Celebrating the Life of Comedy Legend Mel Brooks

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "Celebrating the Life of Comedy Legend Mel Brooks"

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Michael Bonfiglio (Co-director, "Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man")
Date: January 23, 2026

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Episode Overview

The episode celebrates the centenary and enduring comedic legacy of Mel Brooks, coinciding with the release of the HBO docuseries "Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man." Host Alison Stewart and guest Michael Bonfiglio (co-director of the documentary) explore Brooks' Brooklyn upbringing, his profound impact on American comedy, the cultural weight of his work, his personal life—including a legendary love story with Ann Bancroft—and listener memories. Through calls and clips, the episode examines not just Brooks' comedic genius but his influence on film, culture, and the Jewish-American experience.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

“High Anxiety” and Brooks’ Signature Spoofing

[02:16]

• The episode opens with the title track from "High Anxiety" to highlight Brooks’ penchant for parodying highbrow genres, such as Hitchcockian thrillers and classic sci-fi (e.g., "Spaceballs"), as well as Westerns and American racism ("Blazing Saddles").
• Alison Stewart: "He spoofed classic horror in 'Young Frankenstein.' He had fun with sci-fi in 'Spaceballs,' and he took on Western and racism in 'Blazing Saddles.'"

Early Encounters with Mel Brooks’ Work

[03:18]

• Michael Bonfiglio: Reveals that Mel Brooks was “part of the fabric of laughter” in his childhood, with "Young Frankenstein" being the first Brooks film he saw.
  • "[Mel Brooks] was always just kind of part of the fabric of laughter. So, yeah, it was really exciting to get to spend time with him and make this film." (03:25)

Judd Apatow’s Role in the Documentary

[03:51]

• Judd Apatow's close relationship with Brooks added a special dynamic and candidness to the docu-interviews.
• Bonfiglio discusses the deliberate choice for a "loose feeling," often filming handheld to give a sense of intimacy, “like hanging out with Mel.”
• Apatow’s challenge was to gently steer Brooks away from oft-repeated showbiz stories to access “the real Mel” for the docuseries.
  • "The biggest challenge for him was getting Mel away from some of the stories that he's told a million times and try to get a little bit beneath the surface." (04:46)

Brooks’ Early Life in Brooklyn

[06:28]

• Audio from the film features Brooks describing himself as the “comic conscience” of his neighborhood and never feeling inferior, thanks to abundant childhood love despite hardship.
• Notable Quote:
  • "I was the Jiminy Cricket to their Pinocchio. I was the comic conscience of my neighborhood. And I always felt adored." – Mel Brooks (06:33)
• The death of his father and poverty of the Depression profoundly shaped him, with Bonfiglio noting Brooks’ resilience and drive stemming from having “almost nothing to lose.” (07:31)
  • Brooks began as a street drummer before entering entertainment in the Catskills (“Borscht Belt”).

Jewish and Brooklyn Identity as Cultural Pillars

[08:20]

• Stewart and Bonfiglio delve into how Brooks’ persona is rooted in being a Jew from Brooklyn, not strictly religious but deeply embedded in a Jewish comedic sensibility.
  • "The sort of Jewish sensibility in comedy is part of something that he's helped…perpetuate into the culture." – Bonfiglio (08:38)
• This intersection forms a foundational thread in American comedy, particularly out of New York.

Listeners’ Favorite Brooks Moments & Cultural Impact

[09:36 and onward]

• Listener calls animate the segment with favorite bits and deep affection:
  • Jason (Dobbs Ferry): Highlights Brooks’ underappreciated directing skills and shares a favorite line from "History of the World":
    • "'How do you want your eggs, Judas?'" (10:32)
  • Lee (East Village): Praises “To Be or Not To Be” and the joy of Brooks’ musical sequence with Ann Bancroft.
  • Bob (Jackson Heights): Shares a personal anecdote about the real-life “Max Kaminsky” and his time as a Catskills drummer, segueing to the origin of the name Mel Brooks.
    • "One of the funny things about Mel is you never know exactly how much of his stories are true or not... But his mother's maiden name was Brookman, and he changed his stage name to Brooks and it stuck." – Bonfiglio (15:42)

Mel Brooks and Ann Bancroft: A Hollywood Love Story

[12:00–13:56]

• Stewart and Bonfiglio describe Brooks’ pursuit of Ann Bancroft as both comic and romantic (“he sort of stalked her for a week”), leading to a 40+ year partnership marked by mutual respect, creative collaboration, and deep affection.
• Brooks’ enduring grief over Bancroft’s passing is “still very present for him” and visibly affects him during interviews.

