Hours after the family of Gilbert Gottfried announced his death on Twitter, that very account was temporarily hacked by someone from outside the late comedian’s team. While hacked, the account made four tweets, a few with their fair share of obscenities. Before too long, however, Gottfried’s camp managed to get control of the account once again, deleting the tweets in question, and returning it to its state prior to the hacking.
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While hacked, the account’s bio read that it was hacked by someone promoting their Instagram account, but according to The Daily Dot’s Mikael Thalen, that Instagrammer denied any responsibility for the hacking. “The IG user, who is blamed for the hack in Gottfried’s bio, told me he’s not responsibile and blamed two hackers on Twitter,” Thalen tweeted Tuesday afternoon.
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness,” the family statement reads. “In addition to being the most iconic voice in comedy, Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend and father to his two young children. Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor. Love, the Gottfried family.”
Tuesday evening, Entertainment Tonight reported Gottfried’s long illness was a result of “recurrent ventricular tachycardia due to myotonic dystrophy type II, described as an inherited dystrophy that affects the muscles and other systems, which could result in an abnormal heartbeat.”
News first surfaced through comedian and actor Jason Alexander, who paid tribute on Twitter Tuesday morning prior to official word of Gottfried’s death passing.
“Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter did not come easily. What a gift. I did not know him well but I loved what he shared with me. My best wishes and sympathy to his family. #ripGilbertGottfried,” Alexander wrote on Twitter. Fellow comedian and editor Emery Emery also shared a message mourning the passing of Gottfried: “On the morning I’m releasing my latest film, I discover my friend and colleague, Gilbert Gottfried has passed. I am so so sad. Gilbert graciously lent his voice to the ‘Science Friction’ project and he will be dearly missed but never forgotten. This is his hilarious contribution.”
