Comedic actor Adam Sandler will add to his collection of trophies later this month when the Kennedy Center presents him with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour.
A stand-up comic while in his teens, Sandler became a household name after appearing on the sketch comedy series “Saturday Night Live”. Though fired after five years on the show, he has since increased his notoriety as a film star.
Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter spoke on Sandler saying, “Adam Sandler has entertained audiences for over three decades with his films, music, and his tenure as a fan favorite cast member on ‘SNL. Adam has created characters that have made us laugh, cry, and cry from laughing.”
The ceremony to honour a Mark Twain Prize winner includes testimonials, video tributes, and previous Prize winners. Since Richard Pryor received the inaugural Mark Twain Prize in 1998; recipients have included Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, and Dave Chapelle. Bill Cosby was also among the winners but after allegations and a trial for sexual harassment and assault, the award was revoked.
Sandler will join previous Mark Twain Prize winners and SNL castmates Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Will Farrell, Billy Crystal, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louise-Dreyfus, and SNL producer Lorne Michaels.
In a ceremony scheduled for March 26; guest appearances include Jennifer Aniston, Judd Apatow, Drew Barrymore, Steve Buscemi, Dana Carvey, Luis Guzmán, Tim Herlihy, Tim Meadows, Idina Menzel, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade and Ben Stiller.
The son of a teacher and electrical engineer, Adam Richard Sandler was born in Brooklyn, New York. His credits include “Hustle”, the “Hotel Transylvania” films, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”, “Jack and Jill”, “Zookeeper”, the “Grown Ups” films, “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan”, “Click”, “50 First Dates”, the “Deuce Bigalow” films, “The Wedding Singer”, “Happy Gilmore”, and “Saturday Night Live”.
Feature photo credit: Adam Sandler 2018 (Lc9jYc07e54).jpg