights faded and the photo of Williams receded into the dark.
