Beloved Comedian Gilbert Gottfried is Dead at 67

Stand-up comedian Gilbert Gottfried, known for his iconic voice, has passed away at the age of 67 this week.

The Problem Child and Saturday Night Live actor had died from a “long illness” according to a statement from his family on Tuesday.

The family wrote, “In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor.”

Reactions about the actor’s death coming in before the family even announced his passing.

Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander had posted a tribute that read, “Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter did not come easily. What a gift. I did not know him well but I loved what he shared with me.”

After the official word came from the family, others including Dane Cook reacted. The comedian wrote, “Gilbert Gottfried was never not funny. He was a lovely guy, always friendly & made many people happy.”

Jon Stewart left his own tribute and said that opening for Gottfried at early comedy shows “was one of the great thrills of my early standup life. He could leave you gasping for breath… just indescribably unusually hilarious.”

Judd Apatow wrote, “Nobody was funnier than Gilbert on a roll. He could put you into convulsive hysterics. He was also the sweetest man. His podcast is a comedy treasure. What a terrible loss. Sending my condolences and love to Dara and his family.”

Comedienne Kathy Griffin retweeted a photo Gottfried, who voiced Iago the Parrot in Disney’s Aladdin films, posted after the deaths of Louie Anderson and Bob Saget earlier this year — and kept her reaction humorous despite the loss of the trio being anything but.

“Gilbert would be the first one to make a joke about this picture today,” she wrote of the three famed comedians who died over the last four months. “The first. And he would not hold back.”

Jimmy Kimmel tweeted, “One of a million crazy-funny Gilbert memories is when he made a deranged caller to the @HowardStern show repeat a LONG story 15 times, each time pretending he couldn’t hear what he said.”

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.