Adam Sandler received the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Sunday night, but before the Saturday Night Live alum turned movie star could accept the award, he was dutifully roasted by some of the biggest names in comedy. On hand to roast Sandler were his longtime friends and collaborators Judd Apatow, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Ben Stiller, Steve Buscemi, Dana Carvey, Chris Rock, and Conan O’Brien. (David Spade was reportedly briefly in attendance.)
O’Brien, who was already a writer at SNL when Sandler was hired in 1990, kicked off the proceedings by taking a crack at the comedy star for always working with the same people. Via The Hollywood Reporter:
How nice it was that so many people had made the trip to D.C. to honor Sandler, but “have you asked yourself why so many of Adam’s friends were available? Because if Adam isn’t working, they aren’t working.” O’Brien established his credibility, however, by pointing out that Sandler has never put him in any of his movies, and so he “doesn’t owe him a damn thing.” Rather, O’Brien said he was thrilled to help honor Sandler for the “first award he’s ever received where he hasn’t been slimed.”
Naturally, Rock tore up the stage by working in two shots at the infamous Oscars slap, one of which involved a very bold hat tip to Paul Pelosi, who was in the crowd.
“Paul Pelosi is the only guy here who knows just how I feel — it’s just me and you, Paul!” Rock joked before turning things back to Sandler. “Nobody works as hard as the Sandman! Those folks at the Oscars, man… they’re f*cking a**holes.”
This isn’t the only very prestigious comedy award Sandler has received this month. From an extremely rare sit-down interview he did last week with The Washington Post:
On a recent Friday afternoon, the bearded Sandler enters the room with a slight limp courtesy of hip replacement surgery he had in the fall. A few days earlier, he was in Boston, helping Sadie look at colleges. The next day he’ll go to the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards with his daughters who will watch him receive the King of Comedy Award and submit to the inevitable sliming. (Sandler is the first person to receive the top comedy honors from Nickelodeon and the Kennedy Center, let alone receive them in the same month.)
Congrats to The Sandman.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)
