‘Aladdin’ actor dies after ‘long illness’
Comedian and actor Gilbert Gottfried has died after a “long illness,” his family confirmed Tuesday. He was 67.
Gottfried, who became known for his shrill voice and roles in “Aladdin,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and as the voice of the Aflac duck, died Tuesday afternoon of recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to myotonic dystrophy type II, longtime friend and publicist Glenn Schwartz said in a statement to USA TODAY.
The heart rhythm condition is “caused by irregular electrical signals in the lower chambers of the heart,” according to Mayo Clinic. In some cases, the rapid heartbeat caused by ventricular tachycardia can prevent the heart from pumping enough blood into the body, leading to shortness of breath, lightheadedness, loss of consciousness or even cardiac arrest.
The comedian’s family shared news of his death Tuesday in a post on his Twitter account.
“We are heartbroken to announce the death of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness,” his family said. “In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor.”
He first came to national attention 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 “Aladdin.”
“Gilbert’s brand of humor was brash, shocking and frequently offensive, but the man behind the jokes was anything but,” said Frank Santopadre, Gilbert’s friend and podcast co-host, in a statement to USA TODAY. “Those who loved and him were fortunate enough to share his orbit knew a person who was sweet, sensitive, surprisingly shy and filled with a childlike sense of playfulness and wonder.”
“Seinfeld” star Jason Alexander took to Twitter to mourn the loss of Gottfried on Tuesday.
“Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter did not come easily,” Alexander wrote. “What a gift. I did not know him well but I loved what he shared with me. My best wishes and sympathy to his family. “
Contributing: Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press
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