The Power Of Comedy.

[Atheist]

Watching the documentary about Mel Brooks tonight, I am struck that petty concerns about identity politics and 'forbidden' words are put to shame by true comic geniuses. Watching Blazing Saddles, who would take offence at Mel's script line (uttered by a hillbilly on top of the town hall looking through a telescope at the approach of the new town sheriff) "Hey, the new sheriff is a N...(drowned out by the hoot of an approaching train). "What?" shouts the mayor. "The new sheriff is a N...(drowned out by the hoot of an approaching train).

[Tuvok]

Its bells not a train.

Brilliant film, co-written by Richard Prior

[david small]

Ah the days when we could laugh at ourselves and our silly behaviour.

[douglas9401]

Black gags matter

[Peter Pedant]

olden times werent without taboos
they were just different
which we really know...

This was the decade of Watts Riots and the Democrat convention. and in dear old blighty, someone was sent to prison for wearing a leahther jacket with ACAB on it ( all coppers are bast...)

[ also seen on a jacket on the Capitol 6 Jan 21 - I wondered if anyone over stateside knew what it meant]

[jno]

nobody laughs at themselves. Brooks was laughing at racists. But Cleavon Little was so effortlessly cool that he just made them look idiots.

It has to be said though that laughing at racists doesn't seem to have diminished their numbers or their self-regard.

[douglas9401]

They're the gift that keeps on giving.

[Buenchico]

Perhaps the PC brigade might interpret this as mocking people with learning difficulties?

It's still absolutely brilliant anyway ;-)

[roopower]

I love that film though I haven't seen it for ages....so many memorable bits

[jim360]

Another mini-documentary exploring the same topic that might also be interesting:

[William51]

I agree. The whole film pokes fun but is done in a clean clever way.

[jno]

clean? Lily von Schtupp clean??



The very idea.