Mel Brooks, ‘Unhinged’ And Loving It

Mel Brooks has been entertaining audiences for more than five decades. A master writer, actor, comedian and producer, he came from humble beginnings in Brooklyn to become one of the most celebrated comedic minds of our time.

His signature hit might be The Producers, a 1968 comedy he later adapted into a stage musical — which he then eventually adapted back into a movie. But there’s much more on his resume; in fact his ingenuity and flexibility have made him one of the few people who’ve won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Tony and a Grammy.

Now, die-hard fans and the uninitiated alike can survey his career via a multimedia box set — The Incredible Mel Brooks: An Irresistible Collection Of Unhinged Comedy — featuring little-known scenes, interviews and a CD featuring his songs and comedy clips.

Brooks talks with NPR’s Renee Montagne about getting started in showbiz, writing Catskills comedy, and the mix of “very good and very bad things” selected for the set

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Love me some Mel Brooks!