Mel Brooks Reveals His Pick for Comedy’s Greatest Star
Mel Brooks opens up about the performer he considers the most gifted and hilarious, sharing rare insights into her extraordinary range and impact on comedy and drama alike.
As the years pass, a certain candour often emerges, and Mel Brooks, a towering figure in the world of comedy, is no exception. With a career dedicated to bringing laughter to audiences everywhere, Brooks has long been celebrated for his sharp wit and creative genius. When asked to name the finest comedy film ever made, he does not hesitate to champion his own work, citing Blazing Saddles as the pinnacle. This self-assurance is hardly surprising, given his remarkable achievements, including a trio of consecutive Primetime Emmys for his guest appearances in Mad About You. Yet, Brooks himself has admitted he felt those accolades were more a nod to his legendary status than to any particular performance.
Despite his well-earned confidence, Brooks is not one to claim every superlative for himself. While he has previously described his wife, Anne Bancroft, as the greatest actor to have graced the stage or screen, he stops short of calling her the funniest. Instead, when pressed to name the most outstanding comedic performer, he looks to someone from his own creative circle, a collaborator on several of his most iconic films.
Madeline Kahn: A Singular Talent
Brooks’s admiration is reserved for Madeline Kahn, with whom he worked on Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, High Anxiety, and History of the World, Part I. In a moment of heartfelt praise, he once remarked,
“What an incredibly gifted gift from God, Madeline Kahn. The funniest and most talented comedienne, I think, including people like Carol Burnett, who are great, you know, and Gilda Radner, who was magnificent. But nobody, listen to me, nobody could approach the magnificence and wonder of Madeline Kahn.”
Kahn’s ability to shine in both comedic and dramatic roles set her apart. She earned Academy Award nominations for her performances in Blazing Saddles and Paper Moon, two films that could hardly be more different in tone and style.
Her versatility was further recognised with three Golden Globe nominations and a Tony Award. Whether delivering a perfectly timed pratfall or conveying genuine emotion, Kahn’s range was unmatched. Brooks, for his part, never doubted her unique gifts, insisting that no one else could quite reach her level.
Beyond Comedy: A True Artist
Brooks’s appreciation for Kahn extended well beyond her comedic prowess. Reflecting on her legacy, he said,
“She was really a great gift to us all. I saw art in her, not just funny. But I saw a person who was gifted with art. She’s the only one who actually could have worked in opera as an opera singer, as a coloratura. She was that talented. Or I think she could have worked as a longshoreman in New Jersey.”
For Brooks, Kahn’s talents were so broad that he struggled to imagine any field in which she would not have excelled.
Her untimely death in 1999, following a battle with cancer, was a profound loss. Yet, in Brooks’s eyes, her legacy endures as the very definition of comedic brilliance.
“I don’t think there’s anything that Madeline Kahn couldn’t do,”
he reflected, a sentiment that speaks volumes about the high regard in which he held her.