Service in World War II and Reflections on Prejudice

[17:26]

• Brooks enlisted in the Army reserves at 17, saw combat in France, and faced real danger—an experience shaping his seriousness about fighting fascism and influencing the risk-taking edge of his comedy.
  • "He saw the Second World War as, you know, the last great correct war..." – Bonfiglio (17:26)

The Producers: Comedy as Social Weapon

[20:08]

• Explores the boldness and controversy of satirizing Hitler in "The Producers" (22 years after WWII), and Brooks’ philosophy:
  • To “demote” and ridicule fascists, undercutting their power.
    • "Mel's philosophy...is about demoting and reminding people that these are people and let's take away their power." – Bonfiglio (20:25)
• Stewart draws a true line forward to current-day satirical shows like "South Park."

“2000 Year Old Man” & Comedy Origins

[22:03–23:45]

• Listener Elise recalls the famous “never run for the bus” joke.
• The segment reveals that the "2000 Year Old Man" bit started as a party improvisation with Carl Reiner and became Brooks’ public performance breakthrough.
  • "Comedy is the opposite of death, that the joy and liveliness of comedy and laughter reminds us of why we're alive." – Bonfiglio, summarizing Brooks’ views (26:57)

The Sid Caesar Influence

[23:50]

• Mel credits Sid Caesar (“without Sid Caesar, there’s no Mel Brooks”) for launching his showbiz career, first in the Catskills, then on TV.
• Brooks would later revisit this bond by casting Caesar in multiple films.

Further Listener Tributes

[24:35–25:59]

• Stories span generational appeal, from Blazing Saddles to multi-decade friendships formed around “Spaceballs”:
  • "'What happened to then? We missed it. When? Just now. When will then be now? Soon.'" – Kenny, quoting Spaceballs (25:45)

Brooks on Fear, Comedy, and the Jewish Experience

[26:27]

• Clip of Brooks unpacks the link between "Jewish timing" in comedy and the energy of fear—a creative survival mechanism.
  • "Yeah, there's a great energy that fear can create...is that a swastika or whatever? You know, there's a, like fear. It's always lurking." – Mel Brooks (26:37)
• Bonfiglio paraphrases Brooks: Comedy, as the opposite of death, is “a really powerful force…particularly in the face of darkness.” (26:57)

The “Fourth Wall” in Brooks’ Films

[28:30]

• Discussion of Gene Wilder’s stipulation for “Young Frankenstein”: he would only act if Brooks stayed behind the camera, since Brooks’ habit of breaking the fourth wall added a self-awareness that could undercut the film’s tone.
  • "There’s just something about his presence that is so funny and self aware in a way." – Bonfiglio (28:57)

Producing Serious Art: From “The Elephant Man” to “The Fly”

[30:09]

