Bob Saget was part of 2002 Olympics in SLC

SALT LAKE CITY —Back in the day, 2002 to be exact, Bob Saget played a substantial role in the Winter Olympics. The actor and stand-up comic, who unexpectedly passed away Sunday at the age of 65, served as the first celebrity emcee at the Salt Lake City medal plaza. He hosted the downtown gathering on four consecutive nights.

And it wasn’t exactly “Full House” material. Quite the opposite, as a matter of fact, than his “Danny Tanner” persona as one of television’s most beloved fathers.

The Los Angeles Times didn’t appreciate it. The newspaper gave a blistering assessment of Saget’s performance in Salt Lake City under the heading: “That’s not funny” and concluded with “Justice was finally served Tuesday night at the Olympics Medal Plaza when host Bob Saget was nearly booed off the stage.”

Close friend and fellow comic Gilbert Gottfried noted that Saget had a wide range.

“I remember Bob as being very funny, very quick,” Gottfried told “Good Morning America” on Monday. “He could be a sensitive guy, but like both of us, he would rather be tasteless and outrageous.”

In an interview with The Salt Lake Tribune in 2017, Saget insisted he never wanted to offend anybody. He acknowledged a certain responsibility to do it right, something he learned along the way.

“I have literally turned into Liza Minnelli,” Saget said. “I just want to entertain people.”

Melissa Rivers, who was also good friends with Saget, also praised his versatility.

” I think that’s part of his brilliance. He was so daft at doing whatever was at hand and split the difference between ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos’ where he could be a little edgier (and) not like his stand-up,” said Rivers, who added that Saget showed that you can do everything you love and be a great guy doing it.”

Saget was scheduled to perform at “WiseGuys” downtown in May.