Mel Brooks and the Importance of Humor

I've always believed in having a sense of humor about yourself and about everything around you.

Sometimes, this didn't translate well with some friends of mine. Apparently, throwing fries on the ground and calling it a "vegetable sacrifice" and jokingly about losing sleep over a guy in a very dry voice can sometimes make others think you're a permanent citizen of Crazytown, USA. Sure, some people got it, but there are some that didn't and my god do I apologize for that. I was honestly just trying to relay a parody of what most people thought of as a psychotic teenager with an obsessive crush (something that was only partly true...my crush wasn't obsessive!)

By reading this, I guess its no surprise that Mel Brooks is one of my favorite comedians. 

I grew up watching all types of comedies, but it was always the spoofs that caught my eye. They were funny but they weren't that mean. It was complimenting the genres or the type of films it was parodying. They would always throw in the element of the unexpected in them, and man was Mel Brooks always so unexpected. It didn't matter what the topic was, he would find a way to just inch over that line enough to make others squirm. Actually, one of my favorite quotes that I heard him say was actually something I read in a Roger Ebert article. Ebert wrote that he heard some lady tell Brooks that his films were vulgar. Brooks, in a sincere voice, said "Lady, it rose below vulgarity." That's pretty much him in a nutshell. 

He'd not only use the vulgarity, however, which is something that a lot of current comedians fail to realize. He'd use the unexpected, the random, and of course sight gags. Like an over the top Broadway production...about Hitler. I mean the juxtaposition of Hitler and Broadway is just too funny to pass up. Yes it pushes the envelope, but it's still funny as hell. Or seeing Frankenstein and his creation dancing to "Puttin' on the Ritz"? Just thinking about it is hilarious. How can you not laugh at that?! Pretty much Mel Brooks used a balancing act when it came to his comedy in which he'd alternate between something clean and something vulgar...just enough spacing. 

And since I'm sure you are wondering even the slightest, no I don't like Mel Brooks just because he and I are called by the same name. If that was the case, then wouldn't I like Mel Gibson too? And going even further wouldn't liking both Mel Gibson and Mel Brooks (knowing what we know now) be kind of like dividing by zero in some aspect? Sure it's another point in Brooks' direction, but it's not a dealbreaker or anything like that. 

Now actually getting to the point of the article, it's pretty much has to do with Mel Brooks' outlook on comedy and the power that a damn good sense of humor can have. He's pretty much time and time again has demonstrated this. When you hear him talk about comedy, it's very well thought out and reasonable. It's stuff that I kind of take to heart when I am trying to convey myself without trying to overtly offend, which sometimes can happen. 

For one thing, he points out that everyday life is freaking hilarious. Basically wherever you go, there is some kind of humor surrounding you. Just think Jerry Seinfeld in this respect. The idea about this thought is that things don't always have to be so serious. Whomever is up there, if you believe it or not, has to have some modicum of humor. After all, how would we even have a sense of humor if we weren't meant to have one...and don't cite the devil because we all know the devil prefers suffering...laughter is meant to make happiness! Well, most of the time. 

Another thing Brooks likes to touch up on is the idea of humor as a defense against life and the crap thrown our way. This is also adding onto the idea of life being hialrious as it is, but he goes another direction here. Here he's talking about how humor is used as a defense. Just look at gallows humor and also the nervous laughter that people sometimes end up blurting out in the middle of church when their mind wanders in different directions....well at least speaking form personal experience here. Along this same vein of gallows humor, Brooks has cited the idea of bad taste was something that is true but said at the wrong time. Now your mileage may vary on this one, but I think there's some point to it. 

Most importantly, Mel Brooks has talked about the power of comedy. Comedy is very powerful of a tool in life. It can win you friends, give you a good foot in the door for something you want to do, help you learn a lot about life in general, and it can even help take the sting out of a lot of controversial things. I guess in a way you can think of it as "the emperor has no clothes!" kind of situation, which makes some sense. The idea of comedy as a powerful tool is not something that is new or even revolutionary. Just look at Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator for an excellent example (that ending speech is amazing, FWIW). You make enough of a mockery, and point out the absuridities just enough, you'll get people talking. This is something Brooks did very well. I'm pretty sure you could argue that he has taken alot of the sting out of the name of Hitler as possible...maybe not enough to make it an official punchline to a joke, but at least enough to make a few of us chuckle thinking of the song "Springtime for Hitler" (or maybe that's just me)

Now that I have pretty much taken the humor out of comedy, I will leave you with at least the idea that you should go to Youtube and look up as much clips to do with Mel Brooks as humanly possible. You will not be disappointed even if you have seen them a bajillion times as it is. It's always good to have a laugh or two.

And to close this out I'll share at least one quote from Mel Brooks...well one direct quote from him (which has nothing to do with this article other than a pretty funny line): 

"Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open manhole and die"-Mel Brooks