Naomi Weisman is a Canadian-Australian and mother of three who loves to Ramble with her dog, cook for family and friends, and laugh whenever possible.
I feel like Jewish humour lives at the very core of who I am. It’s in my DNA — even though I’m adopted and don’t have a single drop of Jewish blood in me.
I was adopted by my mom and dad, who were Jewish. While we weren’t a particularly religious family, I was raised immersed in Jewish traditions, Jewish ways of thinking, and most especially, Jewish humour. And humour, as we all know, is where so much truth, resilience, and heart live.
I’m quite certain that I inherited my love of Mel Brooks directly from my mom. She was hilarious and unique, endlessly creative, and deeply loved to laugh. In our family, many of our inside jokes came from Peter Sellers and The Pink Panther, and most definitely from Mel Brooks. His humour wasn’t just something we watched — it became part of how we spoke to one another, how we teased, how we bonded.
It started early, listening to The 2000 Year Old Man on the stereo — long before I was old enough to catch all the jokes, but old enough to know it made my parents laugh, which made it magic.
From there, it quickly moved to the movies:
Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, The Producers, High Anxiety, The History of the World, Robin Hood: Men in Tights — films that were outrageous, clever, fearless, and somehow always deeply human beneath the absurdity.
Watching Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man, directed by Judd Apatow, felt less like watching a documentary and more like spending time with a beloved, slightly mischievous relative. Brooks comes across not just as a comedic genius, but as someone whose humour was forged through history, hardship, and a refusal to let tragedy have the final word.
What struck me most is how many people feel what I feel — that Mel Brooks somehow belongs to them. That his humour shaped their families, their friendships, their sense of what it means to laugh in the face of life’s darker moments. Seeing artists, comedians, and actors speak about his influence made me realize I am far from alone in feeling that he’s “one of ours.”
This documentary is a celebration of a man who never lost his childlike delight in poking fun at power, ego, fear, and even death itself — and in doing so, gave generations permission to laugh freely and boldly.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Nomi’s Verdict:
This is not just a documentary for Mel Brooks fans — it’s for anyone who believes that laughter is a form of survival, storytelling, and love. A joyful, moving tribute to a man who, at 99, still reminds us how powerful humour can be.
READ MORE > Nomi's Pics, Rambler Cafe Blog
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