• Many don’t realize Brooks produced serious, non-comedic films via Brooksfilms. He championed avant-garde directors like David Lynch (“The Elephant Man”) and David Cronenberg (“The Fly”), giving them creative freedom and deliberately keeping his name off the credits to avoid misleading the audience.
  • "Mel saw something in Eraserhead and in David [Lynch]...gave him final cut, protected him, and let him make the film that he wanted to make." – Bonfiglio (30:09)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mel Brooks on Love and Insecurity:
  "I always felt adored...I never really did feel inferior. Though I had every right to...But I never did." (06:33–06:51)
• On Jewishness and Comedy:
  "The Jewish timing dictated most of modern comedy...it's about fear. Yeah, there's a great energy that fear can create." – Mel Brooks (26:27)
• Comedy Against Tyranny:
  "He was so bold in making fun of Hitler and Nazis and fascism...making fun of fascism and Nazis is about demoting and reminding people that these are people and let's take away their power." – Bonfiglio (20:25)
• On Brooks’ Directorial Vision:
  "Mel Brooks has been overlooked for his skill as a director...he casts impeccably..." – Listener Jason (09:36)
• Personal Legacy:
  "Comedy is the opposite of death...the joy and liveliness of comedy and laughter reminds us of why we're alive." – Bonfiglio, echoing Brooks (26:57)
• Listener Kenny on Enduring Friendship:
  "We will always call each other up and remind each other of our good times quoting Spaceballs." (25:45)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• 02:16 – Overview of Mel Brooks' career and centenary
• 03:18 – Michael Bonfiglio shares first encounters with Brooks' comedy
• 04:46 – Directing Judd Apatow’s interview with Brooks
• 06:28 – Brooks recalls Brooklyn childhood (audio clip)
• 08:20 – Discussion of Jewish/Brooklyn identity
• 12:00 – Brooks’ marriage to Ann Bancroft and their collaboration
• 15:42 – Origin of the name “Mel Brooks”
• 17:26 – Brooks’ WWII service and comedy’s roots in real struggle
• 20:25 – Philosophical underpinnings of “The Producers”
• 23:45 – "2000 Year Old Man" origins with Carl Reiner
• 26:27 – Brooks on fear, comedy, and Jewish experience (clip)
• 28:57 – The “fourth wall” in Brooks’ films, as explained by Bonfiglio
• 30:09 – Brooks’ under-recognized work as a producer of serious films

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Tone and Style

Throughout the episode, the tone is warm, affectionate, celebratory, and open-hearted, peppered with fond recollections and community-driven tributes. The conversation is spiked with sharp comedic references, revealing Brooks’ foundational belief in comedy as a tool for survival and connection.

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Conclusion

This episode offers a rich, multi-faceted look at Mel Brooks: not merely a comedic icon, but a cultural force whose work bridges personal trauma, social critique, and joyous invention. The personal stories from listeners, the behind-the-scenes details from Michael Bonfiglio, and selective clips coalesce into a lively homage befitting a centennial celebration.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

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[Michael Bonfiglio]

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[Alison Stewart]

Home and auto policies. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states. This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. If you're holing up this week weekend to avoid the weather, it's a great time to go back and to listen to some of our conversations we had this week on the show. Earlier this week we spoke to Dr. Patricia Papernau about step parenting. She shared some advice and answered listener questions. And let me tell you, if you are in a blended family, it is a must listen. You might want to listen to Mark Strong. He plays Oedipus on Broadway or Namir Smallwood. He's starring in Bug opposite Carrie Coons, two great conversations with Broadway actors. You can hear all of our segments wherever you get. Your podcasts are on our show [e-mail] now let's get this hour started with one of Brooklyn's most famous exports, Mel Brooks.

[Callers]

Hello young lovers, whoever you are. What do I spy? A little grain of rice. Newly married this morning this morning folks and they said it wouldn't last.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

But then you take my hand.

[Alison Stewart]

My.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Heart starts to soar once more Keep change High anxiety.

[Callers]

It'S always the same.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Hey Zydy, it's you that I blame. It's very clear to me I've got to give in. High anxiety.

[Callers]

And remember folks, be good to your parents They've been good to you.

[Alison Stewart]

That's the title song for Mel Brooks's film High Anxiety, in which the Hollywood legend of the Lampoon takes on the highbrow work of Alfred Hitchcock. He spoofed classic horror and Young Frankenstein. He had fun with sci fi and Spaceballs, and he took on western and racism in Blazing Saddles. Mel Brooks was born 100 years ago this June and to celebrate his life, legacy and the laughter, a new two part docu series called Mel Brooks the 99 Year Old man is available to stream on HBO. In the role of fan is Judd Apatow, who takes Brooks from his childhood in Brooklyn to his first experiences as an entertainer in the Borscht Belt onto Hollywood hits that have made him a household name. Joining me now is Michael Bonifiglio, co director with Judd Apatow of mel Brooks, the 99 year old man. Hey Michael.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Hey Allison. Thanks so much for having me on I'm a big fan of your show.

