Has Mel Brooks set himself up with his cock sure, ego maniacal MO?

[GladysBumps]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 10:26am

Caught the YF last night and must admit, with all the hype and the very idea of a four hundred dollar ticket price, I was not predisposed to falling all over myself. Actually it took getting past a couple pretty dreary songs and some very stale jokes (which elicit cheerful groans now, rather than howls) to get into it, but a half hour in, I confess I did.

With the pull of Stroman's ingenuity, inspiration and terrific choreography, and a group of A list performers who have the ability to deliver mediocre songs like they are belting Jules Styne, it's pretty hard to resist.

But I wonder if I wouldn't have been more susceptible at the outset, had Mel Brooks kept his self-satisfied mouth and greed at bey.

[FranklinShepard-Inc.]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 11:02am

..and one more "I hate the egotistical Mel Brooks" thread.

Wow.
Updated On: 11/6/07 at 11:02 AM

[Princeton78]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 12:08pm

If the shoe fits........

[GladysBumps]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 12:09pm

I hardly hate the man. He has given me many a laugh. It's just after all the bravado, I went into that theater with an "OK, show me" attitude which I'm sure affected my enjoyment of the show.
No, anyone who Anne Bancroft lived with all those years cannot possibly be the turd he's currently projecting. Come to think of it, perhaps it's the loss of his beloved Annie that's resulted in this unpleasant demeanor. That would be completely forgivable.

[p.s.]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 12:32pm

Mel Brooks is a team player, and there is no I in "TEAM".

Talking about c... sure.



p.s. And there is no I in "ME L"



Charitable Mel Brooks

Posted: 11/6/07 at 1:27pm

Good God, what exactly did Mel brooks do to piss people off so?

PLEASE do not bitch about the ticket price- if he didn't do it the next big show would. And if people don't buy 'em the prices come down.

[jpbran]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 1:42pm

"Cocksure" is even more giggle-inducing when spaced as two words, and when referring to Mel Brooks.

[BrianS]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 3:29pm

JoeKv99: While I have no problem charging whatever price you can get for a ticket, Mel HAS pissed a lot of people off...

Having an ego and putting out great product is one thing, but his ego has hurt this show. He overruled Stroman on almost every disagreement and wouldn't cut jokes that no one else was laughing at because he knows what is funny.

Group sales people are pissed because, unlike every other show, Mel is giving them side orchestra sections at a barely reduced rate. These people are the bread and butter of a show because they bring in the groups that fill seats for years.

Investors are pissed because he structured the investment deals so that no one else makes more than a trickle until he makes a mint. Just because you have the leverage to strong arm your investors doesn't make it right which is why so many active investors declined to participate.

At the end of the day, none of that would matter too much if the show was amazing... but it's not. And a major reason for that is that Mel won't listen to feedback.

Posted: 11/6/07 at 4:16pm

Wow so much inside information!

So the investors are unhappy? Did they pull their money and walk? No, they stayed in. He still had more investors than shares to sell them. They must REALLY be pissed!! I picture them saying "Mel, I hate your attitude! So I'm only investing a million-- or two!"

And group sales are mad? Wow- so he's selling out without resorting to discounted group sales? I bet the investors hate that too.

I'm sorry i don't mean to be argumentative I'm just seeing that since Producers swept the Tonys Mel Brooks can't fart without people being outraged at him. Don't you think there is the tiniest bit of jealousy here? That maybe the show isn't "Amazing" because people are waiting for it to fail?
Updated On: 11/6/07 at 04:16 PM

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 4:23pm

He is head strong and cocksure...or is it the other way around?

[Pippin]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 4:26pm

he's gay, but straight.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 4:43pm

Don't forget that everyone involved with The Full Monty is pretty pissed off. They all want the Tonys they deserved and Mel flaunted.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 5:50pm

I disagree about if noboby buys tickets they reduce prices

Eventually a show closes but tickets for Broadway in general will never go anywhere but up.

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 6:52pm

Well I feel if tickets show up at considerable discounts online, they offer discount codes or they show up on TDF, that is bringing the price down. Of course it is rather stealthy of them but so is everything else in this World.

I just think that YF in particular was a tough show to bring because it had such a large viewing audience. Trying to please everyone is tough. I think Mel should have had more help with the score because he should know that many of those who support Broadway will expect a lot more here than for a Movie.

How long this show will last is really unsure. Mel's wanting so much of the profit is questionable? He's so old what is going to do with all of that money? I don't know. Seems like he might have to open a home for those out of work scalpers perhaps? For the most part though it is entertaining so people will go to see it for the nostalgia of it all or just to get out for the night.

It is what it is. It could be much worse. People will go to see it and that is all that really matters to Mel and his crew.

It was however originally filled with tidbits that could easily translate into song so I was interested in seeing it. If only because it has a talented cast, some good special effects, more singing and dancing. I thought the story was funny too. So why not?

I have no problem with the ticket prices but I said that also before. It means some of the faithful will have to be more creative if they want a good seat but those who don't care much won't really complain. They have discounts so we don't have to be scalped if we don't want to be.

[GladysBumps]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 8:53pm

So shoot me if I cant help sitting there thinking: "If I paid four hundred something, would I feel I got a bang for my buck?" That does get in the way, you know? I mean, it's fine, it's certainly not a stinker, but it doesn't blow one away either, which is kind of what I would expect if I coughed up all that dough. (Yeah, fat chance, I'm an actor.)

