Few stars are as funny as Adam Sandler, as the beloved funnyman just has a unique sense of humor. With that quirkiness, Sandler occasionally has a tendency to make a funny declaration or two during an interview or within some other context. Several years back, he actually made a hilariously jokey promise while on Howard Stern’s show. And, as the actor explained when he recently spoke to CinemaBlend, that joke is still following him around.
Back in 2019, Adam Sandler received rave reviews for his performance in the Safdie Brothers’ crime thriller Uncut Gems. With Sandler getting that considerable praise for his work, many industry analysts speculated, at the time, that he could land an Oscar nomination or even win. Sandler famously said on The Howard Stern Show that if he didn’t land a nod or win, he would purposely make bad movies for a while. Ultimately (and unfortunately), Sandler didn’t win a gold statuette or get nominated for one.
While speaking with CinemaBlend, “The Sandman” promoted his latest film from the 2025 movie schedule, Jay Kelly. He was reminded of the fact that since Uncut Gems he hasn’t stuck to his humorous mantra, given that he’s continued to churn out excellent movies. That led the stand-up comedian to share the following thoughts on his Stern comments:
I have to tell you. I’ve seen people comment to me about that. I was on The Howard Stern Show. He’s a comedian. I’m a comedian. I said it as a joke. There wasn’t one part of me that’s going, ‘I’m going to make some bad—’ But I was just saying it as a joke, and that has followed me.
Fans seem to have a knack for remembering certain comments made by celebrities. In fairness, Adam Sandler’s faux desire to make bad movies was incredibly funny, so it’s not hard for me to understand why that would stick. In all seriousness, though, he has made some excellent flicks such as Hustle and Happy Gilmore 2. Jay Kelly – which is one of the marquee Netflix 2025 movie releases – may include one of Sandler’s finest performances, though, and he’s already receiving Oscar buzz.
So far, Sandler has been downplaying any kind of awards recognition and just seems happy to be a part of this latest film, which stars George Clooney and is directed by Noah Baumbach. Sandler has shown appreciation for the love he’s receiving, though, and that was also the case when it came to the compliment CB gave him:
Thank you for saying that. We’ve been doing good stuff, because we’re definitely doing it.
As someone who thought Adam Sandler should’ve won an Oscar for his work in Uncut Gems, I’d love to see him win an Academy Award. The man is more than a comedic actor, and George Clooney holds that belief as well. I’d love to see Sandler don a suit and hear his name called alongside fellow nominees at the Oscars this coming March. It would not only be a great honor for Sandler but also a nice capper to this Howard Stern Show saga.
Jay Kelly is now playing in select theaters and the film will be available for Netflix subscription holders to stream starting on December 5.