Gilbert Gottfried dies, comedy's loudest voice is silenced

It's certainly not been the kindest of years for the comedy community, where every few months it seems there's a new story about how one of the great ones has died.

First, it was Norm Macdonald back in September, then Bob Saget and Louie Anderson in January, and now legendary standup, voice-actor and podcaster Gilbert Gottfried.

Gottfried's death at 67 Tuesday was a gut punch to a lot of people, whether it was fans and those who grew up watching him in movies, celebrities or his fellow comedians. On Tuesday everybody was talking about two things, the NYC subway shooter and Gilbert.

For most of my generation, my first acquaintance with Gottfried's unique shrill and maniacal voice was in movies like "Problem Child" or as Jafar's loudmouth parrot Iago in Disney's "Aladdin." Throughout the 1980s-90s, the guy had a pretty solid run on TV and film, and everyone knew that voice, his squinty-eyed face and unstoppable energy.

Related: Actor and comedian Gilbert Gottfried dies at 67 after long illness: 'We are heartbroken'

It wasn't until he began making appearances on Comedy Central Roasts, "The Howard Stern Show" or in the documentary "The Aristocrats," that many of us got our first taste of Gottfried's standup. And it was far from the same guy who voiced so many family-friendly cartoon characters.

Ironically, that was arguably the funniest part of it all, almost like being blindsided with no time to recover. You just kept laughing harder with each joke rapidly firing at you.

Much like his late colleague Saget, Gottfried's standup was the polar opposite of the kid-friendly persona we'd grown accustomed to. It was filthy, raunchy and offensive, but it will also probably be the hardest you've ever laughed when you see it.

His delivery was a locomotive engine spewing out joke after joke, often laced with a kind of brutality where you're almost laughing because you can't believe what you'd just heard.

Gottfried's commitment to the joke above all else, no matter the consequences or who gets offended, was why he was so respected. Unfortunately, it also got him fired from Aflac in 2011 for tweeting jokes about the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Though that chapter was a big loss for his career, he never stopped writing jokes and working the club scene. Being a standup was always his No. 1, no matter what movie or endorsement deals he had, or lost.

He was also a loving family man, which can be seen in the 2017 documentary, "Gilbert." The film also shows a different side of the comedy icon most don't see. While he might be boisterous and loud when he's on stage or on TV, the real Gottfried was quiet, introverted and likes to keep to himself.

But he wasn't afraid to make good conversation, especially about topics like old movies, Hollywood actors or what'll make the next joke.

Over the last few years, Gottfried co-hosted the podcast "Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Show!," which I recommend especially to fans of old film, old Hollywood and movies in general. The show not only deep dives into Hollywood's Golden Age, Universal Monsters and old comedies by Abbott and Costello, but is just as funny as it is informative.

It is co-hosted by a comedian who can't resist the opportunity for a joke, after all. But part of the charm is Gottfried's seemingly endless databank of movie trivia, film facts and anecdotes that only he would know.

While his death means saying goodbye to one of the funniest practitioners of the craft, a true icon with one of the most unique and recognizable voices, it's fortunate for us he left behind so much material.

With so much content to discover, movies to revisit, not to mention years of podcast material and guest appearances, there's no shortage of ways to celebrate Gottfried's legacy for years to come.

It was always about the joke, no matter the cost, as long as it was funny.

Jay Powell is a reporter for The Daily Herald. Contact him at jpowell@c-dh.net or follow him on Twitter @JayPowellCDH.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Gilbert Gottfried and silencing comedy's loudest voice