Mel Brooks has six fingers on his left hand.

At least that’s what future generations might think when they check out his handprints and footprints outside the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, where on Monday the “Young Frankenstein” director brought a little extra something to his mark-in-cement ceremony: a fake 11th digit.

“I wanted to do something just a little different. I didn’t know what,” the actor, producer, writer and all-around funny guy told Conan O’Brien on his chat show later in the day. “So -- I got another finger.”

As Brooks flashed his enhanced left hand for all to see, O’Brien practically melted in hysterics, howling, “Look at that! That is so realistic! That’s fantastic!”


Before pushing his host over the comedy cliff, Brooks had explained how when he came to Hollywood in 1952, he’d seen all the prints and names and dates outside the Chinese Theatre, which was then Grauman’s.

“I saw all these, you know, Carole Lombard and George Raft and Clark Gable and you know, Vivian Blaine -- I don’t know what she was doing -- ... anyway there was a lot of people there. And I was thrilled,” said the man behind “Spaceballs,” “Blazing Saddles” and “The Producers.”

“And today ... today I was honored, literally, honored by the Chinese Theatre asking me to put my hands and feet, my name and date, in cement alongside all these great stars. Legends,” he continued. “And I am now part of it.”

The Chinese Theatre ceremony coincided with Tuesday’s 40th-anniversary release of “Young Frankenstein” on Blu-ray, but Brooks had another ulterior motive.


“Somebody’s going to come in from Des Moines, Iowa, and say, ‘Mother, mother come see what -- is it Mel Brooks’ left hand? Does he have six fingers?’ ” he posited. “ ‘Yes, father, he’s got six fingers.’ ”

Only in Hollywood.

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