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Gottfried, ex-Aflac voice, apologizes for tweets

NEW YORK, March 15 | Tue Mar 15, 2011 2:02pm EDT

NEW YORK, March 15 (Reuters)- Comedian Gilbert Gottfried apologized on Tuesday for a series of jokes made on Twitter about the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, comments which got him fired as the voice of insurer Aflac (AFL.N).

"I sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended by my attempt at humor regarding the tragedy in Japan. I meant no disrespect, and my thoughts are with the victims and their families," Gottfried said in a statement.

Since 2000, the comedian had been the voice of the quacking duck in Aflac's commercials, shouting "Af-LAC!" at opportune moments.

But the company was quick to dismiss him after a dozen jokes made on his Twitter account last weekend, many of them crude and sexual riffs on the effects of the disaster.

Aflac made its name selling cancer expense policies in Japan in the 1970s and still derives about three-quarters of its revenue there. (Reporting by Ben Berkowitz, editing by Dave Zimmerman)

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Comments (3)
nocroman wrote:
Good God,
What ever happened to FREEDOM of speech here in America.
Any Company, corporation, or person firing or taking punative action against someone for making a joke (in bad taste or not) or statement is guilt of violating our constitutional right to freedom of speech and should be prosectuted to the full extent of the law!

Mar 15, 2011 2:53pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
nocroman wrote:
Good God,
What ever happened to FREEDOM of speech here in America.
Any Company, corporation, or person firing or taking punative action against someone for making a joke (in bad taste or not) or statement is guilt of violating our constitutional right to freedom of speech and should be prosectuted to the full extent of the law!

Mar 15, 2011 2:53pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
ltwain wrote:
Constitutional right to free speech affects government interference not a “Company, corporation, or person”

Mar 15, 2011 3:08pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
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