by Following the news that iconic comedian Gilbert Gottfried had died at the age of 67 earlier today, loving tributes poured in from colleagues, friends and fans in the entertainment industry, including messages from the director Judd Apatow and comedian Jon Stewart.
No one was funnier than @RealGilbert on a roll. He could throw you into fits of convulsive hysteria. He was also the nicest man. His podcast is a comedy treasure trove. What a terrible loss. I send my condolences and love to Dara and her family. https://t.co/qdZQV1A6sC
— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) April 12, 2022
RIP Gilbert. The first part of Gilbert Gottfried in Carolines and Princeton Catch was one of the great emotions of my beginnings in the stand-up. It might leave you breathless… just indescribably uncharacteristically hilarious… Shit.
— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) April 12, 2022
A number of Gottfried’s fellow comedians have also expressed their grief and love for him and his work, many of them referring to his remarkable voice and particular sense of humor.
Send love to @RealGilbertDara’s wife, family and fans. Gilbert Gottfried was never funny. He was a lovely guy, always friendly and made a lot of people happy.
— Danish Cook (@DaneCook) April 12, 2022
It’s a sad day. https://t.co/Ed7VbNPOTX
— Tiffany Haddish (@TiffanyHaddish) April 12, 2022
the funniest person I’ve ever known. There will never be another like him. RIP Gilbert Gottfried pic.twitter.com/pEAL8QR5pH
— Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) April 12, 2022
Rest in peace Gilbert Gottfried! The first time I saw him in concert, he did his Jackie Kennedy piece: “Jackie, do you remember where you were…” in front of drunken Bruins fans at Nicks. #RIPGilbertGottfried https://t.co/9w0offZEZG
— Bill Burr (@billburr) April 12, 2022
Others in the entertainment and media industries have also expressed their love for him, including journalist and author Dave Itzkoff, Rolling Stone critic Alan Sepinwall, actors Jason Alexander, Jennifer Tilly and Treat Williams, screenwriter of Doctor Strange C. Robert Cargill, wrestlers Ethan Page and The Iron Sheik, Breaking Bad and X-Files writer Thomas Schnauz, and NBC producer Manny Fidel:
Years ago, Gilbert Gottfried let me visit him at his home in New York. In person, he was a surprisingly sweet guy who loved old showbiz and movie freaks—almost too shy to sit at a table and listen to his wife tell me the story of their first meeting. #to tear apart https://t.co/IdlZZDUUjX
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) April 12, 2022
The section of the documentary The Aristocrats where other comics rave about Gilbert Gottfried’s performance of the joke – and how he only told it in response to a bombing with a 9/11 joke a few weeks later – at Hugh Hefner’s roast is remarkable. TO TEAR. https://t.co/RHQaorhwI8
—Alan Sepinwall (@sepinwall) April 12, 2022
Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter didn’t come easily. Which gift. I didn’t know him well but I liked what he shared with me. My best wishes and sympathy to his family. #ripGilbertGottfried
— Jason Alexander (@IJasonAlexander) April 12, 2022
Rip Gilbert Gottfried, a brilliant comedian and just the nicest guy. We worked together on “Goosed”. Everyone adored him. https://t.co/r37FeFjxjo
—Jennifer Tilly (@JenniferTilly) April 12, 2022
Heartbroken to read of the death of Gilbert Gottfried
A legendary voice from my childhood
Thank you @RealGilbert ❤️
I watched Aladdin 1,000,000 times pic.twitter.com/WT5yHsswQh— “All ego” Ethan Page (@OfficialEGO) April 12, 2022
GILBERT GOTTFRIED YOU MAKE ME LAUGH EVERY TIME I SEE YOU. THE WORLD OF COMEDY BROKEN BECAUSE YOU ENGAGE A LOT. I LOVE YOU FOREVER BUBBA pic.twitter.com/841H0pTB3I
— The Iron Sheik (@the_ironsheik) April 12, 2022
I made Gilbert Gottfried laugh once. I’ve worn it as a private badge of honor for years.
As a kid of the 80s, he was always one of my late night heroes. No matter what he was doing, he was still the guy from Up All Night for me too.
He will be ABSOLUTELY missed.
— C. Robert Cargill (@Massawyrm) April 12, 2022
RIP Gilbert Gottfried
I’m so sorry we didn’t have that last dinner
You were lovely— Treat Williams (@Rtreatwilliams) April 12, 2022
It’s the perfect TV. RIP, GG. https://t.co/Gi331n3iw0
—Thomas Schnauz (@TomSchnauz) April 12, 2022
Finally, in games, former Game Informer producers Dan Rickert and Ben Hanson shared clips from a segment they worked on in which Gottfried read many well-known voice lines from games in his iconic voice:
It was a really fun day. RIP, Gilbert Gottfried. https://t.co/TUsKP3XSm9 pic.twitter.com/Xl6z3Bqoqu
—Ben Hanson (@yozetty) April 12, 2022
Gottfried has died at the age of 67 “after a long illness”, according to a statement shared today by his family. He was known for his many television and film roles, including the parrot Iago in Disney’s Aladdin and as the original voice of the Aflac Duck, as well as his stand-up comedy and, most recently, his podcast Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal. Podcast, where he frequently held interviews with other celebrities.
Rebekah Valentine is a reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.
(Blog photo by Lloyd Bishop/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
