New Jersey comedians remember Gilbert Gottfried

I was so shocked and so saddened at the death of Gilbert Gottfried. I wasn't close to him and didn't know him the way some did, but I did work with him on a few shows over the years and he was always a great guy to work with. So sweet and polite before and after the show.

When he took the stage he was a completely different person, fearless and one of the few comics left who could make you laugh until your sides hurt.

Gilbert was the farthest thing from political correctness and I loved him for it. He would go out of his way to remind you of how outrageous the joke he just said was by repeating it with emphasis almost as if to say "Did you hear what I just said?"

We heard and we laughed and we loved the comedy and the person that was/is Gilbert Gottfried.

I'm wondering if he's telling St. Peter "The Aristocrat" joke so he can get into heaven in time for the Easter Show. Salute Gilbert!

Uncle Floyd and Gilbert and I performed at The Broadway Theatre in Pittman in April, 2019. Uncle Floyd Joined me on my show to talk about Gilbert, you can listen On-Demand starting at 1:30:30 , I also asked my comic friends for their thoughts on Gilbert:

"I worked with Gilbert a lot. We were on the Cosby show together. He was a dear man and we're going to miss him tremendously," he said.

Floyd once filled in for Gilbert.

"Gilbert had a show in the 80's on the USA Network called 'Up All Night with Gilbert Gottfried.' He had to go to the hospital for some kind of surgery so he had me fill in for two consecutive weeks, two Saturday nights. That's how much he thought of me and I think the world of him, his comedy, his heart was in the right place."

"A funny very sweet guy. One of a kind he will be missed".

"When I was a baby comic, I worked at a Chinese restaurant in Paramus and the booker said that one of the shows had Gilbert on it who was relatively unknown at the time, but within the comedy community already known. I sat and watched the show and said "Wow that's not like anything I have seen in my life. He was fearless, fearless. When you're a comic, fearless is good to aim for and very funny. So rest in peace Gilly, they'll never be another one like you."

"Gilbert was a kind gentleman with huge voice and a huge heart - his material was everyday man thoughts and put it on the plate - loud and direct …..sorry for his family- they will feel his loss greatly….."

"I worked with him many times in 1993, I was his opening act. He was the only entertainer that did his entire act with his eyes closed, it kind of made you listen closer. Then he would you with some punch line that was always just off the wall."

"Extremely sad news, he's definitely a comedic icon, and his voiceover for our flag was probably the most memorable voiceover of any kind it will definitely be missed I only work with him a couple of times and I didn't know him very well but he was always a very nice guy."

"Gilbert was truly one of a kind. A comics’ comic, a friend, a family man & an outlaw all rolled up into one hilarious, diminutive, Jewish man."

"I worked with him a bunch of times and loved watching him perform. He was fearless and liked making the audience uncomfortable with his bizarre and dark humor. Such a shame that he is no longer with us."

"He was one of the great guys in comedy. A tragic loss for the industry."

"Gilbert is an international celebrity. I was so privileged to work with him so many times, and ultimately call him my friend. His irreverence will never be matched."

Gene Nagel Owner of the Comedy Cove in Springfield:

"He was a gentle soul off stage. It was almost like he had a switch on him to become the stage persona he was. For such a slight physical man he was a giant when he took the stage. My favorite was his opener "You came to see Gilbert Gottfried. OK, now go home."

"Gilbert was a comic's comic. I had the opportunity and the privilege to work with him six times during my career, me, a comic nobody, never made me feel that way. He was a kind individual offstage very accommodating and very reserved very different from the persona that he brought on stage with him and he always made you laugh until your sides hurt."

"This was a man who achieved more fame than most, but never forgot where he came from because he LOVED performing stand-up. He also deserves credit for being an INCREDIBLE businessman. Every reality or game show that became a part of pop culture, you can rest assured that Gilbert would be on. He constantly grew his fan base, and those people would come out in droves to see him perforitm. My condolences to his family, friends, many fans, and all of the comics that I know adored him as much as I did."

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.

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