Can't destroy script attached to GameObject, incomprehensible type error

In my scene, I have an instance of FPSController from the Characters standard assets named player. The following behavior happens when attempting to remove a script from it:

  Component FpsControllerScript = player.GetComponent(typeof(MonoBehaviour)); 
 
 // prints "UnityStandardAssets.Characters.FirstPerson.FirstPersonController"
 Debug.Log(FpsControllerScript.GetType().ToString());                              
 
  // prints exactly the same thing
  Debug.Log(typeof(FirstPersonController).ToString()); 
 
 // prints "false", wtf???
 Debug.Log(FpsControllerScript.GetType() == typeof(FirstPersonController));        
 
  // Does nothing
 Destroy(player.GetComponent(typeof(FirstPersonController))); 
 
 // Destroys script                    
 Destroy(player.GetComponent(FpsControllerScript.GetType()));     

Any ideas? This type error doesn't make any sense.