[Alison Stewart]

Ah, thanks a lot. When. What did Mel Brooks mean to you growing up?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Well, I mean, he was kind of around all the time. I mean, I think I kind of. You know, I remember. I think the first Mel Brooks movie I saw was my brother had. We had a sleepover birthday party and rented Young Frankenstein when I was a kid and was just thought it was amazing and weird and funny and. Yeah, he was always just kind of part of the fabric of laughter. So, yeah, it was really exciting to get to spend time with him and make this film.

[Alison Stewart]

How did you decide how to use Judd Apatow in the film?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Well, Judd has a relationship with Mel that they've known each other for quite a while. And, you know, we felt like it would help the interview to have Judd on camera to kind of interact with Mel, you know, frequently. You know, we're. We stay off camera, and we did for all the other interviews, but we wanted to have a kind of a loose feeling, knowing that we were going to be going back to a lot of old talk shows and other appearances that Mel has made over the years and wanted our original footage to kind of feel unique. So we shot most of it sort of handheld and had it feel kind of like hanging out with Mel.

[Alison Stewart]

Was it hard to keep Judd sort.

[Callers]

Of.

[Alison Stewart]

Hard to direct him a little bit? Because he's such a fan. He's such a fan.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

He is. He is. I mean, Mel just. Just is. Is everything to. To. To Judd. And so I think, you know, he's. Judd's also a performer, so he was, you know, he was aware that the, you know, the cameras were on, and it was really. I think, you know, the biggest challenge for him was getting Mel away from some of the stories that he's told a million times and try to get a little bit, you know, beneath the surface to get to as much as we could. The, you know, the real Mel and I thought Judd did a great job. We did about 10 or 11 hours of interviews over the course of, like, four different days. And, yeah, that was. That was kind of how we did it.

[Alison Stewart]

That's a lot of interview for a man who's in his late 90s. Not yet.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

He's. Yeah, he's 99. We started the movie when I think he was almost 98. And he's just incredibly quick. I saw him the other night. He came to our premiere, and he's, you know, he's amazing. It's. We can all hope to be as sharp as he is at 99 listeners.

[Alison Stewart]

If you're a Mel Brooks fan, call in and tell us what your favorite moments from his films are. Or maybe you have quotes from Young Frankenstein or Blazing Saddles that you use in your daily life. Call and share in the impact of the comedy legend Mel Brooks. What that has had, what that has been like for. Our number is 212-433-969-2212, wnyc. The film goes all the way back to the beginnings. Melberg's father died of tuberculosis when he was 2, leaving his mother to care for him and his three older brothers. And the depression would hit a little later on. Let's listen to a bit of your film about what he says growing up in the woods in the words, as he says, an ugly kid in Brooklyn.

[Callers]

I was able to make all the guys on the block laugh.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

I was able to tell the stories. I was the commentator on life.

[Callers]

I was the Jiminy Cricket to their Pinocchio.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

I was the comic conscience of my neighborhood. And I always felt adored.

[Callers]

And I think that given a lot of love as a child, it was.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

The need to continue it. So I never really did feel inferior.

[Callers]

Though I had every right to looking.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

At myself in the mirror, but I never did.

[Callers]

I never felt inferior.

[Alison Stewart]

How did his family fare during that time? A very difficult time.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Yeah, you know, I mean, the way he. He sort of puts it is they didn't know anything different, you know, as. As a kid, you know, growing up in the depression in Brooklyn. It was just how things were. But I. I'm sure that for his mother and his aunt who helped them out quite a bit, that it was a real struggle. I mean, they, they really didn't have two nickels to rub together and managed to. To make it. And Mel, you know, found his calling in show business.

[Alison Stewart]

How do you think it shaped his approach? Shaped his approach to comedy?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

I think probably the idea of having almost nothing to lose and kind of going no holds barred, you know, he. He started off actually as a drummer and would play the drums on street corners and subway platforms and anything he could, he could get when he was, you know, a young teenager, 13, 14, and eventually made his way to the Borscht belt in the Catskills and started as an understudy in a theatrical production up there. So he, you know, I think that his Brooklyn upbringing is still part of who he is. You know, he still has a New York accent, despite the fact that he's lived in Southern California for about 60 years now. So I think it's part and parcel of who he is.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah. So much of Mel's Persona is couch and being a Jew from Brooklyn, that's his. That's his deal, right?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Totally.

