Mel Brooks to Write Sequel to 'History of the World'

Actor, comedian and writer Mel Brooks, holds up his 2015 National Medal of Arts awarded to him by ex-President Barack Obama during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House. Carolyn Kaster / AP

Asharq Al Awsat

06:42-19 October 2021 AD ـ 13 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1443 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

06:42-19 October 2021 AD ـ 13 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1443 AH

Mel Brooks to Write Sequel to 'History of the World'

Actor, comedian and writer Mel Brooks, holds up his 2015 National Medal of Arts awarded to him by ex-President Barack Obama during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House. Carolyn Kaster / AP

Mel Brooks, the 95-year-old US comedy icon, is to help write a sequel for his 1981 classic film "A History of The World Part I" as an eight-part series for Hulu, the streaming service said Monday.

"I can't wait to once more tell the real truth about all the phony baloney stories the world has been conned into believing are History!" the veteran movie-maker and actor said in a statement.

Brooks, one of the few artists to have received awards from across the full spectrum of Emmys, Grammys, Oscars and Tonys, made the original "History of the World Part I" 40 years ago.

According to Hulu, Brooks will be supported in the production and writing of the show by Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen and Kevin Salter.

Writing for the series should begin "this month" and filming start in the spring of 2022, said the platform, whose majority shareholder is Disney.

A worldwide success after its release in 1981, "History of the World Part I" is a slapstick comedy that parodied history from the Stone Age to the French Revolution.

Brooks played the parts of Moses and King Louis XVI, among others.

The film ended with the announcement of a sequel featuring a segment called "Hitler on Ice," along with a teaser of an ice-skating German dictator.

Born on June 26, 1926 into a Jewish family in Brooklyn, Brooks always wanted to ridicule Hitler -- as in one of his first musicals, "The Producers", which became one of his greatest hits.

The filmmaker's memoir is expected to come out at the end of November.

Hollywood Celebrities Clear Their Closets for Fire Aid

Sharon Stone attends the 82nd Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, US, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)

07:09-11 January 2025 AD ـ 12 Rajab 1446 AH

Hollywood Celebrities Clear Their Closets for Fire Aid

Sharon Stone attends the 82nd Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, US, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)

When wildfires destroyed parts of Los Angeles this week, real estate agent Jenna Cooper started asking friends for clothing and other items to help people in need.

Her request spread quickly through a network of powerful women. Actors including Sharon Stone and Halle Berry responded, providing sweaters, shoes, clothing, handbags, belts, pajamas and more pulled from their own collections.

"I'm packing up my entire closet," Berry wrote on Instagram. "If you live in the Southern California area, I urge you to do the same. This is something we can do right now."

Cooper, who also runs a home goods store called +COOP, cleared half the space to create a pop-up shopping experience for displaced people to take what they need. Many Angelenos lost entire homes in the fires, which were still burning on Friday.

Stone circulated information about the donations on social media, which helped attract publicity. She and her sister, Kelly Stone, contributed clothing, bedding and more, and Kelly volunteered to assist shoppers.

"The first thing they need when they come in the store is a hug," Kelly Stone said. She then said to shoppers, "Show me pictures of yourself, how do you dress?" so she could direct them to sweaters or trench coats that reflected their style.

At the store on Friday, a therapy dog named Jackie Robinson greeted people at the door. Inside, they looked through racks of dresses and coats, stacks of denim, shelves of shoes and baskets of handbags.

Offerings ranged from packages of fresh underwear from Target to new or lightly used Zara dresses and some Gucci and Ferragamo shoes in the mix.

Cooper said she received donations and volunteer support from power players across Los Angeles, including actors, executives, lawyers, restaurant owners and moms. Her network of real estate agents in New York was sending gift cards, she said.

One Hollywood stylist came with two large bags of items from her closet and was enlisted to help organize the store for shoppers over the weekend.

"I know people who have lost everything, and even people I don't know I'm devastated for," said Lisa Cera, who has worked for celebrities including the Kardashians and Lenny Kravitz. "I decided I'm just going to bring whatever I can."

Ellen Bennett was choosing items for her 72-year-old mother, who lost her home in the Eaton fire on the east side of Los Angeles. Bennett said she selected "the basics," including socks, sweaters, pants, a jacket and a pair of running shoes.

"She left her house with her dog and a bag and just a few things. She thought she would come back," Bennett said of her mother, adding, "It's so special and beautiful that in this time of tragedy, people are rising up and helping each other."

Store owner Cooper said she helped a man find a pair of sneakers so he could run on the beach, something he had not done since the fires erupted. She said she was overwhelmed by the response to her idea to help.

"This is a city of love, and everybody wants to support each other," Cooper said.

Mel Brooks to Write Sequel to 'History of the World'

Mel Brooks to Write Sequel to 'History of the World'

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Hollywood Celebrities Clear Their Closets for Fire Aid

Hollywood Celebrities Clear Their Closets for Fire Aid

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