Mel Brooks & Carl Reiner on Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars getting Coffee

Over the summer, we posted the trailer for Jerry Seinfeld's new web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.  In each episode, Jerry picks up a different comedian in one of his fancy cars and goes out for coffee, and humorous dialogue ensues.  Throughout the series, Jerry has talked to many comedians including Larry David, Rick Gervais, Michael Richards, and Alec Baldwin (who's not really a comedian) but there was one episode that really stood out above the rest.

In this particular episode, Jerry talks to two comedy legends: Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner.  We've previously done a "Who Dat Ninja" segment on Carl Reiner, where we wrote about how Carl Reiner used to write for Your Show of Shows and then created the very popular TV show The Dick Van Dyke Show. 

Mel Brooks, who also wrote for Your Show of Shows with Carl, went on to create the hit spy-parody TV series Get Smart (which was recently remade into a movie starring Steve Carell) as well as many hit comedy films including Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs, Robinhood: Men in Tights, and The Producers, which he recently turned into a huge hit Broadway musical.  Mel Brooks is also one of a few people to have achieved Tracy Jordan's dream of the EGOT*, winning 4 Emmys, 3 Grammys, 1 Oscar, and 3 Tonys.

Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner became friends while writing for Your Show of Shows, and developed the famous "2,000 Year Old Man" routine while working together on the show.  The two men each had long successful marriages. Carl was married to Estelle Reiner, who delivered the famous "I'll have what she's having" line in When Harry Met Sally, which was directed by their son Rob Reiner. Mel was married to EOT winner Anne Bancroft (she could never get that Grammy), who is perhaps most famous for playing Mrs. Robinson in the classic film The Graduate.  Sadly however, the two women have recent passed away, Anne in 2005 and Estelle in 2008, leaving the men widowed and alone.  Therefore, the old friends decided to have dinner together every night, so they'd have someone to talk to.

Most episode of Jerry's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee just involve Jerry sitting down for coffee with a comedian, and that's exactly how this one starts out.  But after Carl tells Jerry about his nightly dinner routine with Mel, he eventually invites him to dinner that night, to experience (and record) what happens when these two comedy legends get together each night.  So here it is, Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner on Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee:

And be sure to check out the official site for Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, which features some "Spare Parts" from the episode (short deleted clips) as well as other episode of the web series!

*4 Emmys: Outstanding Writing in a Variety Show for Sid Ceaser and 3 times for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy for Mad About You. 3 Grammys: Best Comedy Album for "2000 Year Old Man", Best Long Form Music Video for "Recording The Producers", and Best Musical Show Album for "The Producers". 1 Oscar: Best Original Screenplay for The Producers. 3 Tonys: Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Score for "The Producers".

Who Dat Ninja? - President of Pawnee's Seniors United

A few weeks ago, this old man appeared on an episode of Parks & Recreation as Ned Jones, the President of Pawnee Seniors United.  While this man may not be recognizable to most, he is actually a comedy legend who has won multiple Emmys, Grammys, and even the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for comedy.  So who is this man you ask?  Looks like it's time for another edition of Who Dat Ninja?

This man is none other than the great Carl Reiner.  Carl Reiner began his career as an actor, playing the straight man to the crazy Sid Cesar on the 1950's variety show Your Show of Shows:

After Your Show of Shows ended, Reiner used his experience on the show to create the wildly successful Dick Van Dyke Show.  The show starred Dick Van Dyke (obviously) as Rob Pettrie, a comedy writer for a fictional variety show called The Alan Brady Show.  (Liz Lemon anyone?)  Carl Reiner not only created and wrote for the show, but also played the occasional role of the show's talent Alan Brady.  Here is a classic episode which features Carl Reiner as Alan Brady, where's Rob's wife Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) reveals to the world that Alan wears a toupee:

Carl Reiner also teamed with with comic filmmaker Mel Brooks (who wrote for Your Show of Shows) to create the classic "2,000 Year Old Man" comedy routine.  Reiner and Brooks used to improvise the routine backstage at Your Show of Shows, and then started performing it for friends at parties.  The routine became so successful, that they released 5 albums, the last of which won a Grammy Award for best comedy album.  In the routine, Reiner again played the straight man, interviewing Mel Brooks who claimed to be a man who was 2,000 years old.

Reiner has also had much success in film, writing and directing many films, many of which were for Steve Martin, such as Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, The Man with Two Brains, and most famously, The Jerk.  He has acted in many films as well, most notably in the Oceans trilogy as Saul Bloom:

Carl Reiner is also the father of Rob Reiner, who starred on All in the Family and directed such classic films as The Princess Bride, This is Spinal Tap, and When Harry Met Sally... (Carl's wife, Estelle Reiner, delivered the famous "I'll have what she's having" line in the film).

And finally, here is Carl Reiner on Parks and Recreation!

And that's Carl Reiner, the guy who plays the President of Pawnee's Seniors United on Parks & Rec.  Today also happens to be Carl Reiner's 90th birthday, so Happy Birthday Carl!