Mel Brooks - Oscar-Winning Producer, Writer - Celebrity News Beauty & Style
Mel Brooks What I Know Now
The comedy king 89 takes on some serious subjects
Darren Michaels/SMPSP for Sony Pictures Entertainment What s funny
I don't know what comedy is. Some comedies are just good. Other comedies are work. I guess, for me, the trick is to know when something is funny enough. The test? If you hear yourself laughing — literally hear yourself going "Ha, ha, ha," without analyzing why — then it's funny. Don t be stoopid
A lot of the audience digs the nuances and the details. For , we tracked down the laboratory equipment from the original movie and people said, "Brilliant!" [For the parody of the shower scene] in High Anxiety, we used newspaper ink to mimic blood going down the drain. Someone today stopped me and said, "That was genius." I said, "Because I'm a genius." The truth is, 70 or 80 percent of the audience is as bright as the filmmaker. Stick to your guns
For , the head of Warner Bros. wanted me to take out about 22 different scenes — Mongo punching the horse, the race jokes, the farting scene. I wrote down everything he said, then crumpled up the note and threw it across the room into a wastepaper basket. I said, "If I do that, we'll have a 14-minute movie and it won't be funny." More on Mel
Born Melvin James Kaminsky in Brooklyn in 1926 Cleared German mines after the Battle of the Bulge as an Army combat engineer in World War II His son Max Brooks wrote the best-sellers World War Z and The Zombie Survival Guide Two of a kind
I was lucky to meet someone who had the same values I had. [My late wife, ,] was addicted to oceans, so the minute I made some money, we bought a house in . She'd wake me up at 8 in the morning by throwing a bathing suit in my face. We'd rush to the ocean. I'd say, "Is it cold?" She'd say, "No, it's fine." It was freezing, but she loved it. Afterward, we'd put on records and dance. I mean, one of the clichés is "your soul mate." But it's true. Anne was my soul mate. She's irreplaceable. Fatherly advice
I play Dracula's father, Vlad, in . It's going to get a lot of laughs, but there's this strange brushstroke toward the end. It's not easy being a father. I wasn't a bad one, but I wasn't great either; I was too busy building my temple to me. Getting famous, writing and directing movies — they take up a lot of hours, and often I would come home late. I regret this very much. To other fathers: Try to get home so you can read to your child and spend some time before bed. Next generation
My grandson, Henry Michael Brooks, loves me unconditionally. Well, mostly. The deal is, he'll say, "I love you, Grandpa. Now tell me you love me!" And, of course, I say, "I love you, too." He's the light of my life, that kid. AARP Members! What They Know
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I still see almost every day. He's 93. I don't think he has a touch of or . He's still smart and sharp. He was the first one to point out . He said, "You got to watch this woman. She's great." But I pointed out first, so we're even. Good as gold
The two Oscars I have at home — one for and the other for the screenplay of — are too dangerous to bring to the office, I'm told. People like to steal Oscars. They won't steal my Emmys, they won't steal my Tonys, they won't steal my Grammys, but — people can't keep their hands off those! Standing Tall
I used to say I was 5 feet 71/2; now I have to say 5 feet 61/2. Every 10 or 12 years I lose an inch. But I can still see over the steering wheel. Still Fired Up
I'd like to say I'm running on all eight, but we don't have eight cylinders today. We have six, maybe four. So I'm running on all six. Blissful Anonymity
I like it better if people don't recognize me. Otherwise I have to be nice. "Oh, you're so sweet, you're too kind!" I don't need any more attention. If I'm out somewhere, what I mostly want is to finish my strawberry sherbet. —Reported by David Hochman Featured AARP Member Benefits See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures
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