Legendary comedian Gilbert Gottfried made a career on relatively tasteless jokes delivered with an ear-piercing vocal style. That voice not only carried Gilbert’s own gags, but also allowed him to make a name for himself as a great voice actor. His death was announced on April 12, 2022. But what was Gilbert Gottfried’s cause of death?
What was Gilbert Gottfried’s cause of death?
Gilbert Gottfried’s family announced the news of his death, posting a statement on Gottfried’s Twitter account that reads:
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness. 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 long as possible in Gilbert’s honor. Love, the Gottfried family.”
Glenn Schwartz, Gottfried’s longtime friend and publicist, told NBC News that the comedian died at 2:35 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, from “Recurrent Ventricular Tachycardia due to Myotonic Dystrophy type II,” which is a heart-related illness.
The Washington Post described Gilbert Gottfried’s cause of death more simply, saying he died “due to complications from muscular dystrophy.”
What is ventricular tachycardia? According to the Mayo Clinic, ventricular tachycardia is “a heart rhythm problem caused by irregular electrical signals in the lower chambers of the heart.”
What is Myotonic Dystrophy type II? According to the government’s Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, it’s “one of the two types of myotonic dystrophy, is an inherited muscular dystrophy that affects the muscles and other body systems (e.g., heart, eyes, and pancreas). It is characterized by prolonged muscle tensing (myotonia) as well as muscle weakness, pain, and stiffness.”
The late comedian is now survived by his wife, two young children and sister Karen.
Details about Gottfried’s funeral will soon be updated.
Who was Gilbert Gottfried Married To? His Wife and Children
Gottfried was married to his wife Dara Kravitz. His wife is an American film producer and a radio podcaster.
The pair tied the knot in 2007 and spent 15 years together before the tragic passing of the “Aladdin” star.
Gottfried and his wife shared two children together: Lily Aster Gottfried, born in 2007, and Max Aaron Gottfried, born in 2009.
Tributes To Gilbert Gottfried
Hollywood and fans have been pouring their heartfelt tribute to the late comedian.
Jason Alexander, of Seinfield, wrote in a tweet:
“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. My best wishes and sympathy to his family. RIP Gilbert Gottfried.”
Marlee Matlin wrote in a tweet:
“I am so sad to read about the passing of Gilbert Gottfried. Funny, politically incorrect but a softie on the inside. We met many times; he even pranked me on a plane, replacing my interpreter @655jack (they’re like twins). Sending love to Dara & his children.”
RIP Gilbert. Opening for Gilbert Gottfried at Carolines and Princeton Catch was one of the great thrills of my early stand up life. He could leave you gasping for breath…just indescribably unusually hilarious…Damn.
— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) April 12, 2022
Jon Stewart added:
“RIP Gilbert. Opening for Gilbert Gottfried at Carolines and Princeton Catch was one of the great thrills of my early stand-up life. He could leave you gasping for breath…just indescribably unusually hilarious…Damn.”
As recently as January, Gilbert Gottfried was still doing interviews, opening up about the tragic passing of friend and fellow comic, Bob Saget.
At the time, Gottfried said:
“Whenever I hear about somebody’s death I always think well okay, okay, were they on drugs? Were they drinking? Were they way overweight? Out of shape? Or something and then you find out no, no, none of those are true.”
Read: Bob Saget Died At The Age of 65 | Know The Cause of His Death And Marriage
Gilbert Gottfried’s Short Biography
Gilbert Jeremy Gottfried, born on February 28, 1955, started doing standup comedy around New York City at the age of 15. By the ’80s, he had appeared on Late Night with David Letterman and had a short stint on Saturday Night Live.
The comedian was known for his bawdy jokes as well as his distinct voice, which he used in Aflac commercials for years. He was also famous for voicing Iago, the sidekick to the evil Jafar in Disney’s “Aladdin” in 1992.
His other credits include “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “Problem Child,” “Look Who’s Talking II,” and “The Aristocrats. He was also a regular on “Hollywood Squares” and performed in several Comedy Central Roasts.
