Mel Brooks: Unwrapped

Mel Brooks: Unwrapped takes a look back at the legendary career of award-winning actor, writer, producer and director Mel Brooks as told through his hilarious and insightful interviews with producer Alan Yentob, former creative director for the BBC. Since 1981, Yentob has filmed the comedy icon for a number of candid conversations and mock-interviews in which Yentob plays a "straight man" to Mel's high-energy, quick-witted, unsparingly sarcastic persona. Combining Yentob's archival material with present-day interviews and verité footage of the now 93-year-old Brooks, Mel Brooks: Unwrapped is filled with the venerated comedian's tongue-in-cheek musings and anecdotes about his life and career. The 67-minute special also sees Yentob following Brooks in his day-to-day life, including a visit with long-time friend and collaborator Carl Reiner — who dubs Mel "the funniest human being in the world" — to share some spaghetti and meatballs and take a look back at some iconic clips from Brooks' 60-plus years in showbiz. Tracing Brooks' ascension as one of Hollywood's most successful comedy writer/directors, the new special highlights the brilliance — comedic, musical and otherwise — of Mel Brooks, who shows that the years have done little to erode his keen wit and boundless energy.