USA Today, Tues., March 21, 1995

Film fest for fans of Brooks
By Marshall Fine

Comedian/filmmaker Albert Brooks knows that opportunity rarely knocks twice. That's why he said yes when asked if he'd like to be honored with a retrospective of his films at the first U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, which starts Wednesday in Aspen, Colo.

"I immediately agreed - because I knew that if I didn't, they'd go right to the Zucker brothers (the Airplane! movie folks)," Brooks says. He knows that retrospective treatment usually is synonymous with old age: "But I am old, compared to Keanu Reeves," Brooks, 47, points out.

Why does he think it has been hard to get people to give comedy the respect it deserves? "Because we were always the ones in the funny costumes," Brooks says. "If they'd made Beethoven dress in a cow suit, it would be a whole different ballgame."