Aflac fired the voice of its duck, Gilbert Gottfried, after comedian made insensitive remarks about the disaster in Japan -
Aflac fired the voice of its iconic duck, Gilbert Gottfried, after the comedian made insensitive remarks about the disaster in Japan.
The decision by the insurer on Monday came after the actor, long known for making inappropriate comments, posted messages onTwitter that made light of the fallout from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
“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,” Michael Zuna, the company’s chief marketing officer said in a statement. “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.”
Several of the tweets were sexual in nature, a common theme on Mr. Gottfried’s Twitter feed. The actor has previously used his account on the social media blogging site to post jokes, sometimes in questionable taste. The messages related to Japan have since been removed from Mr. Gottfried’s Twitter feed.
Mr. Gottfried is not new to controversy. Three weeks after 9/11 attacks, he made light of the tragedy at a Friars Club roast for Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. The comments prompted boos from the audience, one of whom said it was “too soon,” according to a New York Observer article at the time.
Aflacc is now conducting a nationwide search for a new actor to play its beloved duck. The company — which noted that Mr. Gottfried is not the voice of the duck in Japan — last week announced that it was donating 100 million yen to the International Red Cross for disaster assistance.
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