His true ascent to national stardom began with a series of goofy appearances on Weekend Update.
Sandler began cutting his teeth in the local stand-up club scene while attending New York University in 1984.
He was over there.
Adam Sandler performs ‘The Hanukkah Song’ on “Weekend Update” on Dec. 3, 1994.Alan Singer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty
He was a timid comic: ‘Hey,’ he would mutter into the mic.
“There weren’t many people there.
It didn’t seem like he was doing that well,” Nealon adds, laughing.
“I met him after a set and we walked to another club, he got to know me.
Nealon recalls: “People loved Sandler, I loved him too.
He was brilliant, coming up with stuff that was amusing.
That drags Weekend Update down.”
Sandlerrevisited Opera Manduring his long-awaited return toSNLas host back in 2019. is a modern holiday classic, the kind of song commercial radio begins adding into their rotation every November.
Sandler leftSNLin 1995, an unceremonious departure for one of the show’s breakout stars.
