Bullseye with Jesse Thorn Mel Brooks
Feb 3, 2026
Mel Brooks, film and comedy legend behind The Producers and Young Frankenstein, reflects on Brooklyn roots, WWII service, and his rise from Catskills drummer to comedy titan. He recounts writing for Sid Caesar, creating Get Smart to fund films, collaborating with Gene Wilder, and the madcap instincts behind his landmark movies. Short, lively stories and sharp humor run throughout.
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From Drummer To Comic In The Catskills
- Mel Brooks started in the Catskills as a drummer and filled in as a comic, learning jokes by listening to performers like Donna Drake.
- He found stronger laughs by using familiar, human situations instead of canned jokes and learned to write from real life.
Ridicule As Antidote To Dictatorship
- Brooks explains ridicule as a tool to undermine charismatic dictators who wield power through speech.
- He argues that laughing at tyrants can be more effective than debating them on stage.
Army, VMI, And Singing At The Front
- Mel Brooks joined the Army at 17, trained at VMI, and served as a radio operator in Europe during WWII.
- He mixes humor and danger in war memories, like singing through to enemy lines to ease tension.
