Movies - TV
How Drumming As A Kid Taught Mel Brooks A Lot About Comedy
By BEN F. SILVERIO
When it comes to famous filmmakers, you might think their success all boils down to innate talent or extreme luck, but Mel Brooks revealed that part of his success can be attributed to a favored childhood pastime. The filmmaker behind “Blazing Saddles” and “The Producers” revealed that drumming taught him valuable lessons about comedic timing.
During a 2021 interview, Brooks revealed how drumming transferred to comedy. The filmmaker said, “It has to do with punchlines. It has to do with timing. It has to do with buildup and explosions […] when one of the drumsticks hits the rim of the snare as well as the center of the drum and gives you that crack, that explosion. It's the same thing with a joke.”
Brooks went on to explain that drumming helped him understand timing and rhythm, which transferred well not only to comedy but to his films. The director explained, “Timing in a movie is very different from timing on the stage. It has to do with drumming, it has to do with rim shots. But on the stage, there's a special rhythm and an explosion.”