[Alison Stewart]

What did his aside from comedy, what did his Jewish New York identity mean to him?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

I think it's more of a cultural thing for him. I mean, he did not grow up particularly religious and still is not particularly religious. I don't believe he was even bar mitzvahed. But I think that this sort of Jewish sensibility in comedy is part of something that he's helped. Not just. It's not just part of the fabric of his comedy and who he is, but it's something that he's helped perpetuate into the culture. And it's so just connected with. I think what we think of as American comedy is a sort of Jewish sensibility that is also kind of specifically New York.

[Alison Stewart]

I think we're talking with Michael Bonfiglio, co director of the new biographical docuseries, mel Brooks, the 99 year old man. Let's talk to Jason in Dobbs Ferry. Hey, Jason, thanks for making the time to call all of it.

[Callers]

Hey, I can't wait to see this documentary. I'm a huge Mel Brooks fan and thank you for making it. I just wanted to point out that I think over the course of his career people have regarded him as an incredible performer making really funny films. But I think he's been overlooked for his skill as a director, his filmmaking. I mean, he shoots films incredibly. I mean, you look at how Young Frankenstein with that and he casts impeccably and the performances by these actors, I mean, who would have thought Gene Hackman in a comic role like that. So I just, you know, I just want people to give their due for him as an incredible filmmaker as well. And I do have one favorite line, if I could share that.

[Alison Stewart]

Sure, go for it.

[Callers]

Okay. In History of the World, there's a scene around the Last Supper when everybody is sitting next to Jesus and Mel plays a waiter who is taking their breakfast order. And at one point Jesus says, one of you will betray me tonight. And there's this really tense moment and somebody says, who? And the waiter goes, judas. And everybody turns and he goes, how do you want your eggs? I just think that's one of the best moments in film.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks, Jason. Let's talk to Lee from the East Village. Lee, you're on the air.

[Callers]

Thank you. I also am a big Mel Brooks fan going all the way back to the producers 2000 year old man. And you know, I Have. I'm a physician, but I have this ridiculous knowledge of film because I love it. And I think the scene that I, Mel Brooks doesn't get as much attention, but it deserves some attention is To Be or Not To Be. And in that, there was a song and dance with Ann Bancroft in Polish to Sweet Georgia Brown. And it's stunning. And you just feel the love and the happiness and the joy of watching this. And that's all I could say to the point though, that I have a poster for the remake of To Be or Not to Be in Polish in my house. Every time I see it, I smile.

[Alison Stewart]

Lee, thanks for calling. That's really interesting. So Michael, he's kind of jumping ahead, talking about Ann Bancroft. Ann Bancroft was actually his second wife, we should say. And they were sort of. It was sort of funny the way they met because he sort of stalked her for a week, for lack of a better. That's the phrase he uses, that he stalked her for a week. He kept just turning up wherever she was. And she said, interestingly, that she fell in love right away. What was at the heart of their relationship?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

You know, I don't know exactly. I think there was a tremendous amount of mutual respect. I think that there was some kind of just romantic magic that they had because they, they had this incredible, you know, 40 plus year relationship that, that lasted until Anne passed in the early 2000s. And, and they, they. They loved working together. They loved making each other laugh. They. They were each other's best friend and soulmate. And it's a really beautiful love story that, you know, we explore quite a bit in, in the film. But it's really. It's one of the great Hollywood love stories.

[Alison Stewart]

You see it in the film that he talks about her and then he looks, he looks sad.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Yeah, yeah. I think it's. It's still very hard for him to talk about her and to see her on screen. And, you know, in, in the interviews, you know, anytime that Judd brought up Ann, he kind of got wistful and, and a little quiet and is still not super comfortable talking about. About her. I think the, the loss is still very, very present for him. And it was. We found it very moving.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Bob in Jackson Heights, Queens. Hi, Bob. Thanks for making the time to call, all of it.

