In this episode, we’re talking about the legitimate comedy classic, Mel Brooks’s 1974 western satire, Blazing Saddles! Largely agreed upon to be the funniest western ever made, it tells the story of a black sheriff appointed to a small town full of racists to better facilitate a land grab. But the narrative is very much secondary to the comedy set pieces, the incredible, career-defining performances, the flat out gigantic BALLS this movie displays every step of the way. We’re talking about Richard Pryor, John Wayne, farting, the frequently-used N-word, the inspiration for Governor William J LePetomane, Harvey Korman’s mastery of the ball-and-paddle game, the Mel Brooks filmography (with special attention paid to the Hey Abbott! joke in Robin Hood: Men Tights), the bravery of racial charged genitalia comedy, Hedy Lamarr’s lawsuit, the inexplicable chaos of the film’s final half hour, and the less than stellar other entries in the Western Comedy subgenre. There’s also more impersonations than usual, lots of Harvey Korman.
Briefly discussed at the end are the Mariners and their doomed season Dad is somehow optimistic about, and David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. You can find us online at westernswithdad.com, where back episodes not available on the iTunes feed can be downloaded (such as Shane, The Magnificent Seven, and if you’re looking for more talk about America’s problems with race, The Hateful Eight). You can also email us at westernswithdad@gmail.com, where you can ask us questions or suggest titles for future episodes. And please rate and review us on iTunes to help increase the visibility of the show! How about that!
On the next episode, an late, elegiac John Wayne film about the turning of generations, The Cowboys. Blazing Saddles was directed by Mel Brooks, and stars Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman, Madeleine Kahn, Slim Pickens and Mel Brooks.
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