If there was ever any doubt as to my love of Gilbert Gottfried, a quick look at the Slope Archives would dispose of it (although, over time, many of the pictures and pictures have vanished from the web). He died today, Tuesday, April 12th, at just 67 years old. I wanted to write a few things that I like about him.
First, and surprisingly to many, he was a dedicated family man. He got married late in life, I think at age 52, to the lovely Dara, and they had a boy and a girl together, Max and Lily. You can garner some insight into family life in the Gottfried house by way of the marvelous documentary, whose trailer is here:
Second, I liked his insistent advocacy of true free speech. He got into trouble more than once (think “Japanese Tsunami” and “Twitter”), but even when he said things that some found hurtful or in bad taste, I am absolutely confident he said none of it with a molecule of malice. His desire was to make people laugh, and I honestly don’t think there was a cruel bone in his body. He was a clown, and he loved being a clown.
Third, and relatedly, he was genuinely funny. He had various flavors of humor, but probably my favorite was how he handled the roasts. Here’s a sampler for you:
And, of course, my favorite of all time, his two hour jag with Norm Macdonald, which was totally conversational and incredibly clever.
I’m glad Dara and Gilbert found each other (and God bless Dara!). I’m glad Gilbert became a father. And I’m sorry he had to leave his children so early in their lives. He will be missed. Lastly, below is a color photo he and Frank (his co-host) mailed to me last year. I shall treasure it. Good-bye, Gilbert, and thank you.