[Callers]

Thanks for having me. I was thinking about, there's a movie called My Favorite Year about a kid that gets a job in an office working for, you know, mythical character. But we know it's Sid Caesar and the writer staff is Those legends, I meant Neil Diamond, Matt Hyke and Mel Brooks, etc. Anyway, my favorite year was the summer of 67 and my, one of my closest high school friends got a job as a production assistant on this movie that Mel was making, which was not yet named the Producers, but they were making it all summer in midtown. And I was lucky enough to get to go to be a hanger on and just lurk in the background and watching film scenes. And then even better was that the cast and he would go to a restaurant called max's Kansas City 17th and park almost every night and just hang and drink and tell stories. And I got to talked to Mel and I learned he had been a musician in the Catskills. He was a drummer. Yeah, his name, Max Kaminsky was stenciled over his bass drum.

[Alison Stewart]

You know, I want to interrupt you there for one second though, because I want to bring in Michael. You go into that in the documentary that his name was Max Kaminsky.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

And it's really kind of a funny story. Would you tell us that about him?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Yeah, I mean, you know, one of the funny things about Mel is you never know exactly how much of his stories are true or not. But yeah, he was born Max Kaminsky and he was a drummer in the Catskills and playing all kinds of gigs, weddings and bar mitzvahs, any place he could, you know, make a buck. And he tells a story in the film that he was once booked on a date and there was also a trumpet player named. Oh gosh, I'm forgetting the name, but the same last name, Kaminsky. And so he showed up to the, to the date and the people who'd booked him said, where's your trumpet? And so they had booked the wrong person. So his mother's maiden name was Brookman and he changed his stage name to Brooks and it stuck. And that's, that's where we are now. But what a great story about hanging out on the set of.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, right.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Of the Producers. Incredible. I think at that time it was called Springtime for Hitler.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, we'll get into that and a whole lot more after a quick break. This is all of it. You're listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. We're discussing the new docu series, Mel Brooks the 99 Year Old Man. You can watch it on HBO. I'm talking to its co director Michael Bonfiglio. So Michael, Mel Brooks and his brothers were enlisted to fight in World War II. We learned this in the documentary how did he feel about the war when it's happening? How did he feel about prejudice during the war?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Well, you know, I think even till today, he, you know, he saw. Sees the Second World War as, you know, the last great correct war. I think, you know, he enlisted in the reserves when he was just 17, still in high school. And he. He was, you know, went into the combat forces right out of high school, toward the tail end of the war. And he felt like many Americans and Allied forces, that this was a just war, that that fighting the Nazis and fighting fascism was correct and just and was important. And so he, he spent time in France, in particular, sort of right after the Germans had left. And he was, you know, clearing landmines and checking for booby traps. He was shot at. He had, you know, real combat experience, and it, I think it affected him very deeply.

[Alison Stewart]

It's interesting. Let's talk to Steve from Queens. He has a question about this. Hey, Steve, thanks for calling in.

[Callers]

Thank you for taking my call. And you guys did a great. I didn't get to see the whole thing. A great documentary from what I'm seeing. And I'm so glad you got this. You getting to talk with this man and hang with him. He was an engineer I know, during the war and clearing minds. And that's what amazes me for this man to have the. He's always. My lifetime seemed like this happy, go lucky. There's jokes and. And I'd heard a story that he had met Bob Hope at one of his, you know, his Bob Hope shows during the war and was trying, I guess, hang talk with him or whatever, but he kind of felt like Bob was like, I got a lot to do and was kind of like, kid, you know, go over there. But that's a story I'd heard. I don't know if it's true or not. And I thought I'd ask. I asked that and I'll let other people talk. You take care. And thank you very much for taking my call.

[Alison Stewart]

Did you ever hear that story?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

I have not heard that story. But, you know, with, you know, 100 years of life, Mel has so many stories. And, you know, I think there's always, in my take on it, there's always a kernel of truth in all of his stories. But a lot of them, you know, he's reworked and embellished and made funnier and more entertaining over the years. But, you know, after the war ended, he stayed in the service and did sort of, you know, entertainment for the troops. And it's certainly Very possible that he would have crossed paths with Bob Hope. I'm not familiar with that particular story, but it's, it's probably true.

