Sandler on Sandler
Adam Sandler turned 56 this month and is getting a bit reflective about his formative years of comedy.
In an interview with AARP, Sandler looks back at his days on SNL and the mistakes he made along the way. We also learn in the first few lines of the article that he definitely does not own a pair of trousers, as he walks into the interview in his characteristically long basketball shorts he wears in pretty much every photo ever. We respect that.
"I’m calmer than I used to be," said Sandler, talking about his state of mind in his fifties. "I used to go nuts, I had a quick temper, quick reactions. I made a lot of dumb mistakes and said a lot of stupid things."
Sandler was part of the main cast of SNL from 1990 - 1995. He starred alongside the likes of Chris Farley, Rob Schneider, David Spade and Chris Rock. The show also famously fired him and Farley in '95.
"Looking back on relationships, I could be an ass. I was selfish. I was competitive with other comedians and stuff. My father would say, 'That guy’s funny,' and I would say, 'Hey, I’m funny, blah, blah,' and he’d be, like, "Why can’t you both be funny?'"
However, now that he's a bit older and a bit wiser, he's learned to just appreciate funny for funny.
"I appreciate other people’s talent now rather than competing with it — in every field, in every sport, every part of showbiz,” Sandler said. “A lot of young comedians, a lot of the new cast on 'SNL,' they just make me laugh now."
He then added, "I’ll watch somebody and say, 'Man, they’re great. I never would have thought of that joke or that approach'. Or my kids will throw on some fresh song or podcast and I’ll go, 'That’s so cool.'"
Sandler is going through a renaissance of sorts in the last few years. He starred in the critically acclaimed 'Uncut Gems' and the sports drama 'Hustle' which got early Oscars buzz.