Gilbert Gottfried fired as Aflac duck for Japan jokes on Twitter
Will Brinson
Twitter is a place where people make jokes about things that are happening in the moment. But usually those jokes are about something like how bad the Miami Heat stink, or something relatively humorous with no real-world implications. Not an earthquake/tsunami combo in Japan.
However, comedian Gilbert Gottfried decided Japan, in the midst of its national crisis, was a solid target of jokes. And as a result he’s been fired by Aflac as the voice of the famous insurance duck.
“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,” said Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Michael Zuna via People.com. “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.”
First of all, it’s messed up to make jokes about Japan in the middle of a natural disaster that’s risking nuclear meltdown. For those wondering, here are some of Gottfried’s jokes:
- “I just split up with my girlfriend, but like the Japanese say, “There’ll be another one floating by any minute now.”
- “Japan called me. They said “maybe those jokes are a hit in the US, but over here, they’re all sinking.”
- “What do the Japanese have in common with @howardstern? They’re both radio active.”
- “Japan is really advanced. They don’t go to the beach. The beach comes to them.”
So, yeah, secondly, those aren’t even that funny, right? If you’re going to lose your job over picking up a couple hundred (or maybe losing, now that I think about it) followers on Twitter, make sure you bring the thunder, please.
Finally, what does it say about our culture that a) Gilbert Gottfried still has a job and b) it was as an animal that serves as a famous animal who represents an insurance company. I mean, he makes the GEICO Gecko sound like tranquil spa music and, yet, he’s still getting shoved in our face every few minutes it feels like.
Well, no more, folks. Unless you’re bored enough to follow him on Twitter.
Gilbert Gottfried fired after jokes about the earthquake, tsunami in Japan – [International Business Times]
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