If you have something bad to say about Blazing Saddles, you may have to worry about Whoopi Goldberg coming after you. The veteran actress was speaking with her fellow co-hosts on The View on Wednesday following comments made by Mindy Kaling that The Office would be too problematic to be aired on television today. From there, the topic turned to other titles from the past that have drawn retroactive backlash, and the Mel Brooks comedy classic Blazing Saddles came up as there has been some online criticism over the movie's "racist" content.
Goldberg isn't having it, as she shared on The View (per EW). The Ghost star wholeheartedly believes that Blazing Saddles would be just as revered today as the comedy movie was when it was first released back in 1974. She also rejects the accusation that it's a "racist" film, arguing that the comedy lampoons "all the isms" in a way that's funny and not disrespectful. As Goldberg puts it:
“It deals with racism by coming at it right, straight, out front, making you think and laugh about it, because, listen, it’s not just racism, it’s all the isms, he hits all the isms. Blazing Saddles, because it’s a great comedy, would still go over today. There are a lot of comedies that are not good, okay? We’re just going to say that. That’s not one of them. Blazing Saddles is one of the greatest because it hits everybody.”
Goldberg then went on to highly recommend the classic comedy for anyone who has yet to watch it, concluding with a warning for those who insist on trashing the film online.
"If you've never seen Blazing Saddles, you should do yourself a favor, get some popcorn, get a glass of wine, and put it on, because it's magnificent... Leave my Blazing Saddles alone. Don't make me come for you!"
Would Blazing Saddles Succeed if Released Today?
Directed by Mel Brooks, Blazing Saddles is a Western satire that follows Cleavon Little as a railroad worker who becomes the first Black sheriff of a frontier town. Considering the era, the townspeople are initially apprehensive about having a Black man in charge, though they come to grow fond of him along with his drunk, gunslinging partner (Gene Wilder). Together, the town turns to the two to protect them when they come under threat of a violent gang of thugs.
Blazing Saddles was a hit that was nominated for three Oscars; in 2006, it was added to the National Film Registry for preservation. It is widely considered to be one of the best comedies of its era, despite some modern backlash that can be found on social media. The film still has a presence in pop culture today, inspiring the recent animated movie Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, which is essentially an animated remake with a samurai spin on the story.
If you want to check out the film, Blazing Saddles is currently streaming on Hulu.