(Fwrd Axis) — Iconic comedian Gilbert Gottfried has died at age 67 following a long illness, his family confirmed Tuesday.
Gottfried died at 2:35 p.m. ET Tuesday from recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to myotonic dystrophy type II, his friend and publicist Glenn Schwartz.
“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 loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor,” his family wrote on Twitter.
— Gilbert Gottfried (@RealGilbert) April 12, 2022
Some of the symptoms of the disease include breathing or heart muscle weakness, tend to develop more as people age. Some health experts say people may not be diagnosed with it until later in life, which could be as late as 60 years old.
Other symptoms include slurred speech, jaw locking and prolonged muscle contractions.
Gottfried became a regular on celebrity roasts and game shows, most known for his role on the popular celebrity game show “Hollywood Squares” and “Pyramid.”
Several celebrities paid tribute to the late actor and comedian on social media once the news of his passing hit.
“Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter did not come easily. What a gift,” actor Jason Alexander wrote in a tweet.
“Gilbert Gottfried was never not funny,” comedian Dane Cook wrote. “He was a lovely guy, always friendly & made many people happy.”
He was known best for his role in Disney’s 1992 classic Aladdin, Gottfried was instantly recognizable for his unique voice. He played the same role in the 1994 direct-to-video sequel Aladdin 2: The Return of Jafar, the 1994-95 animated Aladdin series and the early-2000s toon series House of Mouse.
The cast of Broadway’s Aladdin dedicated its Tuesday night performance to Gottfried.
Gottfried is survived by his wife, Dara Kravitz, and two children, Lily and Max.
