Gilbert Gottfried
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Born Name:
Gilbert Jeremy Gottfried
Born Date: February 28, 1955
Born Place: New York City
Died Date: April 12, 2022
Died Place: New York City, U.S.
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, actor
Brief Biography: Gilbert Gottfried was known for his signature loud, grating, and high-pitched voice, as well as his unapologetically edgy and often controversial, "blue" humor. Over a career spanning more than 50 years, he became a "comedian's comedian," recognized for his work in films like Aladdin and Problem Child, and as the original voice of the Aflac Duck.
Early Life and Career:
Beginnings: He began doing amateur stand-up at age 15 in New York City.
Saturday Night Live: In 1980, he was hired as a cast member for season 6 of Saturday Night Live but was rarely used, rarely spoke in his signature voice during sketches, and was dropped after 12 episodes.
Breakthrough: He gained recognition for his roles in the Problem Child franchise and for hosting the weekend edition of USA Up All Night (1989–1998).
Voice Roles and Film:
Gottfried found significant success in voice acting due to his unique vocal styling:
Iago: He voiced the sarcastic parrot, Iago, in Disney's Aladdin (1992) and its sequels/TV series.
Cyberchase: He was known for voicing Digit LeBoid on the PBS Kids educational show for two decades.
Other Roles: He voiced Kraang Subprime in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dr. Bender in The Fairly OddParents, and Mr. Mxyzptlk in various DC animated series.
Live Action: He appeared in Beverly Hills Cop II and the 2017 documentary Gilbert, which provided a deeper, more intimate look at his life.
Controversies and "Too Soon" Humor:
Gottfried was known for pushing boundaries, often joking about fresh tragedies.
9/11 Roasts: At a 2001 Hugh Hefner roast shortly after the September 11 attacks, he made a 9/11 joke that was met with "too soon!" from the crowd. He subsequently won them over by diving into the infamous "Aristocrats" joke.
Aflac Firing: In 2011, he was fired from his long-running role as the voice of the Aflac duck after tweeting jokes about the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan.
Born Date: February 28, 1955
Born Place: New York City
Died Date: April 12, 2022
Died Place: New York City, U.S.
Occupations: Stand-up comedian, actor
Brief Biography: Gilbert Gottfried was known for his signature loud, grating, and high-pitched voice, as well as his unapologetically edgy and often controversial, "blue" humor. Over a career spanning more than 50 years, he became a "comedian's comedian," recognized for his work in films like Aladdin and Problem Child, and as the original voice of the Aflac Duck.
Early Life and Career:
Beginnings: He began doing amateur stand-up at age 15 in New York City.
Saturday Night Live: In 1980, he was hired as a cast member for season 6 of Saturday Night Live but was rarely used, rarely spoke in his signature voice during sketches, and was dropped after 12 episodes.
Breakthrough: He gained recognition for his roles in the Problem Child franchise and for hosting the weekend edition of USA Up All Night (1989–1998).
Voice Roles and Film:
Gottfried found significant success in voice acting due to his unique vocal styling:
Iago: He voiced the sarcastic parrot, Iago, in Disney's Aladdin (1992) and its sequels/TV series.
Cyberchase: He was known for voicing Digit LeBoid on the PBS Kids educational show for two decades.
Other Roles: He voiced Kraang Subprime in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dr. Bender in The Fairly OddParents, and Mr. Mxyzptlk in various DC animated series.
Live Action: He appeared in Beverly Hills Cop II and the 2017 documentary Gilbert, which provided a deeper, more intimate look at his life.
Controversies and "Too Soon" Humor:
Gottfried was known for pushing boundaries, often joking about fresh tragedies.
9/11 Roasts: At a 2001 Hugh Hefner roast shortly after the September 11 attacks, he made a 9/11 joke that was met with "too soon!" from the crowd. He subsequently won them over by diving into the infamous "Aristocrats" joke.
Aflac Firing: In 2011, he was fired from his long-running role as the voice of the Aflac duck after tweeting jokes about the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan.