Celebs react to Garry Shandling’s death: ‘Now he goes to live in the comedy Valhalla’

Celebrities — among them some of comedy's big guns — were quick to acknowledge the death of Garry Shandling on Thursday at age 66. One, however, needed more than a few minutes to figure out how he felt.

"Garry would see the ridiculousness of me being asked to sum up his life five minutes after being told of his passing," Judd Apatow said in a statement. "It is a perfect, ridiculous Larry Sanders moment. I can imagine how Hank would handle it but I just don't know how to sum up someone I loved so much who taught me everything I know and was always so kind to me. I am just too sad. Maybe tomorrow I will do better. "

The comedian was remembered on social media by the likes of Steve Martin, Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres and others as someone with a brilliant, unique mind and generosity. "He even voluntarily offered jokes and ideas for Oscars," Martin wrote.

"He had the magic 'it' quality. He used it well and now he goes to live in the comedy Valhalla," said comedian Eddie Izzard.

Then there was this from Kristin Chenoweth, who said Shandling had supported her from the start of her career: "A few weeks ago he told me life was short," she wrote, "and enjoy it."

Follow Christie D'Zurilla on Twitter @theCDZ. Follow the Ministry of Gossip @LATcelebs.