It didn’t take any courage to mock Hitler in the 1960s. Moe Howard and Charles Chaplin openly mocked Hitler wile he was in power.
It’s in this context that I make my observation.
Mel’s mockery doesn’t compare to the other entertainers’ mockery in terms of possibly paying a consequence.
And 17 year old Brooks likewise showed no courage by enlisting in the Army during WWII, I suppose.
BTW Brooks took on a lot of things during his life. Some things took courage. Others took raw talent. Nothing wrong with the latter. It doesn’t suggest you don’t have the former.