Celebrities react to Don Rickles' death

— -- The comedy world is reacting to the loss of legendary comic Don Rickles.

The acerbic comedian, who was known for his insults, died Thursday morning at his home in Los Angeles as a result of kidney failure, his publicist confirmed to ABC News.

The news came as a shock to Rickles fellow comedians.

"He was called 'The Merchant of Venom,' but in truth, he was one of the kindest, caring and most sensitive human beings we have ever known," comedian and actor Bob Newhart said in a statement to ABC News. "We are devastated and our world will never be the same. We were totally unprepared for this."

Rich Little called him "the greatest comedian of all time."

"Having done 24 Dean Martin roasts, I know without a doubt that Don Rickles was the greatest comedian of all time," Little said in a statement. "There were few, if any, that were quicker than Don. He didn't think of the next line, he would use, he was already thinking of the line after that. There were many times on the roast that I literally fell out of my chair laughing. In private life, Don was a very nice man. There will never be another man like him."

In a statement, Rip Taylor wrote, "A Legend is gone and there will never be anyone like him again."

Carol Channing said in a statement, "He was an original, with a unique flair for comedy that was all his own. He will be missed."

Rose Marie declared, "One of my dearest friends is gone."

"What a talent! He was remarkable and one of our favorites to work with on 'The Dick Van Dyke Show,'" she wrote in a statement. "I have known him since he came to California. I will miss him something terrible."

Other stars took to Twitter following news of Rickles' death.

"We lost a great one," Sandra Bernhard wrote. "#DonRickles fast furious brilliant for decades the definition of genius."

Jimmy Kimmel tweeted a photo of him with Rickles.