ADAM SANDLER
show business that comedy roles aren’t as difficult to portray as dramatic ones. Comedy icon and Sandler’s fellow SNL alumni Eddie Murphy never received a nomination for his amazing comedic work over the years. He had a string of box office hits and memorable roles—but, much like Sandler, those roles never garnered a huge amount of critical acclaim. In 2006, he appeared in the drama Dreamgirls and finally earned praise and his first Oscar nomination. Dreamgirls was Murphy’s first real dramatic role in his long career and yet it earned him a nomination. It is a little baffling that the genre that turned Murphy into a legend never afforded him an Oscar nomination, but his very first attempt at drama was granted Hollywood’s highest honor. You have to wonder if Sandler and other comedic actors sometimes delve into dramas to get the critical admiration they rarely r eceive for comedies. It would be hard to imagine Sandler appearing in films simply because he wants to receive praise from his detractors. If he really needed acceptance he would probably abandon the practices that critics find amateurish. He has remained extremely steadfast in his style of comedy all these years. Sandler may not owe evolving to the critics and his fans certainly don’t require him to, but does he owe it to himself? Should he take more chances with the roles and films he decides to do? Other legendary funnymen have definitely progressed and left their comfort zones as their careers have moved forward. Comedians like Bill Murray, Steve Martin and Robin Williams have abandoned, or sparingly used their old tricks as their careers have progressed. Possibly the strongest example of a highly successful and beloved comedian branching out is the great Woody Allen. Allen started his career as a successful stand up comic and writer. He made several highly successful broad comedies early in his career; including Casino Royale, Bananas and Sleeper. He eventually transitioned into more serious and grounded filmmaking; he didn’t abandon comedy, but he delivered it in a more mature and toned down way. The films Annie Hall, Manhattan and Hannah and Her Sisters took Woody to another level of stature and endured him to a different type of fan base. Adam Sandler obviously needs no advice or direction, but his career is an interesting example of the different ways laughs can be generated by a comedian. Is there such a thing as a “Cheap Laugh?” Are some laughs that are bred by performers easier to get than others? How much thought or attention should an artist actually put into creating things that the audience will enjoy? Are the laughs that Sandler receives cheapened by the fact that for the most part they are the result of toilet humor, immature behavior and silly accents? Do the kind of laughs that Woody Allen receives for his mature projects deserve more praise and respect? We live in an extremely cynical and difficult world. There are so many real life problems that are the contrary to any of the larks Adam Sandler puts on film screens. It’s not easy to make people laugh when society is filled with so many downtrodden truths. With all that being said; does it really matter how someone brings joy to another individual? Sandler is paid extremely well because there is a demand for his specific brand of humor. Comedy is something that really can’t be judged and scrutinized. If people are laughing at a film or sketch...what else is there to really analyze or discuss? So often people confuse personal taste for quality. Just because something does not appeal to your own preferences does not mean it’s lacking in value. Adam Sandler is easily one of the most successful comedians working today. You can argue if the status he holds is valid and deserved, but you can’t dispute the fact that he has demonstrated a remarkable amount of relevancy and longevity. If you only measured his success in terms of critical acclaim—you could definitely find plenty of faults with his career. Luckily for Sandler the millions of people who have bought tickets for his films only seem concerned with laughing and not much more.
No. 087 THE STNDRD LIFESTYLE - THE ARTIST ISSUE
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