By: koalafriend
Teenage Dream: How Eddie Murphy’s SNL Fame Inspired a 17 Year Old Adam Sandler to Chase Comedy Stardom!
OMG, you guys! Get ready for a major dose of nostalgia, because we are throwing it ALL the way back with a Hollywood origin story that is seriously the moment.
We all know Adam Sandler, right? The Sandman. The undisputed king of Netflix comedy, the fashion icon who made oversized t-shirts and basketball shorts a whole VIBE, and the actor who shocked us all with his dramatic chops in Uncut Gems. But before he was a household name, before Billy Madison went back to school, and way before he was chilling with Jennifer Aniston on a movie set, he was just a 17 year old kid from New Hampshire with a massive, seemingly impossible dream.
And the person who sparked that dream? The comedy legend who lit the fuse for one of Hollywood's biggest careers? None other than the iconic, the revolutionary, the one and only Eddie Murphy! We are literally obsessed with this.
Picture this: It's the glorious 1980s. Eddie Murphy is not just a star; he is a cultural phenomenon. He is dominating Saturday Night Live with characters that are still legendary today. Think Gumby, dammit! Buckwheat! Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood! At the same time, he is selling out arenas with his groundbreaking stand-up specials like Delirious and Raw, and he’s becoming a certified box office superstar with hits like 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop. Eddie Murphy was EVERYTHING.
And somewhere, a 17 year old Adam Sandler was watching all of this unfold, completely mesmerized. According to Sandler himself, seeing Murphy’s meteoric rise was the ultimate lightbulb moment. It wasn't just that Eddie was funny; it was the fame, the energy, the way he commanded the world's attention. For a kid with a sharp wit and a love for making people laugh, Eddie Murphy was the blueprint for superstardom.
But a dream is just a dream until you do something about it, right?! This is where the story gets so good. Fueled by this massive dose of inspiration and a little push from his brother, Sandler made a move that would change his life forever. He got in a car and headed to Boston to face his biggest fear: the stand-up comedy stage.
At just 17 years old, he walked into Stitches comedy club and put his name on the list. Can you even imagine the nerves?! This wasn't some high school talent show. This was a real Boston comedy club, a proving ground for aspiring comics. That night, Adam Sandler grabbed the microphone for the very first time and went for it. He was chasing that Eddie Murphy high, that dream of controlling a room and making a crowd of strangers erupt in laughter. It was the first brave step on a long road to Hollywood.
And what was the ultimate goal? The North Star for this teenage comedy hopeful? Saturday Night Live.
For Sandler, SNL wasn't just a TV show; it was the Mount Everest of comedy. It was the iconic platform that had launched his idol, Eddie Murphy, into the stratosphere. Getting a spot in that legendary cast at Studio 8H in New York City became his singular obsession. Every joke he wrote, every open mic night he conquered, was another step towards that hallowed stage. He didn't just want to be a comedian; he wanted to be the next breakout star to take over pop culture from that very same show, just like Eddie.
And you guys… HE DID IT!
Fast forward a few years, and Adam Sandler wasn't just dreaming of SNL; he was a main cast member, becoming a 90s icon with characters like Opera Man, Canteen Boy, and his unforgettable songs on Weekend Update. He achieved the dream!
The story gets even sweeter, coming totally full circle. Decades later, Sandler and Murphy are not just peers in the comedy world; they are legends and friends who even starred together in the Netflix movie The Week Of. When Eddie Murphy made his epic, Emmy winning return to host SNL in 2019 after 35 years, who was there in the audience, cheering him on like the biggest fan? Adam Sandler, of course!
From a 17 year old kid in a Boston comedy club to a global superstar sitting front row for his hero's return, this is the kind of Hollywood story that gives us chills. It’s the ultimate glow up, proving that a teenage dream, a lot of nerve, and a powerful dose of inspiration from a king like Eddie Murphy can truly take you to the top. So epic
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