The Aflac duck has been silenced

[ph4ever]

The Aflac duck lost its voice Monday after the insurance giant fired the comedian behind the commercial quack for tweeting jokes about the earthquake and tsunami that has devastated Japan.

The Columbus, Georgia-based company fired Gilbert Gottfried less than an hour after discovering the tweets, according to a news release from Aflac.

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[springparrot]

He's an idiot

[pair8head]

I was just reading an article about this on Yahoo news and they said they will be looking for a replacement.
One of the comments under the the article said.
"Charlie Sheen is available" and I damn near spit coffee on my monitor.

[chippewa]

That's going to be the easiest replacement ever. He just has one line, and most 12-year-old kids do a pretty decent impression of that already. They'll go from paying this idiot six figures to paying an out of work actor scale wages.

[LIPH]

I always wondered how that doofus had a career. He was never funny.

[pair8head]

That's going to be the easiest replacement ever. He just has one line, and most 12-year-old kids do a pretty decent impression of that already. They'll go from paying this idiot six figures to paying an out of work actor scale wages.

I'm thinking they are gonna go a totally new direction. Believe they want to put as much distance between themselves and this Moron as they can. So no imitations. Maybe they will follow what they have in Japan and make it a mellow voice?

[chippewa]

That's going to be the easiest replacement ever. He just has one line, and most 12-year-old kids do a pretty decent impression of that already. They'll go from paying this idiot six figures to paying an out of work actor scale wages.

I'm thinking they are gonna go a totally new direction. Believe they want to put as much distance between themselves and this Moron as they can. So no imitations. Maybe they will follow what they have in Japan and make it a mellow voice?

They built the entire brand around that duck, so they have to keep him but they could change the voice. I think they should use the Old Spice guy.

"Helloooo ladies...."

[buffettbride]

That's going to be the easiest replacement ever. He just has one line, and most 12-year-old kids do a pretty decent impression of that already. They'll go from paying this idiot six figures to paying an out of work actor scale wages.

I'm thinking they are gonna go a totally new direction. Believe they want to put as much distance between themselves and this Moron as they can. So no imitations. Maybe they will follow what they have in Japan and make it a mellow voice?

They built the entire brand around that duck, so they have to keep him but they could change the voice. I think they should use the Old Spice guy.

"Helloooo ladies...."

"I'm the duck your duck should smell like..."

[buffettbride]

They actually have a good opportunity for brand positioning---have viewers submit their best "Aflac" voice. The winner gets "prize money" and company gets permanent rights to use their voice for duck sounds.

[chippewa]

That's going to be the easiest replacement ever. He just has one line, and most 12-year-old kids do a pretty decent impression of that already. They'll go from paying this idiot six figures to paying an out of work actor scale wages.

I'm thinking they are gonna go a totally new direction. Believe they want to put as much distance between themselves and this Moron as they can. So no imitations. Maybe they will follow what they have in Japan and make it a mellow voice?

They built the entire brand around that duck, so they have to keep him but they could change the voice. I think they should use the Old Spice guy.

"Helloooo ladies...."

"I'm the duck your duck should smell like..."

"Look at me. Now look at your duck. Now back to me...."

[springparrot]

That's going to be the easiest replacement ever. He just has one line, and most 12-year-old kids do a pretty decent impression of that already. They'll go from paying this idiot six figures to paying an out of work actor scale wages.

I'm thinking they are gonna go a totally new direction. Believe they want to put as much distance between themselves and this Moron as they can. So no imitations. Maybe they will follow what they have in Japan and make it a mellow voice?

They built the entire brand around that duck, so they have to keep him but they could change the voice. I think they should use the Old Spice guy.

"Helloooo ladies...."

"I'm the duck your duck should smell like..."

"Look at me. Now look at your duck. Now back to me...."

LOL @ Mal and Chip

[citcat]

He also does the Beggin' Strips commercial. He's most annoying and never funny. I guess it's all a matter of your comedy taste.
He really tweeted jokes about the Japan disaster ?

[pair8head]

He also does the Beggin' Strips commercial. He's most annoying and never funny. I guess it's all a matter of your comedy taste.
He really tweeted jokes about the Japan disaster ?

Jokes is stretching it. I'd say more like a nasty comment or two.

[Ol'_'96'er]

if those were the only two tweets he made, yeah, they weren't funny. yes, Gilbert Gottfried is a loud, annoying, pigeon-holed actor. However, the jokes were not disgusting (can we say tying the situation at the nuclear plant; etc.), and if you hire Gilbert Gottfried, it's not like you think you have Julie Andrews for a spokesperson, only to turn around and find you have Amy Winehouse.

I think there is a bit more to this story behind the scenes; perhaps his contract is up and he was pushing for more money?

[popcornjack]

In no way defending what he said.....

2 stories about Gilbert. 1) within days of the 9/11 tragedy, Comedy Central was filming a roast for (I think Hugh Hefner). GG made a joke that said "I'm worried about the flight I'm supposed to make to Los Angeles. The connection is at the Empire State Building." Needless to say he got crushed. But if you watch the movie "The Aristocrats" http://www.ovguide.com/movies_tv/the_aristocrats.htm which you (supposedly) can do there, you'll see the comics talk about it

2) gets even better. I met him at a first edit of that movie. he was one of the last to arrive and first to leave. he was quiet as quiet could be. I was lucky to be there, and to have been invited to the screening, and he was as gracious as he could be (while trying to be as non-observant as possible.)

NOW: None of that excuses his jokes, and I'm not trying to defend him. I'm just saying, before people start stock piling their rocks, remember first about the glass houses you may know.

(In other words, most of us have shot our mouths off. Very view of us have to pay the price for a moment of stupidity like he does.)

[sonofabeach]

I heard about this today on BTLS. I'm all for twisted jokes but the jokes I heard were not even funny.

[SeattleParrotHead]

Gilbert kinda sounded like you'd expect a duck to sound....
If they want to go in a different direction, how about James Earl Jones?

[Nighthawk]

Afflec is the worse company to deal with if your trying to collect a claim. No wonder they do this crap. Most of their doings are in Japan. I for one, Good for him, I am sure this will only help him land a pure American Deal. Better yet.. Lets get him and Charlie Sheen on a show....

[buffettbride]

Gilbert kinda sounded like you'd expect a duck to sound....
If they want to go in a different direction, how about James Earl Jones?

Use the force, Duck. Use the force.

or Duck, I am your father.

[SeattleParrotHead]

That's what I wuz thinkin' ... Then I read this: http://newslite.tv/2009/05/11/darth-vad ... s-mos.html

Darth Vader telling Luke Skywalker "Luke, I am your father" is a line most movie fans will never forget ... or it would be, if it had ever been said.
The line, from The Empire Strikes Back, was never actually said and is the most misquoted line in movie history.