Up & Adam: The Gottfried Special

A Family of Irrepressible Geniuses

I’ve been writing a feature film about Gilbert Gottfried for the past two years in between all the other beautiful projects I juggle. I’m obsessed. And like all good things - the more time I spend in the Gilbert-verse, the more obsessed I become. My favorite projects, I used to realize much later, end up teaching me so much more about myself than I ever intend. Making those connections earlier has some advantages and recording these interviews with a few of my favorite people is the biggest one. I followed the love and it brought me here. It’s also I realize typing this the even bigger gift of feeling more fearless like my heroes Gil and Arlene - fearless enough to share my obsessions with the world.

BEHOLD! My hang with Dara Gottfried, wife of Gilbert and super-creative cultural conduit, as we nerd out on one of my favorite subjects of all time: The Gottfrieds. Discover the unsung genius of Arlene Gottfried, Gilbert’s sister and his near opposite. We explore her lifetime of her unflinchingly beautiful New York street photography that spans five decades and the late-life discovery of her unstoppable singing voice she never knew she had. Plus, witness the jaw-dropping talent of voice actor Barrett Leddy who is bringing Gilbert’s legacy to the next generation.

It was fully my intention to release this yesterday February 28th, 2024 on what would have been Gilbert’s 69th birthday. A tiny gift for his fans like me who miss him so much and just had no idea what we really lost until he was gone. Then Richard Lewis’ death yesterday completely Dick Blocked this post, which is fairly typical for Richard and Gilbert, and I took that as a sign from the comedy gods that maybe it’s darkest before the dawn and the sun could come out tomorrow and all that jazz if you follow.

And now, as Gil would write in his anniversary cards to Dara:

Go fuck yourself 10,000 x,

Adam