Gilbert Gottfried's Cameo Earnings Will Blow Your Mind
Fans of the actor and comedian Gilbert Gottfried have been remembering Gottfried and celebrating his life after his death at 67 years old on April 12, 2022.
Gottfried, best known for the affectation of his voice and squinting eyes he utilized as part of his comedy routine and as the voice of the parrot Iago in the Disney film series "Aladdin," is among a number of beloved stand-up comedians who have died in recent months, including Bob Saget and Norm Macdonald. Gottfried's career spanned decades; according to his official website, he started performing comedy at open mic nights in New York City as a teenager, and he was still making appearances on late-night talk shows and working as a voice actor on the long-running PBS series "Cyberchase" as recently as this year (via IMDb). Gottfried's commitment to dark humor and reputation as a comedian with few limits led to some of the most storied inside humor moments in comedy history, such as his 9/11 joke and subsequent "Aristocrats" bit at a Friar's Club roast in New York City just weeks after Sept. 11, 2001 (via the Observer).
Though Gottfried's immensely successful career took him on all kinds of acting and performing roles, it's possible he could be best remembered for his more recent, prolific use of a social media app that allows celebrities and fans to connect in a unique way.
Gilbert Gottfried reportedly earned over $2 million from Cameo
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gilbert Gottfried recorded over 12,000 video messages to fans on the app Cameo since he joined the platform in 2018. Gottfried reportedly charged around $175 for each video; a high level of video content production earned the late comedian around $2 million over the last four years, as well as some special consideration within Cameo's operation.
Cameo CEO Steven Galanis told THR that Gottfried would certainly appear on the company's hypothetical Mount Rushmore due to the effort he put into his videos. In total, THR writes that Gottfried's 12,000-plus recorded videos on the app account for more than 200 hours of footage of the iconic stand-up comedian and voice actor cracking individualized jokes, most frequently from within the walls of his bathroom at home.
"He had a magic voice," Galanis told THR. "That voice worked so well on our medium. And he'd make faces. Every video is iconic. You want to share it."
It appears Gottfried may have been savvy to set his price relatively low for success on Cameo. While $175 is no small number for a personalized video from a comedian, several celebrities who use the service charge far more. Among actors and comedians on Cameo, Caitlyn Jenner charges the most amount of money per video at $2,500, with investor and "Shark Tank" presenter Kevin O'Leary charging $1,500 per video. Additionally, retired boxer Floyd Mayweather charges a whopping $15,000 per video.