Another unexpected passing alongside the, “I didn’t know he was ill!” story but Gilbert left behind a pretty good legacy. Many forget that he was a member of the worst SNL cast (1980-81) in history so his career’s second act bordered on miraculous, especially compared to the unfortunate Charlie Rocket. For those too young to know because I’m pretty sure NBC has locked up the season in a vault, Gilbert belonged to the first ensemble after the inaugural cast moved on to middling success in crap films, SitComs and drug overdoses. Were they truly awful and unfunny? Not always despite the common criticism of them being called Saturday Night Vile and calls to have the show put out of its misery. In my opinion the cast was learning to find their voice as they were practically starting from nothing in the wake of some truly talented and overrated (Chevy Chase and Bill Murray especially) people. Plus the audience and critics were remembering 1975-80 with rose-colored glasses which were heavily fogged up by weed, cocaine and Boomer nostalgia. Belushi and company often didn’t stick the landing neither, unless you were high as they were. Only Joe Piscopo (now a GOP blowhard pondering elected office) and Eddie Murphy (also overrated) were spared and Gilbert was expected to join the others in obscurity.
Several years later, he re-appeared on my radar as MTV’s “general manager” via their ads using his trademark, annoying voice. I didn’t care for it as a teenager but then I saw him do stand-up on David Letterman. Boy did he kill. I loved it. He did this hilarious routine about being trapped on a desert island where all the residents’ names were stated with a pretentious middle initial (e.g. Michael J. Fox) only to take shelter elsewhere, another island with residents known by just one name (Cher).
Gilbert continued to make the rounds, small roles in movies and SitComs. What probably cemented his career with the general public was playing Iago, the villain Jafar’s sidekick parrot. Once again, like Bobcat Goldthwait, he was known for the voice. It gave him additional work through cartoons: the evil Dentist in Fairly Oddparents, Art DeSalvo on Duckman, Kraaang Sub-Prime for TMNT, George Zucco on Crank Yankers, the AFLAC Duck in those commercials and to me, the role he was born to play…Mr. Mxyzptlk with Superman and Justice League.
Thanks for everything Gilbert! I’m sorry I misjudged you in my youth like everybody did after your stint on SNL. You were truly a funny and lovable person since many spoke about you positively unlike Bill Cosby and Jerry Lewis. You were way more than a comedians comedian or a stereotype of a loud person. You were genuinely clever, humorous and will go on to be a legend, especially in being one of the best to tell the aristocrats joke.