Adam Sandler: America’s Comedian

by Bill Crawford

St. Martin’s Griffin, 173pp., $11.95 (paper)

Adam Sandler: America’s Comedian is a great work of literature … for me to poop on! Author Bill Crawford, who co-wrote the gripping Stevie Ray Vaughan biography Caught in the Crossfire, seems like a perfect choice to tackle America’s favorite coprophiliac (and No. 1 movie star) due to his recent work on Republicans Do the Dumbest Things and Democrats Do the Dumbest Things, but this book hardly holds up to the same journalistic standard as Crossfire. It’s more like something you’d leaf through while waiting for some ‘N Sync fan to check out your movies (like Billy Madison, or my favorite, Happy Gilmore) at Blockbuster. Crawford does hit all the high points of Sandler’s career to date — NYU, Saturday Night Live, Bulletproof — albeit in completely cursory fashion. One might wonder how much insight there is to be gleaned from a performer known for characters who say things like “I know a guy who can suck his own dick,” but surely Crawford could have come up with a more probing review of The Waterboy than “You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll laugh some more.” America’s Comedian is evidence that sometimes Authors Do the Dumbest Things, too.

This article appears in January 12 • 2001.

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