Last week my son called me with the bad news – Gilbert Gottfried had passed at 67, an age that seems terribly young to me now. Nate was apologetic about having to share word of another death with me, but at my age that comes (as the Music Man said) with the territory.
Frank Santopadre and Gilbert Gottfried
I hope Gilbert’s podcast partner, Frank Santopadre, will be able to continue their Amazing Colossal Podcast, which has been a glorious celebration and look back at all kinds of popular culture of the 20th Century, particularly film, but also TV and radio and even vaudeville. Gilbert was a master at impressions of obscure character actors, and a font of knowledge about show biz trivia (as is Frank).
When I did the show a few months ago, I was knocked out by Frank’s research, and his glee at being able to ask me, for example, why I liked the Ritz Brothers. Later, on the podcast, I explained myself – something I never expected to do in public, let alone in front of the smart, knowledgeable audience that had the sense to listen to this one-of-a-kind show.
The podcast, of course, is just one (if significant) part of Gilbert Gottfried’s contribution to popular culture. He laughed (and boy did he have a laugh) about me being a fan of his Saturday Night Live year (actually, twelve weeks); but I truly had been a fan (I liked Gail Matthius, too, and that Eddie Murphy kid showed promise). I have sympathy for that whole cast, who’d had the not enviable task of following in the original Not Ready for Primetime Players – after all, I followed Frank Miller into Batman, making me the Charles Rocket of Caped Crusader writers.
Gilbert’s character parts in various films were always funny stand-outs, from the Problem Child movies to Beverly Hills Cop II. Kids got to know that voice by the Aladdin movies and TV shows. But Gilbert’s bold adult delivery of the Aristocrats joke at the Friars’ Club roast of Hugh Hefner, less than three weeks after the 9/11 2001 terrorist attacks, was a shot across the bow at a humorless media. Perhaps the first victim of Cancel Culture – he lost his famous, lucrative Afflac duck gig after tweeting jokes about the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami – Gilbert’s public exposure of the can-you-top-this backstage filthy private joke shared by comics became the subject of The Aristrocrats, an excellent 2005 documentary film by Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette.
If you’ve never seen it, track down Gilbert, the 2017 documentary that charts the life and some typical days and nights of a truly sweet, unique eccentric. More than any comedian in history, Gilbert Gottfried could make the punchline of a joke irrelevant – it was always about his delivery, the set-up, the commentary along the way. The journey, not the destination.
For those who are not faint of heart, I recommend Gilbert’s stand-up DVD, Dirty Jokes (2005); it’s also on Amazon Prime.
On the podcast, Gilbert always introduced his guests with long, elaborate, well-researched (thanks, Frank!) bios. I was stunned hearing Gilbert’s (shall we say) distinctive voice going on for several minutes detailing my accomplishments as well as a few embarrassing details.
Perhaps some of you will understand what a treat and frankly honor it was for me to be guesting with my co-author, Dave Thomas, on Gilbert’s show. It’s still unbelievable that as a stone SCTV freak I am now friends with Dave Thomas. And to have shared space with two of my comic heroes for a couple of hours – I will treasure the memory.
Dave said to me, recently, “You really love comedy, don’t you?”
Yes. Yes I do. But some of it died with Gilbert Gottfried, and we really could have used him sticking around in this horrific, humorless era, when people would rather take self-righteous offense than just fucking laugh.
Here, for your enjoyment, is the Amazon France translation to English of their description of my novel A Life in Red (aka Bait Money):
I would love to read this novel!
Are you going to Bouchercon in Minneapolis this year? September 8-11, 2022? If so, and you’re registered, you’ve received an Anthony Awards ballot. The deadline for nominations is May 1st.
Here is a list of my books (some with Barb, one with Matt) that are eligible. If you haven’t voted yet, and liked any of these books, your vote would be appreciated. Here are the books (or in one a case a short story) that are eligible. You can vote for up to five in each category.
BEST HARDBACK NOVEL:
Antiques Carry On, Barbara Allan
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL:
Skim Deep, Max Allan Collins
The Many Lives of Jimmy Leighton, Dave Thomas & M.A.C.
Fancy Anders Goes to War, M.A.C.
To Live and Spy in Berlin, M.A.C. & Matthew V. Clemens
BEST SHORT STORY:
“What’s Wrong with Harley Quinn,” Barbara Allan in EQMM July/August 2021
BEST ANTHOLOGY:
Suspense – His and Hers, M.A.C. & Barbara Collins
Reincarnal & Other Dark Tales, M.A.C.
