Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines 4/12
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Gilbert Gottfried showed support for Chris Rock in his final days.
Gottfried, one of the most recognizable voices in show business, died after a long illness on Tuesday. He was 67.
A look at Gottfried's social media history shows that the last Twitter and Instagram posts he shared with his fans featured a selfie of him and fellow comedian Rock. He called attention to the Oscars controversy, in which Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's bald head and was subsequently slapped on live television by Will Smith.
"Which is the worst crime? Chris Rock being physically assaulted or Chris Rock a telling a joke?" Gottfried captioned the selfie on March 28, just one day after the Oscars ceremony.
COMEDIAN AND 'ALADDIN' STAR GILBERT GOTTFRIED DEAD AT 67 AFTER ILLNESS
It appeared that Gottfried, known for his voice role in "Aladdin," was siding with Rock. The March 28 post would be his final posts prior to his team announcing his passing on Tuesday.
"We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness. In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children," the actor and comedian’s verified Twitter account shared on Tuesday in a statement.
"Although today is a sad day for us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor. Love the Gottfried family," the statement concluded.
GILBERT GOTTFRIED: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE LATE 'ALADDIN' STAR AND COMEDIAN
Will Smith hits Chris Rock while the comedian was presenting the award for best documentary feature at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
The esteemed performer died just after 2:30 pm ET on Tuesday from recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to myotonic dystrophy type II, his longtime friend and publicist Glenn Schwartz told Fox News Digital.
Gilbert’s friend and podcast co-host Frank Santopadre said of Gilbert, "Gilbert’s brand of humor was brash, shocking and frequently offensive, but the man behind the jokes was anything but. Those who loved him and were fortunate enough to share his orbit knew a person who was sweet, sensitive, surprisingly shy and filled with a childlike sense of playfulness and wonder. He’ll be dearly missed by family, friends, fans and comedy-lovers the world over. To quote Gilbert himself, ‘Too soon!’"
Gottfried’s work in television soon led to roles in film. Most notable was his scene as business manager Sidney Bernstein in the hit sequel "Beverly Hills Cop II," for which Gottfried was lauded for stealing the picture "with a single scene."
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Gottfried also did frequent voice work for children's television and movies, most famously playing the parrot Iago in Disney's "Aladdin."
The year has already seen the loss of several beloved comedians, including Louie Anderson and Bob Saget.
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In January, Gottfried tweeted a picture of the three men together, with the text, "This photo is very sad now. RIP Bob Saget and RIP Louie Anderson. Both good friends that will be missed."
The year has already seen the loss of several beloved comedians, including Louie Anderson and Bob Saget. (Jim Spellman/WireImage | JC Olivera/WireImage)
Gottfried is survived by his wife Dara, daughter Lily, 14, son Max, 12, sister Karen and nephew Graham.
Fox News' Julius Young and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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