NEW YORK — Adam Sandler is the guy you want at every awards show.
As Monday’s Gotham Awards lurched toward its third hour, the comedian gave thestar-studded crowd a much-needed jolt as he accepted a career tribute trophyin typically uproarious fashion.
“I told my daughters Sadie and Sunny, who are 16 and 14, that I didn’t write aspeech and they said phrases like, ‘Rude’ and ‘You’re mean,’ ” Sandler jokedas it took at the stage at Cipriani Wall Street. “They were like, ‘Can wewrite your speech so you’ve got something to say?’ I said, ‘Absolutely.’ “
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Sandler, 56, then put on a gravelly Southern accent as he claimed to read aletter from his daughters to the Gothams, thanking voters for “giving ourdaddy, Mr. Adam Sandler, this prestigious lifetime, all-time, primetimeachievement tribute award .”
“It means a lot to him, seeing as most of his awards are shaped like popcornbuckets or fake mini-Oscars that say ‘Father of the Year,’ which he sadlypurchased himself,” he continued.
The actor took a playful jab at Ben Stiller, who was also in attendance. LikeSandler, Stiller became a household name in the late ’90s and early 2000sthanks to a string of hit comedies.
“While daddy is with you tonight, we’re doing everything we’re not allowed todo when daddy is home, like eat his Yodels, try on his Spanx or – dare we say– laugh out loud at Ben Stiller movies,” Sandler said. “The last time daddycaught us chuckling away at the ‘Meet the Parents’ trilogy, he immediatelystormed into the room he calls ‘The Screaming Room,’ which we just call theshower, and bellowed out the phrase, ‘Only the Sandman makes people laugh!(Expletive) every other comedian!’ “
Sandler is back in the awards race this season with Netflix basketball drama”Hustle,” after winning National Board of Review’s best actor prize for 2019’s”Uncut Gems.” During his eight-minute speech at the Gothams, he referencedmany of his most beloved funny movies, including “Billy Madison,” “HappyGilmore” and “The Wedding Singer.”
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“Daddy’s silly film career began in 1988, formed by two guiding principles:People in prison need movies, too, and TBS needs content to show between allthem (expletive) basketball games,” Sandler said.
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‘The Woman King’ director, Sidney Poitier, Michelle Williams also honored
Sandler was one of numerous big names to receive tributes at Monday’s Gothams,including “The Woman King” director Gina Prince-Bythewood and the late SidneyPoitier, whose family accepted an award on his behalf. “The Fabelmans” actressMichelle Williams also received a career tribute honor, which was given to herby co-star Paul Dano.
Dano stepped in to present the award to Williams after “Fabelmans” directorSteven Spielberg tested positive for COVID. Williams, meanwhile, used herspeech to pay tribute to her “Dawson’s Creek” co-star Mary Beth Piel, whobecame a mother figure of sorts to her when she was “an emancipated minor” at16.
“Honestly, I was barely even a Michelle. I had just gotten people to stopcalling me Shelly,” Williams recalled. “But now I was Mary Beth’s girl. Andthat made me a somebody.”
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ wins for best feature
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” dominated this year’s Gothams with twomajor wins, for best feature and best supporting performance for Ke Huy Quan.A24’s multigenerational multiverse comedy marks a much welcome comeback forQuan, 51, who broke out as a child star in ’80s action adventures “IndianaJones and the Temple of Doom” and “The Goonies.”
“This time last year, all I was hoping for was just a job,” Quan said throughtears.”And just when I think that it can’t get any better, it does.”
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Daniel Scheinert, left, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, Jonathan Wang and DanielKwan pose with awards for
A-listers such as Jennifer Lawrence, Julianne Moore and Lupita Nyong’o turnedout for the 32nd annual Gothams, which recognize independent films and series.The full list of winners:
Gotham Awards winner 2022
best feature: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Outstanding lead performance: Danielle Deadwyler, “Till”
Outstanding supporting performance: Ke Huy Quan, “Everything EverywhereAll at Once”
Best screen play: “Tar”
Best Documentary Feature: “All Those Breathes”
Best international features: “Happening”
Breakthrough director award: Charlotte Wells, “Aftersun”
Breakthrough Performer: Gracija Filipovic, “Murina”
Best breakthrough series (long form): “Pachinko”
Best breakthrough series (short form): “Mo”
Best breakthrough series (non-fiction): “We Need to Talk About Cosby”
Outstanding performance in a new series: Ben Whishaw, “This is Going toHurt”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Adam Sandler hilariouslyaccepts Gotham award with daughters ‘ letter