Comedian Gilbert Gottfried Died Of Rare Heart Abnormality

Stand-up comedian Gilbert Gottfried died at the age of 67, his family said.

"We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Gilbert Gottfried after a long illness," his family wrote in a statement shared on his Twitter account.

"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 statement said. "Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert’s honor."

Gottfried died Tuesday, April 12, from a rare type of heart abnormality called Ventricular Tachycardia due to myotonic dystrophy type II, his longtime friend and publicist, Glenn Schwartz, said.

Gottfried performed stand-up comedy for over 50 years, and was popularly known as "the comedian's comedian" "because his live performances put aside political correctness while he delivers jokes that know no boundaries," his representative said in a statement.

Gottfried could be "brash, shocking, and frequently offensive, but the man behind the jokes was anything but," Frank Santopadre, the co-host of Gottfried's podcast, said in a statement.

"Those who loved him and who 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," Santopadre added.

Other comic actors paid their tributes to the legendary comedian.

"A wholly original comic, and an equally kind and humble guy behind the scenes," Seth MacFarlane, creator of the animated series Family Guy and director of the comedy film A Million Ways to Die in the West said on Twitter. "He will be missed."

Actor Jason Alexander shared his condolences.

"Gilbert Gottfried made me laugh at times when laughter did not come easily. What a gift," he wrote on Twitter. "I did not know him well but I loved what he shared with me. My best wishes and sympathy to his family. #ripGilbertGottfried"

Gottfried was best known for being the voice of Iago, the sarcastic talking parrot in Disney’s 1992 animated film "Aladdin".

Gilbert leaves behind his wife, Dara, who he married in 2007, and his two kids, Lily and Max.