He’s unquestionably had one of the most successful post SNL film careers of any cast member in the last half century. It’s kind of crazy these days to recall that nearly 30 years ago, Adam Sandler was fired from the program after five years on air as it was suffering from poor reviews and dwindling ratings by the mid 90s.
Sandler brought a unique sensibility to SNL with his purposely unformed and frequently hilarious characters like Cajun Man and Opera Man and the seriously bizarre Canteen Boy. Some of his best work was done with Update anchor Kevin Nealon and Norm MacDonald looking on. Perhaps the pinnacle of his time was alongside Chris Farley in sketches involving Gap Girls, lunch ladies, and restaurant reviews.
I recognize Sandler might be higher on the list of others and I’ll confess that (like with his movie catalogue) I find him to be hit and miss. Yet there’s no question the highs are considerable.
Adam Sandler
Years on the Show: 1990-1995
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