Stissing Lane: April 2022

Gilbert Gottfried, comedy legend, dies aged 67

Gilbert Gottfried, the beloved stand-up comedian and actor, has passed away at the age of 67. After a long battle with sickness and health-related complications, Gottfried died in Manhattan on Tuesday, April 12th.

Born in Brooklyn, Gottfried was drawn to the world of comedy since he was a teenager and he started performing amateur stand-up routines when he was 15. Developing a strong reputation for his unique brand of humour and his comedic sensibilities, Gottfried became famous in New York City by comedy enthusiasts and was often called “the comedian’s comedian”.

In addition to his career in stand-up, Gottfried also did voice acting on several iconic projects and he is still remembered for his wonderful performance as Iago in Aladdin. Over the last few years, he continued to make appearances on various projects such as shows and podcasts including a unique collaboration with John Oliver.

According to the reports that have surfaced, Gottfried passed away because of complications caused by myotonic dystrophy type II which led to recurrent ventricular tachycardia. This was confirmed by his friend and publicist Glenn Schwartz who shed some light on the comedian’s battle with illness and the health conditions.

Gottfried’s family released a statement via social media to confirm the news as well. “In an addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children,” the statement reads. “Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honour.”