It's a sad day for the world of comedy: the famed voice behind the parrot in Disney's Aladdin and the iconic duck in Aflac commercials, Gilbert Gottfried, has passed away at 67 years old. The comedian was known for his loudmouthed and crude humor and his very distinct voice, which the world loved and adored. His publicist and friend, Glenn Schwartz, confirmed Gottfried's passing due to muscular dystrophy. Let's take a look back at the beloved star's time in Hollywood...
The comedian began his journey in show biz back as a teenager in New York doing comedy, developing a certain rep around town due to his particularly obscure and unique humor. After his name started floating around town in 1980, he was invited to be on the first Saturday Night Live cast after producer Lorne Michaels, cast members, and writers had left. Unfortunately, it didn't go that well, and after 13 episodes, he was out of there! Although his time on SNL wasn't as successful as hoped, from there, he started appearing on sitcoms such as The Cosby Show and Beverly Hills Cop II while maintaining his stand-up presence.
Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh so hard that day on set, I could barely do my job. A wholly original comic, and an equally kind and humble guy behind the scenes. He will be missed. https://t.co/93cKB6KEg8
— Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) April 12, 2022
The comedian only became more and more popular, making him one of the most noteworthy and legendary comics of our time. Hollywood stars like Judd Apatow and Seth MacFarlane have come out to pay tribute to Gottfried and his family in their own ways. Apatow took to Twitter and wrote, "Nobody was funnier than @RealGilbert on a roll. He could put you into convulsive hysterics. He was also the sweetest man. His podcast is a comedy treasure." Seinfeld star Jason Alexander tweeted that Gottfried could "make me laugh at times when laughter did not come easily."
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In Gottfried's memoir, Rubber Balls and Liquor, he teased, "I don't always mean to offend... I only sometimes mean to offend." And with that being said, we will greatly miss the one and only Gilbert Gottfried and will be turning on Aladin in his honor!
