Fresh Air, Randy Newman and Mel Brooks

Fresh Air continues its Holiday Week of Songs from Broadway and Hollywood with an interview with singer-songwriter Randy Newman and comedian and filmmaker Mel Brooks. Randy Newman is best known for his hit songs "Short People" and "I Love LA". He's written for a number of films including, Ragtime, Avalon, The Natural, Toy Story, Babe and Seabiscuit. He's received fourteen Oscar nominations and was given the Academy Award in 2002. Recently he released Volume One of The Randy Newman Songbook.

Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick have just returned to Broadway and their starring roles in The Producers - the show based on Brooks' first feature film. They're doing a limited run through April 14. The Producers won 12 Tonys in 2001, including best musical, best book of a musical, best original score, and best actor. The book, the music and lyrics were written by Brooks. He's made some of the funniest films in movie history, including The Producers, Young Frankenstein, and Blazing Saddles. (Original Broadcast Date: November 16, 1992)