Mel Brooks's Jack Benny anecdote

[Brad from Georgia]

This morning I caught a little snippet of a cable TV show: Dick Cavett and Mel Brooks, having a conversation onstage before a packed audience, a recently-recorded show. They got onto the topic of Jack, and Cavett told his elevator story. Then Mel Brooks (best as I can recall):

"Years ago I was having lunch with George Burns in a studio commissary. In walks Jack Benny in full American Indian regalia--buckskins, warpaint, the headdress, everything. He sees George and walks toward the table, and George puffs on his cigar and just as Jack approaches, George says, 'Jack. You working?'"

Don't know if it cracked Benny up, but it got a good laugh from Cavett.

[GKUB]

Cavett was hilarious.

[Jhammes]

Check out John Wayne's "Swing Out Sweet Land", a November 1970 special aired "in living color" on NBC. It is pretty easily
available.

The EXACT same exchange occurs... Jack's cameo ( and then George Burns' ) starts around 25 minutes into the program.
It would stand to reason the Mel Brooks' story takes place during the taping of this special, and that Burns' casual remark
more than likely DID get a good reaction - which might explain how this funny if somewhat bizarre moment occurs in the
context of an historical period sketch.

Jack's reaction to the camera (us) after George's "... you working?" is worthy of a screenshot.


Not to mention Jack conversing with Lorene Greene's George Washington.

[Jhammes]

For what it is worth, the eclectic special "Swing Out Sweet Land" concludes with a montage of the
cast singing "God Bless America". Everyone takes a different verse, Jack's is "... to the prairies...".
He can hold a tune well enough.
Have never seen this before, very different.