‘Full House’ Stars John Stamos, Candace Cameron Bure and More Pay Tribute to Bob Saget: ‘As Kind as He Was Funny’

A number of Hollywood actors and comedians took to social media to mourn the loss of Bob Saget, the 65-year-old “Full House” star and “America’s Funniest Home Videos” host who unexpectedly died on Sunday night.

Saget was found unresponsive at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, Fla., and he was pronounced dead on the scene, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. The cause of death has not been confirmed, but officials say there was no sign of drug use or foul play.

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“We are devastated to confirm that our beloved Bob passed away today. He was everything to us and we want you to know how much he loved his fans, performing live and bringing people from all walks of life together with laughter,” Saget’s family said in a statement. “Though we ask for privacy at this time, we invite you to join us in remembering the love and laughter that Bob brought to the world.”

Kat Dennings, who co-starred with Saget on the early 2000s sitcom “Raising Dad,” was among the first to react to the news on Twitter, calling her TV-father “the loveliest man.”

“Oh god. Bob Saget!!! The loveliest man. I was his TV daughter for one season and he was always so kind and protective. So so sorry for his family,” she wrote.

Of course, that role was far from Saget’s most iconic paternal part. He was perhaps best known to Americans young and old as Danny Tanner, the wholesome germaphobe and lovable father of three on the sitcom “Full House.” The show, which ran on ABC from 1987 to 1995, was later revived on Netflix, with Saget and many key cast members returning in 2016 for “Fuller House.”

John Stamos, who played the charismatic Uncle Jesse on “Full House,” had a particularly heartbreaking reaction, writing, “I am broken. I am gutted. I am in complete and utter shock. I will never ever have another friend like him. I love you so much Bobby.”

Related: Watch Bob Saget’s Funniest Moments, From ‘Full House’ to Dirty Jokes

Candace Cameron Bure, the actor who portrayed Danny’s eldest daughter D.J. Tanner, found herself at a loss for words. “I don’t know what to say. I have no words. Bob was one of the best humans beings I’ve ever known in my life. I loved him so much.”

Given the generation-spanning popularity of “Full House,” the tributes to Saget ranged far and wide. Norman Lear, who posted a sweet picture with Saget, called him “as lovely as he was funny.” Jon Stewart echoed those sentiments, referring to the famed stand-up as “the funniest and nicest.”

Saget, whose dirty, expletive-laden stand-up routines were far removed from anything that would appear on an episode of “Full House,” was equally revered on the comedy scene. As Steve Martin put it simply, it was a “sad day for comedy world.”

Referring to Saget’s decidedly non-family friendly comedy brand, Henry Winkler joked, “Oh are you going to make God blush.”

National Comedy Center’s executive director Journey Gunderson praised Saget’s “authentic” comedic voice, writing, “Bob Saget achieved the highest levels of success within the network sitcom format, becoming one of the genre’s most recognizable and beloved stars. At the same time, he plied his craft as a standup comedian for decades, staying true to his own authentic comedic voice — which was bold, boundary pushing, and always provocative.”

Gilbert Gottfried expressed his shock, recalling a recent phone conversation with Saget. “We stayed on the phone as usual making each other laugh. RIP to friend, comedian & fellow Aristocrat Bob Saget,” he said. Comedian Jim Gaffigan described him as “a warm kind man,” while Marc Maron reflected the feelings that many others expressed, saying Saget was “truly one of the nicest guys.”

Another comedian, Mike Young, who toured with Saget for 10 years, honored his longtime friend: “My comedy will be my tribute.”

Hollywood executives Ted Sarandos and Bob Iger, who worked with Saget on “Full House,” America’s Funniest Home Videos” and “Fuller House,” praised the actor’s expansive talent.

Sarandos, Netflix’s CEO, shared a photo on Instagram with the caption, “What a shocking and sudden loss. Bob Saget knew his way around a dirty joke and I will miss our conversations about comedy. He loved the art of standup. He was also charitable and kind. Funny on and off stage and will be missed. Danny Tanner was the classic TV Dad that we all wanted to have or be. Sending love to his family and all of the fans who will forever miss Bob Saget. I suspect he would love for us to pay tribute by supporting the Scleroderma Research Foundation that meant so much to him.”

Iger called the news about Saget’s death “devastating.” “He graced ABC with his presence in 2 hit shows: Full House & America’s Funniest Home Videos, making us laugh & smile a thousand times over. Hard to accept that someone so full of life is gone so suddenly,” the former Disney chairman wrote.

ABC, the longtime home to “Full House” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” lauded Saget’s ability to convey “humor and heart” through his work. “We are deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our friend and colleague, Bob Saget, who will always be a member of the ABC family. Whether playing a loving father on “Full House” or hosting the early years of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” with his signature wit and charm, Bob always knew how to connect with families through heart and humor. Our thoughts are with his family as we mourn the passing of such an incredibly gifted comedian and talent,” ABC Entertainment wrote in a statement.

Warner Bros. Television, the company that retains rights to “Full House,” issued a separate statement that reads, “Warner Bros. Television mourns the tragic loss of our dear friend Bob Saget. Bob was a father figure to many worldwide in his role as Danny Tanner on ‘Full House.'”

“How I Met Your Mother” star Josh Radnor penned a lengthy, heartfelt message to Saget, who voiced the narrator on the long-running sitcom. “I had so much imposter syndrome when HIMYM started, thought I’d be found out, kicked off set & sent home. When I’d run into Bob on the Fox lot in those early days he’d gush over my performance & tell me how he was studying me to make sure his vocal performance felt right,” Radnor wrote on Twitter. “This man that I’d delighted in seeing on TV for years cheering me on, letting me know I had a right to be there and playing that character… I can’t overstate how meaningful his words were. (He also, true to form, told me jokes that I cannot tell here or in polite company.)”

Andy Cohen called Saget “a mensch.” He wrote, “He had the biggest heart and wore it on his sleeve. He was so generous with his feelings.”

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” actor Alden Ehrenreich described Saget as “the warmest and most personable man.”

“Bob was the first famous person I ever knew, having met him when I was three years old,” he said in a statement. “For the whole time I had the pleasure of knowing him, he was the warmest and most personable man, always lending words of support and encouragement – and offering himself to my family when we were going through a rough time. He had an ever-present humility and open-heartedness uncommon in people of his stature. I am deeply shaken at the news of his loss and my heart goes out to all members of his family.”

See more tributes — from Hollywood luminaries such as Ben Stiller, Whoopi Goldberg, Judd Apatow, and Billy Crystal — below:

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