How did Gilbert Gottfried die? Cause of death explored as iconic comedian passes away at 67

Gilbert Gottfried recently passed away on April 12 at the age of 67. His publicist confirmed the news, and his family wrote on Twitter:

“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.”

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Gilbert Gottfried’s cause of death and career

While confirming the news of his death, Gottfried’s publicist stated that he died of myotonic dystrophy type 2, a form of muscular dystrophy. However, it is unknown if he suffered from any other health issues in the past.

Gilbert was famous for his crude humor, political incorrectness, and shrill voice that helped him give life to several animated characters. He mostly gained recognition for voicing the parrot Iago in Disney’s Aladdin, Digit LeBoid in the PBS animated television series Cyberchase, and Kraang Subprime in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Gilbert Gottfried was mostly famous for voicing Iago in Disney's Aladdin (Image via Getty Images/Michael Brochstein)

Born on February 28, 1955, Gilbert began doing stand-up comedy when he was 15 and had a 12-episode stint on Saturday Night Live Season 6 in 1980. He was cast for important roles in films like the Problem Child movies, Highway to Hell, and Look Who’s Talking Too by the 90s.

Gilbert became a regular celebrity on roasts and game shows in the 2000s and 2010s. He then appeared in Comedy Central roasts of Bob Saget, Joan Rivers, David Hasselhoff, Donald Trump, and Roseanne Barr, alongside game shows like Hollywood Squares and Pyramid.

His humor also landed him in trouble. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, he joked that he could not catch a direct flight from New York to California since they said they had to stop at the Empire State Building first. The audience gasped, but Gilbert won them over and made headlines by telling one of the first 9/11 jokes.

During the Emmy Awards in 1991, Gilbert made jokes about Paul Reubens’ arrest for mast**bating in an adult movie theater, after which he was blacklisted by producers. He also lost an opportunity to voice the Aflac duck after making jokes about the 2011 Tohoku Japanese earthquake disaster, the fourth most powerful earthquake to hit Japan.

Director Neil Berkeley made a documentary on Gottfried’s career and personal life in 2017, titled Gilbert.

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Netizens pay tribute on Twitter

Gilbert Gottfried became a popular name in the entertainment industry in recent years because of his flawless work. Following his demise, fans and celebrities paid tribute to him on Twitter:

The comedian is survived by his wife Dara Kravitz and two children – Lily and Max.