The world is mourning yet another icon of comedy.
Comedian Gilbert Gottfried has died at 67 after battling a "long illness," his family announced Tuesday. Gottfried's publicist said his death was due to complications from muscular dystrophy, according to The Washington Post.
"In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children," Gottfried's family said in a statement. "Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert's honor."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Gottfried famously voiced Iago in Aladdin, and he performed stand-up comedy since he was 15 years old, according to Variety. He was a cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1980 and lent his iconic voice to a number of shows, including The Fairly OddParents and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. For years, he was also the voice of the Aflac duck in the insurance company's commercials.
Gottfried's death was another devastating blow in the comedy world after the loss of Norm Macdonald last September and Louie Anderson and Bob Saget in January. Both Gottfried and Macdonald memorably performed at the Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget in 2008, and in January, Gottfried shared a picture of himself with Saget and Anderson as he paid tribute to them. "This photo is very sad now," he wrote.
News of Gottfried's death was first shared by Seinfeld star Jason Alexander, who tweeted, "Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter did not come easily. What a gift." Former Daily Show host Jon Stewart also reflected that Gottfried "could leave you gasping for breath" and was "just indescribably unusually hilarious."
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
