Jewish Dermatologist to the Stars Found Dead in Miami

By Anne Cohen April 6, 2015

Dr. Frederick Brandt, Jewish cosmetic dermatologist to the stars, was found dead on Sunday in his Miami home.

His publicist, Jacquie Trachtenberg, confirmed the death to The New York Post: “He passed away this morning. He was suffering from an illness. Everyone who knows him is devastated… I worked with him for over 20 years and he was an amazing man, not only was he a brilliant doctor, but he was the kindest human being.”

Among the 65-year-old more famous clients were Madonna, socialite Jane Holzer and model Stephanie Seymour.

Though the circumstances of Brandt’s death are still unclear, it has been suggested that the doctor was upset at a character in Netflix’s “The Unbreakable Kimmy Shmidt,” thought to be based on him.

The comedy series has Martin Short in the role of Dr. Sidney Grant — pronounced “Franff” — an earily smooth-skinned dermatologist whose practice is basically an excuse to revel in the excess of Botox that he shoots into indiscriminate body parts.

Gawker points to tweets by Miami Herald blogger Leslie Abravnel, who wrote that Brandt was “devastated,” by the comparison.

Sources: Dr Fredric Brandt was “devastated” over comparisons to the protagonist on Tina Fey’s new Netflix show, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

— Lesley Abravanel (@lesleyabravanel) April 5, 2015

Dr. Brandt’s publicist says he was suffering from an “illness”. Sources close say that illness was depression.

— Lesley Abravanel (@lesleyabravanel) April 5, 2015

I just don’t see it. RT @lesleyabravanel: “Friends..(say) he was devastated over..the character in @TheKimmySchmidt” pic.twitter.com/2PX7wT7Qyk

— rbdc (@rbrowndc) April 6, 2015

In a March 2014 profile in the New York Times, Brandt admitted that he experimented with Botox and fillers on himself, leading to his trademark baby-smooth skin — almost translucent over overinflated cheeks. This, combined with his smooth buttery-blond hair, gave him a somewhat alien-like appearance.

According to the Times, people often asked Brandt if he was from Sweden. “Actually,” he replied. “I’m a Jewish kid from Newark.”

Anne Cohen was the Forward’s deputy digital media editor. When she’s not looking for the secret Jewish history of Voodoo in New Orleans, or making lists about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, she writes for The Assimilator. She graduated from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism with an M.S. magazine concentration in 2012.

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