Where To Watch
Henry Winkler: ''I still need much too much public approval''
An important life lesson, courtesy of The Fonz.
While The Fonz was pretty good at keeping things close to the vest, Henry Winkler had no such desire.
Although Winkler made a star of himself as The Fonz on the popular sitcom, Happy Days, he worked hard to enjoy a relatively private personal life. Even so, Winkler understood that being honest about one's emotions didn't show weakness; it demonstrated strength.
Winkler was frank about his own misgivings growing up and how they directly impacted his adult life.
"Look, as a child, I got little praise," said Winkler during an interview with the Daily Press. "I still need much too much public approval. But at least I'm aware of that need. But at least I'm aware of that need. I also realize that the need eats so deeply that it perverts my behavior."
Winkler wasn't using the interview as an opportunity for a free therapy session; he was honestly expressing his personal feelings to an audience that most likely shared those insecurities. We often look to stars as a level of greatness we couldn't possibly hope to achieve. Winkler offered a new perspective, one that made him more relatable and let viewers know that they weren't alone.
He also used the interview as an opportunity to drop a bit of wisdom. The actor called self-respect one of life's "greatest joys."
"I understand that you have to know chaos to understand the sublime," said the actor. "But I believe there is a natural harmony you can click into, a harmony that has nothing to do with the accumulation."
Winkler also argued that no issue could be solved through ignorance; you needed to face your fears head-on.
"I believe that submission is power," said the Happy Days actor. "That you say, 'Hey, yes, there is a problem here,' you gain power. When you acknowledge a problem, when you confront it, when you don't resist it, you have already begun solving it."
Related
