Comedy icon Mel Brooks shared the secret sauce to a long life a few months ahead of turning 100. He revealed that he and his close friends, Carl Reiner and Sid Caesar, used to laugh a lot, something he believes is powerful medicine for staying happy and healthy. While Brooks admits that comedy makes life livable, he also credits courage as an equally essential trait for living a good life.
Mel Brooks says ‘laughing’ is the secret to his long life
In a conversation with PEOPLE, Brooks shared the secret behind living a healthy and long life. He revealed that he and his close friends Reiner and Caesar, who were also comedy legends, used to laugh a lot. “I think laughing keeps you healthy and happy,” he adds. Sadly, Reiner (98) and Caesar (91) passed away in 2020 and 2014, respectively, both over 90 years of age.
Recently, the documentary Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man, released on January 22, covered the professional and personal aspects of the famous actor, filmmaker, and comedian’s life. In one of the archival footage, he confesses that making people laugh fuels his career and motivates him to wake up each morning. He explained, “It’s an amazing sound, people laughing at something I created. Making comedy is a great job. It keeps you sane and happy. It gives you a reason to be alive.”
Apart from laughter, Brooks also believes that courage is essential to living a long life. He himself inherited the trait from his mother. He said, “She was an amazing example of courage. Losing her husband when she was just a young gal, raising four kids. What an example of a courageous life.”
Brooks is currently 99 years old and is active in the entertainment industry, having not yet retired. He recently starred in an episode of Somebody Feed Phil. Moreover, he’s set to appear in a TV movie, Fairy Tale Forest, whose release date is yet to be known.
Originally reported by Shazmeen Navrange on Mandatory.
