About:
All About Me!: My Remarkable Life in Show Business by Mel Brooks is a memoir by the famous legendary entertainer. Mr. Brooks is a comedy legend whose star still looms large, and has created a standard for TV, movies, and plays are which is difficult to top.
- 15 hours and 6 minutes
- Publisher : Random House Audio
- Language : English
- ASIN : B0992RFCW7
- Narrator : Mel Brooks
My rating for All About Me!â 5
Buy All About Me! from Amazon.com*
More books by Mel Brooks*
Thoughts:
My first introduction to Mel Brooks Films was History of the World, Part I, I lost track of how many times I saw it on HBO, and that was before streaming. One of the best parts about this book is that it reminded of Mr. Brooksâ hilarious work.
The book is not an encompassing biography by any means, for example his first wife, Florence Baum, is not mentioned at all. Instead, All About Me! concentrates more on the authorâs entertainment portfolio, and all the things which made Melvin Kaminsky into Mel Brooks.
The book starts at the beginning, growing up in a poor Jewish family living in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. When he became older, he joined the Army during World War II, where he honed his humor, managed to grab Bob Hopeâs trousers to get an autograph. Once honorably discharged he started writing for TVâs Sid Cesar variety show where he got to know Neil Simon and Woody Allen among others.
The chapters pretty much follow Mr. Brookâs filmography, movies that have become comedy classics from the moment they were released. Blazing Saddles that poked fun at westerns and racism (which was too much for my Gen Ziers to watch), Young Frankenstein (or is it Franken-steen?) took on the 1940s horror flicks, Spaceballs which got the approval of George Lucas as long as no action figures will be made (his lawyersâ request), The Producers making fun of Hitler, High Anxiety, a movie that Alfred Hitchcock himself approved of, The Elephant Man, a serious movie which he produced, and many others including Get Smart. Mr. Brooks goes on to talk about his Broadway shows, and a bit about the Kennedy Honors as well.
Mr. Brooks is very generous with giving credit to those who helped him achieve his success. From those previously mentioned to his frequent collaborators Madeline Kahn, Gene Wilder and Carl Reiner, and of course Anne Bancroft, his second wife.
I loved the book, but as a fan of Mel Brooks I knew I would, especially with him reading it. It was warm and funny but uneven, thereâs little, if any self-reflection and a few uncomfortable moments. Nevertheless, I loved the odd anecdotes which, to me, are worth the price of admission (pun intended).
Buy All About Me! from Amazon.com*
More books by Mel Brooks*
Zohar â Man of la Book
DisÂclaimer:I bought this book through an Audible.com membership.
*AmaÂzon links point to an affilÂiÂate account, the money is usually spent on books
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