#neil berkeley

“Gilbert is never more moving than when it veers away from its subject to concentrate instead on the older, multifaceted Arlene, who passed away in August 2017. Arlene saw street photography and, later, gospel-singing as personal, spirit-lifting forms of expression that were as equally vital as her brother’s comedy. Berkeley’s film quietly pulses with the knowledge that we all have our coping mechanisms, whether it be the soothing click of a camera-eye or the roaring, cathartic laughter of a full and reciprocative house.” — Matthew Eng

A new documentary about comic provocateur Gilbert Gottfried is one of the year’s most unexpected heartwarmers.

It really takes a special kind of comedian to be worthy of a documentary that puts their life, both on and off stage, under the microscope.

Gilbert Gottfried is definitely one of those comedians.

The upcoming documentary Gilbert from Neil Berkeley will not only looks into the long, winding, storied career of Gottfried, but show what he’s like in between being the unmistakable voice on stage and screen. In fact, you get to hear what his real voice sounds like. 

See for yourself in the trailer.

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zwshIyXm5A)

TODAY'S GUEST: Neil Berkeley, director, "Gilbert: A Gilbert Gottfried Story"

"Little Gilbert, Happy At Last."

You know why that isn’t the title of Neil Berkeley’s revealing, behind-the-scenes documentary about the life and career of comedian Gilbert Gottfried?

Because who the hell wants to see Gilbert Gottfried happy???

And yet…

The stand-up comic, who may be the most acquired taste in the business, nonetheless is happy. Or, at the very least, content.

Thanks to a late-in-life marriage and fatherhood, Gottfried’s human experience took a twist nobody saw coming, least of all him. But meeting his sisters, discovering his mother, and getting to know his wife, Dara, and his two adoring children, it appears he was capable of living a full life all along. He just never knew it.

For me, discovering this side of Gilbert occurred when I started listening to his podcast, “Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing, Colossal Podcast,” which the comedian hosts with his long-time pal Frank Santopadre.

Joining me today is Neil Berkeley, director of the elegantly titled documentary, Gilbert. Will you like it? My wife did and she’s never been a Gottfried fan, so I bet you will.

4/15/25

Happy Birthday to Gilbert Gottfried! 2017 VIDEO INTERVIEW with Neil Berkeley, director of Gilbert Gottfried documentary

NEIL BERKELEY podcast excerpt: “Gilbert will admit that kids are going to outgrow him emotionally and mentally soon.”

Gilbert (2017)

Gilbert Gottfried found fame in the 1980s, when he became widely known for his off-beat comedy and brash personality. He has since reinvented himself as a family man, a transition explored in this documentary, which also explores the hilarity and poignance of his life.

Directed by:   Neil Berkeley