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 9:13pm

It must though look good on the resume to be able to say hey people paid $400 bucks to see my show. That might give you some much needed clout. You might need it they read it was from YF.

Heh,heh, if anyone paid four hundred bucks for this show, they obviously have money to burn and nothing too fun to do on a Saturday Night. Those people exist. They buy those tickets. It might get someone to go out with you who otherwise would not, those who need lots of incentive, so what else is new?

Does that include a Program, two stiff drinks and the cab fare back Home or to your Hotel? Just wondering...
Updated On: 11/7/07 at 09:13 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/6/07 at 9:16pm

It's not like the ENTIRE theater is selling for $450. There are just as many "regularly priced" tickets, in fact, even MORE. The entire mezzanine is $120, the balcony is $60 and $80. The front row is $25, and the bulk of the orchestra is also $120.

Brian S - of course Mel should make a mint. It's his friggen show. It's a Mel Brooks musical, written by Mel Brooks.

[SamIAm]

Posted: 11/7/07 at 12:13pm

a) If the old saw "there is no bad publicity" applies anywhere, it is here. Brooks is getting SO much publicity for his ticket prices and his going against all the theater policies (like reporting grosses, etc.) You think this upsets him? Publicity is publicity and buzz is buzz.

b) So Mel Brooks has an ego, huh? Wow...now there is news.

c) It is a hallmark of success that people build you up and then become threatened by your presence and decide to tear you down. Nothing new here either. People are either ticked off at Brooks because they think he is only moderately talented and should not be on Broadway or because they think the Full Monty should have taken the TONYs that year and he was not gracious or modest enough in his acceptance speech. His schtick was classic Brooks. No one who knows the man was surprised by his reaction. It was designed to be funny...and although you may not have found it so...it did go over with the TV audience. My guess is that most of us would find his reaction grating if our favorite show did not win. We all have a little sour grapes in us, but let me ask you how many Emmys and Oscars have been given to projects that did not deserve the award. Perhaps The Producers did not deserve to win...perhaps it did...I think the horse is dead and we should probably move on.

d) Ticket prices at $450 are sold at $120 when they don't sell at full premium. That is exactly what they did at the Producers. It did not hurt the show, though it did tick off the people who paid full price for the premium seats! Only 6% of the house is offered at premium prices. If you don't want these seats, don't buy them. The market dictates the price. If no one buys them, they will not sell them, right? And as for Brooks making he most money on this show, it IS his show, right? And for all we know, he is donating half of the money he makes to charity.

e) If Brooks and Stroman had cast ONLY BIG STARS in these roles, they would have been criticized for creating another Producers that would not do well beyond the time the original leads spent in the roles. The cast has a solid Broadway background and perhaps would benefit from better material.

f) YF will not rise or fall based on whether you like or dislike Mel Brooks or even whether you think he is a talented composer or writer. The reviewers will probably not care for it, but tourists and fans of the film will fill the seats and it will probably have a respectable run. It was an expensive show to mount, so the real question is how long it will take to recoup.

I do not care for Brooks' pricing or his unwillingness to involve and listen to other professionals when he is writing a Broadway show. I also know he has a famously huge ego. None of that really matters in the grand scheme of things. I have the right to buy tickets or ignore the show, as do others. The bottom line is that he has brought a lot of excitement back to Broadway and made money for the city. Nothing is going to change Brooks in the long run so I'm not sure why we continue to bemoan his flaws as if he will read our posts and see the light.

As for the comments about Brooks being too old to spend the money he is making...I have to laugh. You'd think the man is 120 years old! Remind me to check back with you when you are in your 70s and see if you think you have one foot in the grave. My guess is that Brooks has a number of good years left and that he will probably spend them working. It's up to you whether you choose to line his pockets.

Posted: 11/7/07 at 12:50pm

Wonderful post Sam- but I have to laugh at one line- Mel's unwillingness to listen to theater "Professionals'. What's Susan Strohman? And considering Mel's been involved in show biz for 50 some years and worked on his first Broadway show in 1952.....

[p.s.]

Posted: 11/7/07 at 1:22pm

You'd think the man is 120 years old! Remind me to check back with you when you are in your 70s and see if you think you have one foot in the grave.

He's in his eighties.


p.s. But he feels much older.

[keen on kean]

Posted: 11/7/07 at 3:14pm

Did they pass a law that says old people can't like money? Better tell Warren Buffett.

[mc1227]

Posted: 11/7/07 at 3:51pm

Mel has always listened to Broadway professionals. Tom Meehan, Stroman, Glenn Kelly, etc. Even with his movie, The Producers, unfortunately, he listened to Stroman too much. Also, Mel is in his late 80's, so chances are, this might be his last Broadway show.

My only problem with Brooks is that he seemed to get greedy and supposedly passed over Matthew Broderick after he promised him the role in YF. I think they should be very happy with all the $$ they made from the Producers and not be so greedy.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 11/7/07 at 3:56pm

I found his reaction grating and I couldn't have cared less who won.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 11/7/07 at 4:14pm

"The entire mezzanine is $120"

That is horrendous. In the barn that is the Hilton, anything past row M in the orchestra should be significantly cheaper than the front orchestra. More and more shows are hardly creating prcing blocks for their shows. Jersey Boys, for example, charges top dollar for all but the last two rows of the Mezzanine. That is ridiculous.

[p.s.]

Posted: 11/7/07 at 4:58pm

Also, Mel is in his late 80's, so chances are, this might be his last Broadway show.

He's 81.


p.s. But he feels much older.