Gilbert Gottfried, standup comic and actor, dies at 67

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gilbert Gottfried, the actor and legendary standup comic known for his raw, scorched voice and crude jokes, has died. His publicist Glenn Schwartz said in a statement that Gottfried died Tuesday at age 67.

Gottfried died from a rare genetic muscle disease that can trigger a dangerously abnormal heartbeat. his publicist and longtime friend Glenn Schwartz said in a statement.

Gottfried was a fiercely independent and intentionally bizarre comedian’s comedian, as likely to clear a room with anti-comedy as he was to kill with his jokes. He first came to national attention with frequent appearances on MTV in its early days and as a cast member of “Saturday Night Live” in the 1980s.

Gottfried also did voice work for children’s television and movies, most famously playing the parrot Iago in Disney’s “Aladdin.”