After the release of "The Producers" (1967), Mel Brooks got lots of letters from almost every Rabbi in New York condemning the movie [for its depiction of Hitler] & asking him to think twice before making a movie like it again. Brooks wrote back to every single Rabbi explaining, "You can't get on a soap box with Hitler. You've got to ridicule him. You got to bring him down with laughter. There is no way to get even." He wrote to make them understand the real intent behind the "Springtime for Hitler" scene. And he got a few letters back saying, "Maybe you're right, you know? It was OK."
(Mel Brooks' interview with Conan O'Brien, 2013 & "Mel Brooks says his only regret as a comedian is the jokes he didn't tell", Terry Gross, 2022)
Happy 100th birthday to the KING: Mel Brooks!!!
Living to be 100 is no easy feat, but spending majority of his life by making millions of people laugh and wanting to do so even at this age is unbelievable. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. May he live long and entertain us all even more.
Clip From:
History of the World, Part I (1981)
Director: Mel Brooks
Pink ladybugs stand out for one obvious reason
Their rare pink shells make them easy to recognize, while they help keep aphids and other plant pests under control