What You Didn't Know About Gilbert Gottfried's Wife
There are few comedians as recognizable as Gilbert Gottfried – from his distinct voice to his hilarious form of comedy, there was no one like him around. Sadly, the iconic funny man passed away at the age of 67, with his team announcing his passing on Twitter on April 12. His death was caused by complications from muscular dystrophy, and he sadly leaves behind his wife and two children.
The news of Gottfried's passing shocked friends and colleagues alike, and while he was known for making his fans laugh, he was a beloved family man at home. His wife keeps a lower profile, but the love they shared was public knowledge.
Gottfried's family broke the news of his death
Gilbert Gottfried's tragic passing was made public in a Twitter post delivered by his team and family. The tweet recalled the comedian's storied career, as well as his contributions to voice work. But amid his professional accolades was a heart-tugging sentiment about Gottfriend's dedication to his family — to wife Dara Kravitz, and to children Lily and Max.
"Gilbert was a wonderful husband, brother, friend, and father to his two young children," the announcement on Twitter read, concluding with a request of the comedian's fans. "Although today is a sad day for all of us, please keep laughing as loud as possible in Gilbert's honor," the Gottfried family wrote.
Any further details surrounding Gottfried's death are unknown at this time (per NBC News).
Gottfried's wife worked in the entertainment industry before she met him
Gilbert Gottfried's wife, Dara Kravitz, is successful within her own right. Before her path crossed with Gottfried's, she worked in the music industry, having sparked her love of the business while she was still in college, according to Celebs Podium. By the 1990s, she had access to some of the biggest events in music, and her personal life changed in the years that came.
Per The Sun UK, Gottfried and Kravitz met at a Grammys party in 1997 and the rest, as we now know, was history. Aside from her music industry roots, Kravitz has worked in Hollywood producing films, working alongside her hilarious husband.
The couple loved to talk about their relationship
Gilbert Gottfried and Dara Kravitz were never afraid to share their love story with the world. According to The New York Times, their lives together started out funny (no surprise there). At the Grammy Awards, Kravitz dropped food off the table, and the comedian seized the opportunity. "Gilbert picked it up and put it on his plate," she recalled, adding, "I looked at him, like, 'Who is this guy?' He looked sad and lost and childlike. I thought he was adorable."
The couple got married in 2007, per Heavy, and while they decided to keep a low profile, they never shied away from telling adorable stories about their love, eventually bringing it to television.
The Gottfrieds showed off their family on Celebrity Wife Swap
One of the couple's most well-known moments came when they were featured on "Celebrity Wife Swap," switching wives with Alan Thicke (via HuffPost). Of course, Gilbert Gottfried was hilarious throughout the episode, but his sweet relationship with Dara Kravitz is what was shown off the most.
In the episode, Kravitz called her husband a "gentle genius," adding, "I knew I'd never find anyone else like him," to which Gottfried replied, "Most people are hoping that they never find anyone like me," (per The New York Times).
The pair and their children won over the hearts of the "Celebrity Wife Swap" viewers, to which we're not at all surprised.
Kravtiz stood by Gottfried through the good and bad
Gilbert Gottfried faced some scandals throughout his career, mostly notably for making jokes at inopportune times. For example, in 2011, he was fired by Aflac — Gottfried voiced the company's well-known duck mascot — after distasteful tweets surfaced regarding a devastating earthquake in Japan (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Dara Kravitz always supported Gottfried, however, and revealed her true feelings about her husband's intentions. "It was so hard," she said. "I just wanted to yell out to everybody, 'My husband's a good man!' He didn't mean any harm," (via The New York Times).
Kravitz also supported his wild jokes. Of his kids, Gottfried once said, "I only beat them when I'm on crystal meth. I'm proud of that," and Kravitz just laughed it off. They were the perfect match, and the comedian will be greatly missed.