The Price of Genius: Son Calls Mel Brooks 'Intolerable' in Mel Brooks HBO Documentary 2026

The man who spent seven decades making the world laugh was once the source of profound family tension. Ahead of his 100th birthday in June, HBO is set to premiere 'Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!' on Jan. 22, offering an unvarnished look at the legendary director's volatile early years.

Mel Brooks HBO Documentary 2026: A Candid Family Portrait

In the new documentary, Nicky Brooks, Mel's second child, doesn't mince words about his father's early career struggles. Following the end of 'Your Show of Shows' in 1954, Brooks’ income plummeted from $5,000 an episode to nearly nothing. This financial void triggered a deep depression, with Brooks admitting he "sobbed for two years" because he couldn't even afford therapy for his anxiety.

Nicky recalls that his father's desperation for stardom manifested as anger. "He became a very angry person, very volatile mood-wise," he says, noting that it became "intolerable" for his mother, Florence Baum. Brooks himself acknowledges the toll his ambition took on his first marriage, admitting he was "disgusted" by his stalled creativity and doesn't blame Baum for their 1962 divorce.

From Despair to Comedy Royalty

The documentary also celebrates Brooks' eventual triumph and his legendary partnership with Carl Reiner. Their '2000 Year Old Man' album became a turning point, leading to a string of hits like 'The Producers' and 'Blazing Saddles'. One of the film's most moving segments features Brooks discussing Reiner’s 2020 passing, revealing that he was by his best friend's side until the very end, refusing to accept the loss.