Gilbert Gottfried (born February 28, 1955) is an American actor, voice actor and stand-up comedian best known for his trademark comedic persona of speaking in a loud, grating tone of voice and squinting. He has played numerous roles in film and television, perhaps most notably voicing the parrot Iago in Disney's Aladdin (1992), and co-starred in the Problem Child movies. He is also known for voicing Digit in the children's cartoon/educational math-based show Cyberchase, and the Aflac Duck until 2011. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1955, Gottfried is the youngest of three children. At age fifteen, Gilbert Gottfried began doing amateur stand-up in New York City and, after a few years, became known around New York as "the comedian's comedian." In 1980, Saturday Night Live was being retooled with a new staff and new comedians; the producers noticed Gottfried and hired him as a cast member. During the 1980–1981 season, Gottfried's persona in SNL sketches was very different from his later characterization: he rarely (if ever) spoke in his trademark screeching, obnoxious voice and never squinted. During his 12-episode stint, he was given very little airtime and seldom used in sketches.
Gilbert Gottfried wants Elmo!! Or to rephrase less creepily ... he wants to be Elmo's voice -- so, he dropped an audition on us, along with some jokes you'll never hear on "Sesame Street!"Check… READ MORE >
The dude who replaced Gilbert Gottfried as the voice of the Aflac duck is already living like a mega-star -- with appointments all over NYC today ... but Daniel McKeague wasn't too busy to give us… READ MORE >
After weeks of silence, the Aflac Duck has a brand new voice -- courtesy of a 36-year-old dad from Minnesota. The insurance company announced the new voice will be provided by a dude named Daniel… READ MORE >
With Gilbert Gottfried fired for his tsunami jokes ... the people at Aflac found a clever way to keep their famous duck alive while they hunt for the replacement voice ... and it's the oldest… READ MORE >
He might not have corporate support -- but tsunami-jokester Gilbert Gottfried is PROUD that some of the funniest people on the planet have rushed to his defense when Aflac gave him the chop.… READ MORE >
Gilbert Gottfried is eating his incredibly tasteless words -- in fact, the comic just took to Twitter to make a public apology after mocking the victims of the tsunami in Japan ... writing, "I… READ MORE >
Howard Stern is lashing out at Aflac for firing Gilbert Gottfried -- the voice behind their famous duck mascot -- claiming the comic's tasteless Japanese tsunami jokes were just Gilbert being… READ MORE >
Gilbert Gottfried was fired by Aflac from his gig as the voice of its duck mascot in the wake of his controversial series of tweets about the earthquake in Japan.The company released a statement… READ MORE >
As the death toll creeps towards 3,000 ... and the fear of a nuclear disaster looms ... comedian Gilbert Gottfried decided the timing was right for some completely tasteless Japan tsunami jokes.… READ MORE >
Lisa Lampanelli didn't think Gilbert Gottfried was out of line when he cracked a cremation joke about Greg Giraldo just hours after his death -- in fact, Lisa thinks Greg would've appreciated… READ MORE >
