Famed comedian Adam Sandler is one of the most dependable and profitable actors in the realm of Hollywood. With blockbuster hits like Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, and Grown Ups under his belt, it’s hard to imagine the comedy bubble without the 56-year-old actor’s ever-present comedic expertise — which he apparently owes to the wonders of therapy.
In an exclusive interview with AARP, Sandler abandoned his comedic side and touched upon the emotional side of himself, where he revealed that sessions with his therapist have provided him with a deeper appreciation for not only his own life and personal choices, but for the work of young actors and actresses around him, saying:
“Well, I talk to a shrink sometimes. He’s given me a plan. Sometimes just holding in a sentence, taking a beat for a minute before saying something stupid. When I do that, I realize it wasn’t that important to say it in the first place, and I don’t spend two hours making everyone around me feel weirdness for no reason. I’m also better at appreciation. I appreciate other people’s talent now rather than competing with it — in every field, in every sport, every part of showbiz. A lot of young comedians, a lot of the new cast on SNL, they just make me laugh now. I’ll watch somebody and say, ‘Man, they’re great. I never would have thought of that joke or that approach.’ Or my kids will throw on some fresh song or podcast and I’ll go, ‘That’s so cool.'”
Much like the SNL cast that Sandler mentioned, the Big Daddy star initially kick-started his own career as a cast member on the late-night variety show. Years later, Sandler has built his own production house in Happy Madison Productions, and both produced and created a plethora of comedy films under the label — including a multimillion-dollar movie deal with Netflix.
And while some folks still don’t find divine enjoyment in his movies, Sandler remains humble in his success, which he can happily attribute, at least in part, to the positive effects of therapy.