[Alison Stewart]

This brings us to the Producers, a movie musical about Hitler, supposed to be, supposed to fail, but it doesn't. It's very funny, but it does have a serious meaning to it. What's the deeper conversation that he was trying to have with the Producers?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

I think that, you know, the idea of making fun of Hitler, I mean, this was. The Producers came out, you know, 22 years after the war, which, if you think about at that time, you know, the revelations of the Holocaust and all of that. No one was making comedy out of this kind of material. People were not, you know, joking about Hitler during the war. Chaplin and the Looney Tunes cartoons and, you know, lots of people were poking fun at Hitler. But after the war and the revelations about what had happened during the Holocaust, people weren't joking about it. And the Producers was so bold in making fun of Hitler and Nazis and fascism that it was, it was really quite striking. And a lot of people consider it to be in terrible taste. But I think, you know, Mel's philosophy in, you know, making fun of fascism and Nazis is about demoting and reminding people that these are people and let's take away their power. And, you know, you see the legacy of that today constantly in every, you know, meme of Greg Bovino and Stephen Miller and all these other psychopaths who are making decisions right now.

[Alison Stewart]

You know, it's South Park. It's like South Park.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Yeah, absolutely. It's been incredible.

[Alison Stewart]

So, yeah, let's talk to Elise from the Upper west side. Hi Elise, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Callers]

Hi, thank you for having me on. I was very much raised on Mel Brooks comedies and huge fan and I just wanted to share my favorite quote, my favorite memory from the 2000 year old man, which is never a run for the bus. He's asked how he's maintained his longevity and his answer is, you never run for the bus. And I think of that every single time I run for the bus.

[Alison Stewart]

Elise, thanks for calling in the 2000 year old man. So this was a big. I learned from the documentary was a bit he used to do at parties.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Yes, it was, it was an improvised bit that he and Carl. Carl Reiner did. Carl was actually pitching a sketch. They were both working at your show of shows. It was the early 1950s and Carl was pitching a sketch for the show and it did not make it to the show, but it was, it was the thing that he and Mel would do just to make each other laugh, make people at parties laugh. And at one party, Steve Allen, the talk show host and comedian, saw them perform this where it would just, you know, it killed for everybody who saw it. And he convinced them to put it on a record. And the record became a hit and really brought Mel for the first time into the public eye. He had been working on your show of shows for many years, but was only behind the scenes. He was a writer and we hadn't really, no one had really seen him. But the 2000 year old man got him before the public in a. In a new way. And really kind of was the beginning of Mel the performer publicly.

[Alison Stewart]

And a person who was his real, I guess mentor is the right word would be Sid Caesar.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Absolutely. I mean, Mel is the first person to say that without Sid Caesar, there's no Mel Brooks. Sid Caesar was somebody who Mel met up in the Catskills. And Sid took a real liking to Mel and brought him onto your show of shows where initially Sid was paying Mel under the table just out of his own pocket. Mel was not officially part of the staff in the beginning. And so Mel credits him with really giving him his start to his career. And then later on, Mel repaid the favor by putting Sid into History of the World Part 1. And he's in a couple of the other movies as well. He's in Silent Movie. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's take some more calls. Let's talk to David from Lloyd Harbor. Hi, David, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Callers]

Thanks for having me on. Big Mel Brooks fan. I just want to say that I knew I married the right woman when my wife got up in the middle of the night and bumped into something and she quoted Marilyn Madeleine Kahn from Blazing Saddles and said, God damn it.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for calling. That's funny. Kenny is calling from Wayne, New Jersey. Hi, Kenny.

[Callers]

Hey. I'm calling because I'm. I've always been a huge Mel Brooks fan ever since I was probably about 8 years old and saw my first Mel Brooks film, which probably was a bit too young, but I have many memories with my best friend watching Spaceballs on the weekends. We've definitely seen the movie over 100 times. Can probably quote the whole thing. And since our childhood, we've now been friends for about 20 years and still quote the movie to each other. And we will always call each other up and remind each other of our good times quoting Spaceballs. And probably our favorite quote is the kind of Abbott and Costello esque scene in which they're watching themselves on the screen and they say, what happened to then? We missed it. When? Just now. When will then be now? Soon.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for calling in, Kenny. We're talking to Michael Bonfiglio, co director of the new biographical docuseries, mel Brooks, the 99 Year Old Man. You can watch it on HBO. Throughout the docu series, Michael, we hear Mel Brooks talking about some really big feelings about anger and fear and death. Let's listen to a little bit of him from the documentary. His thoughts on fear and comedy.

