Cloris Leachman Challenges Mel Brooks to a fight to win role (NO JOKE)

[heil myself!]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:27pm

From IMDb:

"Veteran actress Cloris Leachman has challenged theatre star Mel Brooks to a fight so she can prove she is healthy enough for a role in his forthcoming Broadway musical Young Frankenstein. Leachman, 81, was devastated to learn she had been snubbed for the part of Frau Blucher, Dr. Frankenstein's household servant - a role she originally played in the 1974 movie version of Young Frankenstein - despite having reportedly breezed through the audition process. Theatre insiders told New York Post's gossip column, Page Six, "(Leachman had) a wonderful audition... She was involved in a workshop recently and everyone loved her... but it was obvious she was too old." And Brooks, 80, fears the Broadway musical would be too strenuous for the star. He tells former industry columnist Army Archerd, "We're afraid the show might stop her - it could kill her... We don't want her to die on stage." But Leachman's representative Steve Rohr says, "Cloris challenges Mel to three rounds in the ring, and we'll see who's left standing." "

Okay, this is easily going to be the funniest thing ever.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:29pm

IMDB isn't known for their spot-on reporting, but if Brooks actually said, "We don't want her to die onstage," I might have to take him out myself.

How incredibly rude.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:29pm

Mel is one to talk himself he is just one year younger. I say give it to her.

[seymour krelborn]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:30pm

This is why I love her!

[madbrian]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:30pm

Geez, ya think this could be a publicity stunt?!?! Anyway, I'll put all my money on Leachman...

[Popular]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:30pm

There has been enough talk about Mel and his rudeness so I am not going to comment on that except to say I'm on "Team Leachman" if this fight happens! HAHA HILARIOUS!!!

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:34pm

I hope she kicks his ass.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:34pm

I so want Team Leachman tees now, Popular!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:36pm

Ravio,

Have I told you how much I loved you today?


I would have sent a PM, but you don't accept them.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:37pm

I was so pissed off when I heard she wasn't in it anymore. I love the woman and hopes she betch slaps him to Sunday.

[The_Jackal2]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:38pm

That's hilarious! I would pay good money to see that fight!

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:42pm

I love you every day, TheatreDiva. I wasn't aware that I wasn't accepting PMs, thanks for letting me know.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:42pm

My money's on Leachman too, Popular.

[heil myself!]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:44pm

I love Mel and have nothing against him (I don't think he's rude, he just doesn't sugar-coat everything he says.), but I do want Cloris to win just so I can see her on stage.

[Popular]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:44pm

Good idea! Who's making the shirts? And when can we buy tickets to see this?

[Weez]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:45pm

Hell, if there's t-shirts, sign me up for Team Leachman too. How is it Mel's decision whether she's too near to death or not? Ffs, Sutton Foster or Megan Mullally (god forbid!) could get hit by a cab tomorrow but they're still allowed to be in the cast. How terrifically rude and unnecessary! Leachman ftw pls!

Updated On: 6/15/07 at 02:45 PM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 2:58pm

Christopher Plummer and Angela Lansbury are in their 80s and are starring on Broadway, albeit in limited runs of plays, but still. It is possible. Leachman is a tough cookie. She is constantly doing TV work even at this age.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 3:00pm

A Broadway play and a Broadway musical are two different entities.

Playing a large featured role 8 times a week in a mega multi million dollar musical at 80 is not a piece of cake.

It's not a piece of cake when you're half that age either...

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 3:05pm

Playing a large featured role 8 times a week in a mega multi million dollar musical at 80 is not a piece of cake.

But it's age discrimination, plain and simple. Who is he to say she can't handle it? Only she knows what she's capable of. And if her performance was amazing as reports were, she's clearly qualified.

Bea Arthur is over 80 and continues to tour in her one-woman show. I would say that touring a nearly two hour show by yourself is the equivalent of a doing a featured role in a mega musical 8 times a week.

Updated On: 6/15/07 at 03:05 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 3:06pm

Worse than that, when you're in a mega multi million dollar musical, you can't even eat the cake, because you have to stay fit!

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 3:16pm

See, I wasn't saying she shouldn't be cast, I was saying that people who are saying that it's not hard have absolutely NO idea what they are talking about.

Being in a Broadway show is not like being in your high school's $25,000 production of Bye Bye Birdie. Sometimes I get the feeling that a lot of posters don't understand that...

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 3:22pm

High schools spend WHAT for productions???

WHAT????

[Mamie]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 3:28pm

There might even be a problem involving insurance on the cast, if potential backers demand it. I don't know how they do it in the theatre but a film will never get the go ahead without insurance being taken out on the lead performers. When one of the leads is elderly or ill (or has other reasons why they might not be able to complete the filming) the studio is unable to insure them - thus no money.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 3:57pm

There could be a compromise.. If they are so worried about her, then why not have two persons play the role so Cloris could still do her thing on Broadway, but not 8 shows a week. I'm sure that many people would rather have Cloris Leachman on a few days a week, than not at all. Roman in Austin, Texas

[Weez]

Posted: 6/15/07 at 4:03pm

Isn't this what previews are for? Seeing what works, what doesn't work, and if anything (cast members included) need replacing? Let Leachman play it. She's a professional, she knows her own limits, and if it turns out she can't after all, at least they gave it a shot.

I also like the idea of splitting the role; maybe they could look into that if they find out during previews that eight shows a week isn't on? ^_^