(Note: Potential eighth-episode spoiler alert)
In his introduction to Hulu’s new eight-part series History of the World Part II, 96-year-old “American treasure” Mel Brooks kicks things off by declaring, “To some of you, I’m a hero. To others, merely a legend.”
I couldn’t agree more with both.
I’ve been a huge Mel Brooks fan since childhood, and I’d be a total putz if I failed to post about this television event on a blog that borrows its name from Brooks’ original History of the World Part I.
As one of his numerous characters in that 1981 film, Brooks portrays Comicus the Standup Philosopher, an oft-out-of-work comedian waiting in line for “vnemployment insvrance.” When he finally reaches the window and must explain his profession to the grizzled clerk (magnificently played by Bea Arthur), Comicus offers the pompous, “I coalesce the vapor of human existence into a viable and logical comprehension.”
“Oh, a bullshit artist!” Arthur’s character quips back.
I’ve always loved the dichotomy between the two characters’ perspectives on the phrase “standup philosopher” — not only because I loathe BS, but also because I adore how Brooks’ best parodic comedy sketches so brilliantly shine light on it.
Though some History of the World Part II’s skits work better than others and the project possibly could have been edited into a tightly packed two-hour movie, the sequel provides more than enough laughs to justify its 40+-year wait.
And one of its best and most biting sketches is The Council of Nicea. The pair of eighth-episode segments poke fun at the 325 AD gathering of bishops that established Christian doctrine, presenting the historical event as a corporate Hollywood marketing roundtable led by a consultant (Jillian Bell nails this understated role) to turn Jesus’ story into a blockbuster film.
Jay Ellis wonderfully played Jesus in the earlier HOTW II sketches (“Curb Your Judaism” and “The Last Supper Sessions” are genius), but when the consultant unveils his portrait to the ecumenical bigwigs and asks, “What do we think about this guy?” there’s some hesitancy.
“The J-man!” gushes one bishop, then qualifies his remark, saying that Jesus was not “totally relatable to me, personally.”
“His whole thing is being good and fair, right?” he asks. “So maybe, like, he should be fair and … fair-skinned?”
The bishops’ aggressive pushback to her asking if they want Jesus “to be white” is hilarious, and the sketch is chock full of other gems. The bishops suggest that Jesus should be portrayed as a bad-ass, and they praise themselves for being progressive and “breaking the stained-glass ceiling” by giving Mary Magdalene a “job.” The profession they give her, of course, is the oldest — prostitute.
“I’m saying that as a father of daughters,” one bishop says.
The result of the bishops’ input is this trailer for JC Resurrection, and the YouTube video is embedded below. Enjoy!
