Sure, Mel Brooks is a master. I'll admit it bc this movie is an example of a message " hidden in plain sight". "It could never happen here", the audience thinks. It is funny and cute to watch a boho-hippie portraying Hitler. That makes it an easier pill to swallow. But if you look at the lyrics of the songs in the musical's song, "Springtime for Hitler", you can see a much deeper darker theme here. Yes, there is definitely a "master race" who would attempt to control the masses with goosestep /lockstep. Look around and see the predictive programming. This movie is set in a time of the late 60's: sex drugs, rock and roll. The costumes and mood are at once clever and palpable. But it does not change the fact that the plot of the money making scheme of the producers is based on (drum roll) a ponzi scheme. Oh wait, that's illegal, we've seen people imprisoned for that.
It could be compared to printing money out of thin air, getting investors but counting on losing the whole time. Of course, the schemers plan on getting out before being held responsible for the crime. Of course, these guys did wind up in jail for a time, but they were absolved bc "without us, there's no show". The Producers only did what they do, "if you ain't cheating, you ain't winning."
The audience allows itself to be mesmerized by the "show", which, had it been presented in it's true light, would have definitely been a disgusting dud. Nobody "decent" would find anything to laugh about when it comes to atrocities perpetrated by a dictator upon other humans. Entertainment trumped conscience, and therefore, the audience is also culpable. But if we allow our need to be entertained to override our sense of decency, then we also must "pardon" the piper, because we danced to his tune.