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Home / Entertainment

Adam Sandler slams 'douchebag' Oscars in hilarious acceptance speech

NZ Herald
10 Feb, 2020 01:09 AM4 mins to read

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Adam Sandler accepts the award for best male lead for Uncut Gems at the 35th Film Independent Spirit Awards. Photo / AP

Adam Sandler accepts the award for best male lead for Uncut Gems at the 35th Film Independent Spirit Awards. Photo / AP

After Adam Sandler was snubbed out of an Oscar nomination for his critically acclaimed performance in Uncut Gems, he decided to clap back at the ceremony.

In a hilarious and explicit speech, the actor slammed the "featherhead douchebag motherf**kers" of the Oscars when he picked up his award for Best Male Lead at the 35th Film Independent Spirit Awards on the weekend.

Let's just say, you wouldn't hear a winner's speech like this at today Academy Awards.

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Here's a transcript of the 53-year-old comedian's speech:

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"Hello, my name is Adam Sandler. Thank you. I stand before you trembling with thankful glee as I receive this so-called best actor trophy, independently speaking, of course. First off, it's great to see our host Aubrey Plaza again. Aubrey and I did a movie entitled Funny People 11 years ago. That was actually the last time critics pretended not to hate me for five f**king minutes. Catch you in another 11 years, Aubrey!

"I'd like to also give a shout out to my fellow nominees, who will now and forever be known as 'the guys who lost to f**king Adam Sandler'. How did that happen? Independent movie? Adam Sandler? 'To get my movie I had to live in my car outside of f**king Ralphs, begging for nickels on f**king kickstarter, and all Sandler had to do was get Ted Sarandos stoned.'

"A few weeks back, when I was quote-unquote snubbed by the Academy, it reminded of when I briefly attended high school and was overlooked for the coveted yearbook superlative category Best Looking. That accolade was given to a jean-jacket-wearing featherhead douchebag by the name of Skipper Jenkins. But my classmates did honour me with the allegedly less-prestigious designation of Best Personality. And tonight, as I look around this room, I realise, the Independent Spirit Awards are the Best Personality awards of Hollywood. So let all those featherhead douchebag motherf**kers get their Oscars tomorrow night! Their handsome good looks will fade in time, while our independent personalities will shine on forever!

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Adam Sandler accepts the award for best male lead for Uncut Gems at the 35th Film Independent Spirit Awards. Photo / AP
Adam Sandler accepts the award for best male lead for Uncut Gems at the 35th Film Independent Spirit Awards. Photo / AP

"I've got more, I'm sorry, I've gotta cruise through this. But in all seriousness, independent films have been a big part of the Adam Sandler ecosystem. From my first film, a fearless look into the American education system through the eyes of a privileged sociopath by the name of Billy F**king Madison to my searing exploration of American college foosball and its manipulation of socially-challenged athletes like Mister Bobby Boucher, I have tried to sell my truths with a truly independent spirit, while also cashing some truly disturbingly large paychecks.

"But tonight is about Uncut Gems. I want to thank some people. First off, of course, the person who shares my life, my home, my laughter, my tears: Scott Rudin. Two years ago, Scott said the words that would forever change my life: 'No, those aren't homeless rabbis, those are the Safdie brothers.' No, honestly, I do want to say thank you to the Safdie brothers for believing in me and thinking of me for this part, and I really had the best time getting to know you guys, I love you guys and I'm glad we're tight now. I also want to say thank you to anybody who ever worked on any of the comedies I did over the years. You guys, I love you, and I'm glad we did all that work together that the Safdies and Noah and everybody liked our stuff enough to put me in their stuff.

"And I truly want to thank my kids for reading Uncut Gems and saying, 'Dad, you've gotta fu**ing do this movie. Fantastic stuff.' And my wife, I love you — thanks for running lines with me and thanks for hanging out with me, and we really had some fun on this one, so I love you. And thanks everybody for — it's a great night, I appreciate it."

Watch the speech in full below:

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