Adam Sandler Collects a Major US Honor

Comedian was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for humor
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Dec 13, 2022 1:37 PM CST
Updated Mar 20, 2023 12:03 AM CDT
Adam Sandler Getting Top Prize for US Humor
Jackie Sandler, left, and husband Adam Sandler appear at the Governors Awards on Nov. 19, 2022, in Los Angeles.   (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
UPDATE Mar 20, 2023 12:03 AM CDT

A host of comedic and entertainment royalty gathered at Washington’s Kennedy Center Sunday night to present comedy icon Adam Sandler with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Among those honoring Sandler, 56, were Jennifer Aniston, Judd Apatow, Drew Barrymore, Steve Buscemi, Dana Carvey, Luis Guzmán, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Ben Stiller. “Who has lasted this long and stayed this beloved?” Carvey said as he arrived on the Kennedy Center red carpet. “Nobody keeps this up for this long.” Buscemi singled out Sandler's musical comedy, including “The Chanukah Song," which became a multiplatinum hit. “His comedy songs alone deserve this reward,” he said. Mark Twain recipients are honored with a night of testimonials and video tributes, often featuring previous award winners. Sandler is the seventh Saturday Night Live cast member to receive the prize. The ceremony will be broadcast nationally on CNN on March 26.

Dec 13, 2022 1:37 PM CST

Over the years, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor has gone to such luminaries as Richard Pryor, Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, and George Carlin. Next year, Adam Sandler joins the list, per the AP. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts said Tuesday that Sandler would receive the prestigious award at a gala on March 19. “Adam Sandler has entertained audiences for over three decades with his films, music, and his tenure as a fan favorite cast member on SNL," said Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter. “Adam has created characters that have made us laugh, cry, and cry from laughing."

The 56-year-old actor-comedian, who this year starred in the well-received Netflix basketball drama-comedy Hustle, has created a list of funny films, including Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, Grown Ups, Big Daddy, The Longest Yard, and The Waterboy. His role as Howard Ratner in Uncut Gems garnered Sandler several nominations and awards, including winning the National Board of Review and the Independent Spirit Award. Per the Kennedy Center, the Mark Twain prize “recognizes individuals who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th-century novelist and essayist Samuel Clemens, best known as Mark Twain.”

(More Adam Sandler stories.)

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