Charlotte Foster
Caring

Tributes flow for Gilbert Gottfried

Actor and comedian Gilbert Gottfried has died at age 67. 

In a statement released by his publicist and longtime friend Glenn Schwartz, Gottfried died from recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to myotonic dystrophy type II, a disorder that affects the heart.

News of the comedian's passing prompted a wave of tributes online from the show business world, with many remembering him fondly for his love of the comedy craft. 

Oscar-winning actor Marlee Matlin called him "politically incorrect but a softie on the inside", while director Judd Apatow said there was "nobody funnier".

Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander called Gottfried "a gift", while actor Seth MacFarlane said he was "equally kind and humble".

Gilbert Gottfried first rose to national notoriety with frequent appearances on MTV in its early days and with a brief stint in the cast of Saturday Night Live in the 1980s.

Gottfried also did frequent voice work for children's television and movies, most famously playing the parrot Iago in Disney's 1992 film Aladdin.

In a moving moment of tribute, the New York cast of Broadway's Aladdin the Musical production paid tribute to the man who brought so much joy to the original film. 

Don Darryl Rivera, who plays Iago, stepped forward, still in costume, saying, “We’d like to take a moment to salute a comedy legend. A funny man with an indelible voice. The man who breathed life into Iago for the animated film, Mr. Gilbert Gottfried.”

Rivera continued, “I along with five other actors worldwide have the distinct privilege to bring Iago to life on stage and I think one of the main reasons this character is who he is, is because of what Gilbert brought to the animated film: his comedy and that voice.”

“Mr. Gottfried, thank you for the laughs.”

Image credits: Getty Images

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