When I heard Late Night with Jimmy Fallon had nabbed an interview with Adam Sandler, I gotta admit that part of me cringed. The thought of watching him play the bashful boy-man through ten minutes of awkward talk show banter filled me with dread. But Sandler — who isn’t just press shy, but a conscientious objector to the stuff — turned out to be graceful, open, and effortlessly funny. He was Gene Kelly out there: impossible to trip or fluster. Maybe it’s because he and Fallon are both SNL alums that Sandler was at ease. But it still surprised me that when Fallon asked him about his marriage, Sandler served up a charming anecdote about the anniversary cards he and his wife give each other — “Mine always begin with: I’m sorry!” His best bit was describing what its like to be a dad while also being famous: “When I take my kid to school, all the parents stop and stare. Some guy’s always saying ‘put out that joint!’ Now I gotta wear underwear with my sweatpants.” Who knew the unplugged Sandler could be so down-to-earth and I-wanna-have-a-beer-with-this-guy delightful?
More on Sandler after the jump
Not me. It’s not that Sandler’s half-baked thug-mensch schtick doesn’t tickle my funny bone. The Happy Gilmore Bob Barker beat-down still stands up as solid- gold comedy (“the price is wrong, bitch”). It’s just that Sandler has always completely avoided the glad-handing, love-me-on-screen-and-off part of being a movie star. He never, ever does print interviews; and he’ll usually put in one teeth-gritting talk-show appearance per movie. I remember watching him on The Russell Brand Show looking like a kid who’s been sent to the vice principal’s office.
The funny thing is, the fact that he doesn’t pimp out his off-camera personna has never made me want to see his movies any less. And obviously, I’m not alone in not caring if he mixes it up with the ladies on The View. His movies have made almost $2 billion domestically. I’m not suggesting that Sandler’s strategy would work for everyone. Megan Fox might just be another bodacious pinup without her saucy talk to salivating journalists. But it makes me wonder where certain stars might be if they had put a moratorium on self-promotion. Probably no impact on most established names, right? But what about someone like Ashton Kutcher: Might he be a bigger star if he revealed less about his every waking moment? What do you think PopWatchers?
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I really can’t stand this new Popwatch layout. It honestly actually makes all the articles less enjoyable. I LOVED the old layout, switch it back please!!!
Does anyone know how we can possibly protest this new layout, other than commenting on the posts? I know it’s annoying for some people to read, but that is how much I can’t stand the new layout. I would love to take a poll or send emails about the new layout, but I don’t see any place to send feedback.
I have to agree. Please bring back the old layout!
i seriously agree i hate this new layout ew has gotten the old one was much better switch back people!!
Don’t listen to the complainerbots, the new layout is great. It reads in the order in which it was written, and the ability to reply to a specific comment instead of clumsily scanning a scattershot page of random comments helps the flow a great deal.
As for Sandler, I like that he doesn’t sell himself so hard. Regardless of whether you like him or not, the fact that he has found success on the merits of his comedy style, instead of by ceaseless self-promotion, speaks volumes of what he has accomplished. I would find it refreshing if more “celebrities” were judged by their talent and not by their sound bite on The View.
I do enjoy the new comment section, but I just hate how plain and white the article section is. I absolutely adored the old layout, with the sidebar on the left. Everything was easy to read, and on this new layout the right sidebar just blends together with everything because EVERYTHING IS WHITE!
gotta agree. i want the old layout back.
but–totally agree with you about sandler. i’ve also been increasingly impressed with fallon and his show. it is definitely getting better as fallon finds his groove and gets more comfortable.
Can’t stand Adam Sandler, won’t give up a minute of Craig Ferguson for Fallon.
I love adam sandler!
I could watch almost anything Jodie Foster and Robert DeNiro do. Why? Yes, its because they’re great actors, but it’s also because I barely know a thing about their personal lives. When they do press, they only talk about their projects and avoid talking about their families. People like Ashton Kutcher let you know when they’re having a bowel movement. TMI!
I watched the interview on Fallon and was laughing the entire time. Sandler always struck me as a quiet, goes to work and then home to his family and friends, keeps to himself kind of individual. Then he does this interview, but I have to put him on my crush list after his interview with Leslie Mann on ‘It’s On With Alexa Chung’, Alexa is a newbie to the stateside talkshow circuit and they handled it like pros and made her feel at ease. Come to think of it, Leslie in on my crush list as well. It you have not seen it, go over to MTV.com and watch the highlights. The segment on different forms of laughter is great.
OK, I’m not in LOVE with the layout but it’s WAY better than the old one. Special props go to the new commenting format.
I know change is hard guys, but sometimes it’s for the best…this is one of those times.