Adam Sandler accepted his People’s Choice Icon Award on Sunday night with a self-mocking speech that divided the immediate audience with its appeal to “the ugly folk out there.”
The actor’s address was based on the assumption he was getting the award for People’s Sexiest Man Alive, jokingly saying: “Thank you for recognising me as the man who made our entire country the horniest this year.”
The self-mockery went on, referring to himself as “the most talked about person in the bedroom by couples and throuples during fantasy role play and sloppy time.”
Sandler proceeded to regale the crowd with the observation he’d been “waiting patiently on the sexy bench with his legs wide open” for the award.
Pictured: (l-r) Jennifer Aniston presents Adam Sandler with the People’s Icon Award onstage during the 2024 People’s Choice Awards held at Barker Hangar on February 18, 2024 in Santa Monica, California. -(Trae Patton/NBC via Getty Images)
The 50 First Dates actor added the award will “sit proudly on my nightstand where it will witness many feats of romantic gymnastics performed gently on my fine-as-hell wife” before the camera caught his wife, Jackie Sandler, laughing along in the audience.
Sandler then addressed what’s “underneath” all his baggy clothes before comparing his “pee pee” on a “Pinocchio scale.”
In conclusion, he gave gratuitous advice to the “ugly folk out there,” encouraging them to “embrace your chubbiness, lean into your goofiness and start hanging out with David Spade and Rob Schneider, so you can look handsomer and three feet taller than you really are.”
The response was mixed, as the Daily Mirror noted.
One viewer commented on Twitter:
Someone get Adam Sandler off the stage. This is awful omg!!! #PeoplesChoiceAwards
— theandysofbravo (@theandysofbravo) February 19, 2024
Another vented:
That was a really stupid speech by #AdamSandler on #PeoplesChoiceAwards! It was just wrong for an Icon Award!
— Lori (@heyitsmyopinion) February 19, 2024
A third person tweeted: “@AdamSandler ‘s speech at #peopleschoiceawards very tone deaf. Read the room, Adam. Not funny, even in an unfunny way.”
Others were happy to support him.
Adam Sandler's speech proves why we need a laughing crying emoji, especially if you saw the crowd's live reactions! It was original, hilarious and deserved every minute of screen time #PCAs
— Sarah Prince (@ThatPrince) February 19, 2024
People hating on Adam Sandler's speech at the People's Choice Awards???? Couldn't be me! I was cackling the entire time!!! He is too much. Absolute best part of the show so far.
— 🎞️ Kayla 🎞️ (@KaylaSpeaksNow) February 19, 2024
Sandler is the sixth recipient of the People’s Icon Award following Aniston, Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, Melissa McCarthy and Ryan Reynolds.
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