From USA TODAY…
Aflac dumps Gilbert Gottfried, voice of its duck, for tasteless tweets
COLUMBUS, Ga. — Aflac Inc. said Monday it has fired Gilbert Gottfried, the abrasive voice of the insurer’s quacking duck in the U.S., after the comedian posted a string of mocking jokes about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan on Twitter over the weekend.
The tasteless tweets are particularly problematic for Aflac because it does 75% of its business in Japan. One in four homes in Japan buys health insurance from Aflac. The insurer’s CEO, Daniel Amos, flew to Japan on Sunday to show support for the company’s employees and agents.
Aflac said in a statement Monday that Gottfried’s jokes do not represent the feelings of the company, which previously announced it would donate 100 million yen ($1.2 million) to the International Red Cross to help with disaster assistance.
“There is no place for anything but compassion and concern during these difficult times,” Chief Marketing Officer Michael Zuna said.
Gottfried has voiced the duck in numerous Aflac commercials since 2000. His career includes a run as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and a role as the voice of the parrot in Disney’s Aladdin. He has also recorded a 50-minute show of dirty jokes.
The insurer said it will start a casting search for his replacement. The company also noted that Gottfried is not the voice of the duck in Japan. Aflac’s mascot has a softer, sweeter voice in Japanese commercials.
Aflac is gearing up for an influx of claims in the wake of the disaster, though it expects only a minimal financial effect on total results. The company, which has been doing business in Japan since 1974, said less than 5% of Aflac Japan’s new sales and in-force premiums come from the hard-hit Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures there.
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