‘Devastated’ Plastic Surgeon Who Inspired ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ Character Found Dead From Hanging: Reports

Dr. Fredric Brandt, the famed dermatologist to the stars, was found dead in his home in Coral Gables, Florida on Sunday. Page Six had previously reported last month that the doctor, who was known for his roster of celebrity clients (such as Madonna and Stephanie Seymour), was the inspiration for Dr. Franff, the puffy-faced plastic surgeon played by Martin Short on the Netflix comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

Early this morning, the Miami Herald reported that Brandt was “devastated” by the comparisons to Short’s character on the show, a revelation that came to light following Herald columnist Lesley Abravanel’s tweets from yesterday:

No cause of death has been given to the public, although both Abravanel and the Daily Mail report that the doctor had hanged himself. His publicist said that Brandt was “suffering from an illness.”

Brandt was not the only real-life figure who inspired a character on the Tina Fey-created series — here is a guide to the inside jokes and obscure references in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

UPDATE: Brandt’s publicist Jacquie Trachtenberg offered a statement to Page Six regarding the Kimmy Schmidt character: “The show definitely deeply hurt him, he was being made fun of because of the way he looks. It is mean, and it was bullying. But the show was not the reason for his depression, and it was not the reason he would take his own life.”

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