Turning the Tied, Jonathan Maberry (editor) – includes a story by M.A.C. and Matthew V. Clemens
This voting is only open to registrants of Bouchercon.
Paperback:
E-Book:
Digital Audiobook:
Speaking of To Live and Spy in Berlin, the audiobook is out now – which puts the entire trilogy on audio. A great Brit-inflected job by Brian J. Gill!
Check out an excerpt here:
The Menace by Mickey Spillane and me comes out next week. Read about it here.
M.A.C.
Tags: Anthony Awards, Awards, Bait Money, Bouchercon, John Sand, Nolan, Passings, To Live and Spy in Berlin
Thanks for this. Probably never known of the
sad news about Gilbert. His voice will live forever
in my head.
What a beautiful tribute and appreciation of our friend Gilbert, a man I never met, but who lit up our lives – with Frank – every week like a visit from old friends. I miss them already. Thanks for this. Everyone ought to know about and enjoy that podcast.
Max,
Gilbert was fearless and a comedian in the truest sense. He will be missed.
I managed to finish my Lonesome Dove trail ride and then devoured Quarry’s Blood in a day and a half. Now I can go back and look through the Meta references here on your blog posts and read some of the spoiler reviews to compare notes. Moved on directly to True Detective under your advisement and am currently enjoying Mr. Heller from Halle. Then you tempt me with this Nolan translation. I had to go to amazon.fr to read the original text.
The word “quarantine” in English comes from the Italian for 40 days, the amount of time some of the sick were kept in isolation. Here, the “quarantaine” in the French refers to the 40s (as in age). So, it would be “Among the thugs, the 40s are already the third age (i.e. post-retirement)”
As for the “fire in the buttocks and nothing in the cigar”, those are two colorful colloquialisms put together that are cleverly used with a little double entendre. “avoir le feu aux fesses” is literally to have fire in the buttocks, but more loosely translated to “horny.” At the same time, when one has “rien dans le cigare” it more means they have nothing upstairs, they are a little dimly lit. But, you would also ask for “un feu” to light your “cigare” and a “cigare” can be a slang term for the male sex organ (usually “cigare a moustache”), adding another layer to the horny bit from before. And that may be way too much French for anyone who, unlike me, isn’t a nerd for foreign languages.
I have a goal to read Leo Malet’s Nestor Burma novels in his original language, but I can already tell that this blurb for your book is right there in the pocket. Great, colorful, hardboiled. I hope it was the same person who does your translations!
Thanks for the write-up about Gilbert. I wholeheartedly agree.
The world is a darker, much less funny place without him in it.
Just fucking laugh I want that on my tombstone.
I keep hoping our humorless age will bring back something like a revival of camp, but no such luck.
Found “La vie en Rouge” on Amazon France
The description actually makes perfect sense in french , that translation in the column looks like something from Google Translate .
Example : “quarantaine” does mean quarantine but also means someone in their forties .
Luc
Thanks Max
For that heartfelt tribute to one of my comedy pals. Gibert was a one-of-a-kind, that’s for sure. And I loved it when he went too far – which was more often than not. And I feel for his podcast partner Frank who not only lost a great friend but also a job. Someone needs to give Frank his own podcast. He’d be an amazing host.
See!!! I really do know Dave Thomas! It’s not a hoax!
Is he that old guy that used to do the Wendy’s commercials? ;-) Take off….
A tip of the hat to Bill P for the Wendy’s tie in !
Please tell me you are working on another NOLAN yarn! (I inhale all of the NOLAN books.)
I’m with you. I hope Frank will continue in some capacity. The ACP is too good to let it go.
I was not a GG fan before the podcast. I thought of him as that irritating bird in Aladdin and that other, irritating bird from AFLAC. A friend suggested I listen to the ACP because of my love of Old Stuff. I did and for the next 6 years, I spent most of my lunch hours walking and listening. I quickly realized that Gilbert was a character. This Southern Baptist Girl fell in love with both Gilbert and Frank.
The documentary is fantastic. Gives a good insight to Gilbert, his work, his background, etc. Highly recommend it!
Celebrity deaths are a daily occurrence and they usually don’t affect me but Gilbert’s passing felt personal to me. I know that sounds crazy.