[Callers]

The Jewish timing dictated most of modern comedy. Yeah, you know, it has to do with fear. Yeah, there's a great energy that fear can create. Is that guy coming for me? Is that, is that a swastika or whatever? You know, there's a, like fear. It's always lurking.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Yeah, yeah. So I mean, and it creates as.

[Callers]

An energy, you know, fight or flight is right there for every Jew.

[Alison Stewart]

Where did he get the idea that humor could speak so directly to those serious topics like fear?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

I think that Mel's philosophy is that anything can be the fodder for comedy and that that comedy is a really powerful force. You know, he says at one point in the film where he's quoted as saying, you know, comedy is the opposite of death, that the joy and liveliness of comedy and laughter reminds us of why we're alive. And so particularly in the face of darkness, it's important to connect to joy and to the reason why we need to get through the darkness and defeat the darkness. So I think it's a real primal kind of a thing. It's. And Mel has, has just been such a proponent of that throughout his entire career.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Peter in Astoria. Hey Peter, thanks for making the time to call. All of it.

[Callers]

Hey Alison, thanks for taking my call. Let me say I, Mel Brooks has made me laugh more and more over the years because I get more of his jokes as I've gotten older. But History of the World part two, he's coming down. He's Moses coming down from the mount. He's carrying these three stone etched tablets and he's walking and he stumbles a little and he drops one and it goes, I. Well, I gave away the joke. I bring you these 15 oops, 10 commandments. And everyone's like, oh, 10 commandments now. So as a recovering Roman Catholic, I've always enjoyed that part the most.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for calling in. You know, he and Gene Wilder co wrote Young Frankenstein, but Wilder said he would only star, would only star in it if Mel didn't Act because Mel, as he described it, had a way of breaking the fourth wall, whether he meant to or he didn't mean to. What strikes you as a difference between a Mel Brooks movie with that kind of winking at the audience and a Mel Brooks movie that doesn't quite do that? Does the comedy land different?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

I think it does. I think, you know, one of the things about Young Frankenstein that makes it work so well, that one of the callers earlier discussed was that he had this just sort of slavish devotion to recreating the James Whale aesthetic from, from the original Frankenstein. And by playing all of the camera movement and production design as, you know, just so seriously, and then having the comedy juxtapose against that makes it even, even funnier. And I think Gene Wilder was right. I don't think that Young Frankenstein would work the same way that it does had Mel been in it, because there's just something about his presence that is so funny and self aware in a way. And it's. I think it's one of the keys to why Young Frankenstein is such a classic.

[Alison Stewart]

He's had this lifetime of blockbusters, but he produced two movies with very dissimilar sensibilities I to comedy. David Cronenberg's the Fly and David Lynch's the Elephant Man. What do you think most people don't know about Mel Brooks's contribution to filmmaking?

[Michael Bonfiglio]

Yeah, and those weren't the only two. The film my favorite year, Francis with Jessica Lange. There's a whole string of films from the late 70s through the 80s that Mel produced through a company called Brooks Films. And actually one of the first productions was the Elephant Man. And we were honored that we got to speak with David lynch just a couple of months before he passed. So he's in the film talking about Mel. And you know, one of the fascinating things about the decision that Mel made to not only hire David lynch after lynch had only made Eraserhead, which was a, you know, a midnight movie. It's one of my favorites, but it's a very odd movie. It's not a kind of a film that you would think a producer would say, oh, this guy should make, you know, a more mainstream kind of narrative. But Mel saw something in a racerhead and in David that, you know, made him hire lynch to, to direct the film, gave him final cut, protected him and let him make the film that he wanted to make. And then the most incredible thing is that Mel did not put his own name on the movie because he was worried that if people saw the name Mel Brooks, they would think it was a comedy. So he didn't put his name on the movie despite having produced it.

[Alison Stewart]

You can learn a whole lot more about Mel Brooks in the docu series mel Brooks, the 99 year old man. Thanks to all our listeners who called in, and thank you very much to co director Michael Bonfiglio. Nice to meet you, Michael.

[Michael Bonfiglio]

So nice to meet you, Allison. I listen to your show all the time and I'm honored to have been on.

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