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July 30, 1999/17 Av 5759, Vol. 51, No.43
Adam Sandler joins ranks of movie mega-stars
DINA FUCHS
Atlanta Jewish Times
Funnyboy Adam Sandler probably won't win an Oscar for his string of goofball performances, but comedy's latest million-dollar man is laughing all the way to the bank.
His knack for playing goofy, childlike slackers has earned him a faithful fan base. After the phenomenal financial success of "The Waterboy" and "The Wedding Singer," the former stand-up comedian is now reportedly in the same salary league as mega-stars Tom Cruise, Jim Carrey and Tom Hanks, commanding an estimated $20 million per picture.
"I'd work with Sandler if he called up and said, 'I've got an idea to dramatize the phonebook,' " says director Dennis Dugan, who worked with the actor on "Happy Gilmore" in 1996 and "Big Daddy," in theaters now.
It seems the 32-year-old guy with the Peter Pan complex has finally found a way to cash in on his kid-at-heart mentality.
Born in Brooklyn but raised in Manchester, N.H., young Adam grew up quoting lines from comedy classics such as "Young Frankenstein" and "Blazing Saddles." He also admits that he has seen the movie "Caddyshack" 300 times.
"It's the reason I got into comedy," he told Playboy magazine earlier this year.
It all started more than 20 years ago when Sandler's mother, Judy, persuaded her then 11-year-old son to sing at his sister's wedding. He obliged and belted out Ringo Starr's "You're Sixteen," and Paul McCartney's "Yesterday," before he was shooed off the stage for stealing the spotlight from the bride and groom.
In high school, Sandler was a cut-up who once threw a head of lettuce out a window to get a rise out of his classmates. But, according to published reports, it wasn't until his brother urged him to try stand-up that he decided to give it a whirl at a club in Boston. The experience was enough to motivate him to continue his schtick as a college student at New York University.
During his freshman year, he won a coveted role on "The Cosby Show," playing Theo Huxtable's friend, Smitty. While in school, he continued to test the comedy club waters in New York and Los Angeles. In 1990, he caught the eye of comedian Dennis Miller, who helped him get a job as a writer and occasional actor on "Saturday Night Live." Sandler graduated in 1991 and went on to join the SNL cast for five seasons, bringing to life such memorable characters as Opera Man and Cajun Man.
The popularity of his homespun songs from the show inspired him to make an album of the quirky hits. His first effort, "They're All Gonna Laugh At You," was nominated for a Grammy. In 1996, he released a second CD, "What the Hell Happened to Me?" featuring a tribute to his Jewish upbringing, "The Chanukah Song." The comedy ditty was so well received that he followed it up with a second version a few years later. The tune gained such a following that his mother recently persuaded him to perform the song for his family at a nephew's bar mitzvah.
"She was practically shouting, 'Please, you sing for everyone else. Why can't you sing for the family?' " he told E! Online. "So I sang the Chanukah Song, and everyone stared at me."
Today Sandler's dweebish sense of humor is an even bigger draw at the box office - his last two movies took in more than a quarter of a billion dollars combined. He has put forgettable performances in movies such as "Coneheads" and "Mixed Nuts" behind him.
Though critics have dismissed his films as idiotic, Sandler has carved a living out of playing the likeable stooge who always comes through in the end. He continues to make savvy career choices, backing out of a role in Peter Berg's grotesquely dark comedy "Very Bad Things."
In "Big Daddy," he plays law school graduate Sonny Koufax, a guy who will do anything to eschew responsibility. In a desperate attempt to impress his girlfriend, he adopts a 5-year-old kid and then tries to convince her that he is really a devoted dad.
The screenplay was a collaborative effort between Sandler and his former NYU roommate, Tim Herlihy, who has joined forces with the comedian for all of his starring roles.
"I like working with people I've just seen in a towel," Sandler once quipped. "I like working with friends ... because making a movie is a long process."
Sandler has inked a deal with Sony to produce and star in an animated feature. He also signed a $35 million two-picture deal with New Line to star in the upcoming "Little Nicky." This September, Sandler will release his fourth album, "Stanley and Judy's Kid," named after his parents.
He recently received a Blockbuster Entertainment award for best actor for his performances in "The Waterboy" and "The Wedding Singer" and was named best comedy star of the year by ShoWest.
"I know my life has changed," he has acknowledged. "We write parts for people, and they actually say yes."
But even with the huge success the actor has achieved, he admits he sometimes has doubts about his talent.
"I still get very scared when I step in front of a live audience," he has said. "When I was younger and did a stand-up gig, it would take me two weeks to recover."
In private, the jokenik, who lives in Bel Air, keeps to himself. He is known for side-stepping the limelight and surrounding himself with close friends he trusts.
"I'm not comfortable being around too many people," he told E! Online. "I don't like being out in public too much. I don't like going to bars. I don't like doing celebrity stuff."
On the romance front, Sandler has been linked to actress Alicia Silverstone. He is currently dating model Jackie Titone. Friends say he has matured and note they wouldn't be surprised if he decided to tie the knot in the near future.
Dina Fuchs is senior staff writer at the Atlanta Jewish Times.
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