Mel Brooks’ comedy is timeless. And apparently, so is he. Today, he turns 100!
Born in Brooklyn to Jewish immigrants from Gdańsk and Kiev, Brooks (né Kaminsky) grew up to become a cultural icon. A comedian, director, playwright, filmmaker, actor and songwriter, Brooks is one of only 22 people to achieve competitive EGOT status, meaning he’s won at least one Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.
After serving in the U.S. Army during WWII, Brooks performed stand-up comedy in the Borscht Belt. He later got his big break in television as a writer on Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows” in 1950. It was there that he met Carl Reiner, and together they created the iconic and hilarious sketch known as “The 2,000 Year Old Man.” As with much of Brooks’ work, his Jewish humor played a central role.
Brooks has always been a proud Jew, often speaking of his people’s resilience and courage in the face of hardship. That idea clearly influences his work because his satire doesn’t just make us laugh, it helps us cope.
His comedy is outrageous, fearless and unapologetic. He transforms the heaviest subjects into brilliant satire and finds laughter in places most people would never think to look. But his humor isn’t about making light of evil. It’s about stripping evil of its power and refusing to let it have the last laugh.
So happy birthday to the 2,000 Year Old Man himself. You’re only 1/20th of the way there!
Source: Jill Goltzer
