Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky

By PJ Grisar June 29, 2020

Anti-racism isn’t just a young person’s game.

In a photo that appears to have been taken during Mel Brooks’ 94th birthday celebration on June 28, the director and his lifelong friend, collaborator and dinner companion Carl Reiner and Reiner’s daughter Annie were seen sporting Black Lives Matter t-shirts.

MY HEROS CARL REINER ANNIE REINER & MEL BROOKS pic.twitter.com/yimJbwoqCU

— George Shapiro (@georgeshapiro) June 28, 2020

It’s not all that surprising that Brooks, who directed the anti-racist romp “Blazing Saddles” would support the BLM movement. The voice of the “2,000 Year Old Man,” and his interviewer, Reiner, have been around long enough to know that systemic racism hurts everyone — but particularly people of color.

The real mystery comes with the second picture, which shows Brooks’ manager George Shapiro, Brooks, Reiner and Annie Reiner toasting to another year of Mel.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEL BROOKS, 94 & LOVING LIFE pic.twitter.com/jOBLDBC61k

— George Shapiro (@georgeshapiro) June 28, 2020

What exactly were these folks noshing on for the festivities, which appear to have occurred at Brooks’ home. We only see them sitting down for soup. Thanks to Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” we know that Reiner is partial to tongue while Brooks likes to get a Chicken in a Pot.

Here’s to 2,000 more years with these two.

PJ Grisar is the Forward’s culture fellow. He can be reached at [email protected].

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