Gilbert Gottfried Fired from Aflac Over Twitter Comments

As well he should be, if I have anything to say about it.

Gilbert Gottfried, the comedian who voiced the duck for the Aflac insurance commercials, took to his Twitter account yesterday to make some really fucking distasteful jokes about the disaster that occurred in Japan last week.

Gottfried, who’s always had the funny voice, but oddly enough, never been funny, was officially released from his duties late Monday night. According to the insurance company’s VP:

“Gilbert’s recent comments about the crisis in Japan were lacking in humor and certainly do not represent the thoughts and feelings of anyone at Aflac. Aflac Japan – and by extension, Japan itself – is part of the Aflac family, and there is no place for anything but compassion and concern during these difficult times.”

Well said. I mean, let’s get real here: the quake that rocked Japan was upgraded from an 8.9 to a 9.0. It’s one of the biggest on record in modern history. The quake MOVED THE ISLAND OF JAPAN thirteen FEET. The earth now spins on an axis that’s been calculated to be four inches different than what it was a few weeks ago, over a half-million people are displaced, the death toll is rising, the number of missing is astronomical, and there’s the very real possibility that a nuclear meltdown may occur at not one, but a couple, of reactors in the area. This disaster is one of epic proportions, and the loss of humans, quality of life, and damage to infrastructure almost goes beyond my comprehension. My heart is broken for these people, all of whom I do not even KNOW.

I am sickened, saddened, and appalled at the way a comedian – even a sub-par comedian – could try to capitalize off of this type of circumstance, because guys? There’s nothing fucking funny or lighthearted about ANY of it.