Last week at Columbia University, the school’s Asian American Alliance held a fundraising event called “CultureSHOCK:Reclaim” and invited comedian and SNL alum Nimesh Patel to perform. Halfway through his performance, student organizers walked on stage, took his microphone and told him to wrap it up.

Columbia University Students Kick Saturday Night Live Comedian Off Stage for ‘Offensive’ Jokes

I read the article and my brain immediately brought a scene from To Be or Not To Be by Mel Brooks.  In case you are some sort of heathen and have not watched it, it is about a theater company in Poland just before WWII and they re playing a musical number which makes fun of Hitler.

It is explained later in the film that the production had to be stopped as not to insult the Nazis and that Mr. Bronski (Mel Brooks) should stop performing any skit that would be considered offensive to them. Of course, that did not stop the Germans from invading Poland since that was their intention all along which is the message here: Being offended is just the excuse to obtain power.

The movie is not classified as one of Mel Brook’s best comedies but it is a good one as a cautionary tale. Anne Bancroft just steals the show and makes you fall in love with her a little bit (pun intended). They were an amazing couple and I am sure Mel misses her every day.