Mel Brooks Says He Thinks He Was an ‘Arrogant, Stupid Son of a Bitch’ Sometimes

Mel Brooks is getting candid about his feelings on his decades-long career.

The comedy legend, 99, spoke to a crowd at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures following the Los Angeles premiere of a new documentary about his life, titled Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man, on Tuesday, Jan. 20. 

During the Q&A, the film’s director, Judd Apatow, asked Brooks whether he was able to watch the documentary — which features clips of his past work — with a sense of pride and accomplishment.

“Sometimes I can detach myself and say, ‘That guy’s funny,’ “ Brooks replied. “And sometimes I could say, ‘What an arrogant, stupid son of a bitch.’ So it was a mixture of stuff, but mostly good.”

The writer and director went on to recall a particularly devastating moment in his career when he thought his film career was over — specifically when he thought his 1967 film The Producers was going to flop. (The film went on to beat out 2001: A Space Odyssey for Best Original Screenplay at the 1969 Oscars.) 

“That night I went home, and I was with [my wife], Anne [Bancroft], and I was literally crying. I said, ‘That’s the end of it. Wow. I thought maybe it would be 50-50, but this was a horrible flop,’ ” he recalled.

“I said, ‘Well, I was good on the Show of Shows. I know how to write for television, and maybe they’ll remember me and I’ll go back to television. I don’t have to be in movies,’ ” he added.

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During the conversation at the Academy Museum, Brooks also briefly discussed his friendship with Carl Reiner, father of the late Rob Reiner.

“I loved him. I loved Carl,” Brooks said. ”There was no fake laughter. I used to really break him up. He’d grab his belly and sometimes he’d fall down.”

“Sweetest guy that ever lived,” he added, while also noting that he was “glad” that Carl “passed when he did” as he “never could have survived” the December 2025 death of his son.

Looking ahead, Brooks shared that he’s currently “busier than I’ve ever been in my life,” with several new projects in the works — including the long-awaited sequel Spaceballs 2, as well as the TV series Very Young Frankenstein.

Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man is currently streaming on HBO Max.