The Business
Neil Berkeley on 'Gilbert,' a quiet portrait of a loud-mouthed comedian
Documentary filmmaker Neil Berkeley desperately wanted to make a movie about the screeching comedian Gilbert Gottfried.
Documentarian Neil Berkeley spent seven months filming loud-mouthed comedian Gilbert Gottfried at home and on the road. He learned that Gottfried can squeeze a penny until it screams, and that off-stage, the bombastic Gottfried is a quiet, devoted family man. Berkeley tells KCRW's Matt Holzman about the risky strategy he used to make Gilbert -- filming the entire documentary even though Gottfried had not signed a release. And Berkeley explains how he funds his filmmaking through a day job as a graphic designer for TV shows like the Property Brothers and Real Housewives.
Photo: Director Neil Berkeley filming comedian Gilbert Gottfried for the documentary Gilbert (Arlene Gottfried)
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Read the story7 minDirector Neil Berkeley on 'Gilbert'
Whether he’s doing stand-up, acting in movies like Beverly Hills Cop 2, or performing as the famous parrot in Disney’s Aladdin, the screeching voice of Gilbert Gottfried is unmistakable.
Read the story20 min