Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner Trade Quips as Brooks is Honored by American Film Institute

At the 2012 AFI Conservatory Commencement last year at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, comedian, writer and director Mel Brooks received an Honorary Fine Arts Degree. It was presented to him by his friend and fellow director Carl Reiner.

Brooks says while he was very honored and very happy, he thought he was going to become a doctor. So he went out and bought a stethoscope and was planning to perform a colonoscopy at Cedars-Sinai.

Reiner and Brooks two exchanged quips and hilarious commentary, including an ad libbed revival of the "2,000 Year Old Man" routine created by the two in 1961.

Brooks' acceptance speech is half funny and half serious as he talks about his experience with Brooks Films, directing serious films like The Elephant Man, Fatso, Frances, The Fly, and 84 Charing Cross Road.

He concludes with some advice for comedy writers: "If you don't laugh when you're writing a joke, a scene, if it doesn't make you laugh, don't write it. Don't say to yourself 'This is funny. They'll like it.' If you don't laugh, nobody will laugh."

Enjoy! 

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