Rob Schneider Is ‘Grateful’ for His Career at 60: Actor Looks Back at His Favorite Roles and Costars

With a comedy tour and a couple of new movies, comedian Rob Schneider has a lot on his agenda. “I am grateful to be this busy at my age,” Rob, 60, tells Closer. “I just did a show in Las Vegas. There are so many performers in town — it’s such a vibrant place for live performance. So if I can sell out here, which I did, that’s a big accomplishment.”

In recent years, Rob has worked with his family, too. He and his wife, Patricia, collaborated on Amor es Amor, a film available on Paramount+. “It’s a crazy, goofy comedy written by my wife — and the only film I’ve ever done in Spanish,” he says. Rob also costarred with his 11-year-old daughter, Miranda, in Daddy Daughter Trip, available on Prime Video. “She’s really a natural,” he says with pride. “It’s going to be a good memory for her when she gets older.”

When did you first realize you were funny?

“I just remember being in school with the kids. I was nervous, and I would kind of say the wrong words — English was not my mother’s first language. So there was a little hesitancy. I just felt kids laughing at that. They thought I was trying to be funny, and I thought, I can either fight this and feel bad about it or go with it. So I did.”

What makes you laugh?

“Silly. Silly is king. That’s the real thing to me. The sillier the better.”

Who were some of your biggest comedy influences?

“Mel Brooks was responsible for most of us being funny. Richard Pryor, Gene Wilder — their movies were unbelievable. The standups were George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld. Those last two were really, really special because they would spend time with you and give you tips. I remember Jerry Seinfeld saying, ‘Take all the swear words out. If it’s not funny, then it’s not funny.’ He was right about that.”

What did you learn from Jay Leno?

“He said, ‘Just get five minutes that kills every time, anywhere you go. If you don’t have that, you don’t have anything. All you need to be a star is 20 minutes in Hollywood.’ That was really good advice.”

Were your parents supportive of your desire to be a stand-up comedian?

“No, they thought I was nuts. But I think when my mom first saw me on TV — the fact that I was on TV and she was able to see me — she liked that.”

You spent four seasons on SNL. Can you share some favorite memories?

“Laughing with Adam Sandler in the Italian waiters sketch. Getting a chance to say, ‘Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!’”

I mean, that’s pretty phenomenal. How many people in life can say they’ve done that? Did you enjoy performing for a live audience every week?

“Oh yeah, it was crazy! There was nothing like it. I’m grateful for that opportunity, and I miss it. I miss the immediacy and the craziness — if you did something that was funny, all the cool people in the country knew about it the next day. They’d be repeating it. That’s a pretty unique experience.”

Which guest stars did you enjoy working with the most?

“There were a lot of good ones, but Christopher Walken was really great. Dana Carvey was one of my heroes, so getting a chance to work with him was incredible.”

You’ve also done a lot of movies. Which have been your favorites?

“50 First Dates was pretty ridiculous, but it was two hours a day of makeup. Doing Deuce Bigelow was also fun. The Hot Chick was really special. They would never make a movie like that again. I don’t think they care about making movies that are a little bit more for young adults and teenagers. I think that it would be [considered a] little bit too risqué. But it was very funny and women friendly.”

In The Hot Chick, you worked with a couple of then-unknown actresses who went on to big things. Was their talent obvious?

“Yes, we all knew Rachel McAdams was going to be a big star. Anna Faris was also really, really funny. It was a lot of pressure on them, like running a mini-marathon every day, but they were great.”

You recently worked with your daughter Miranda on Daddy Daughter Trip. How was that?

“This was the first thing Miranda has ever done. It took us so long to make the movie that by the time we were doing it, she was old enough to be the lead. It was really wonderful.”

Would you support her doing more acting projects?

“There’s no rush. I wouldn’t want her to audition for something and not get it and feel like there’s something that she’s lacking. It’s a tough business.”

What are your thoughts on cancel culture?

“I think it’s a new form of witch-burning. Hopefully, it’s a phase that society hurries up and gets through. It still happens, but I think people are questioning it a little bit more now.”

You converted to Catholicism during the pandemic. How did that come about?

“I felt like there was evil in the world, and I couldn’t explain it any other way. I saw this terrific priest, and that was a real eye opener. Also, my wife is Catholic, so I felt a real connection to it and to God. Now that I’m 60, I feel that things have come together for me.”

You must get recognized a lot. Do you ever mind?

“No. Most people just want to say hi. Everyone has a cellphone now. I don’t know what they do with [my picture], but I don’t mind. I am comfortable with it. The nicest thing is when they tell you that they saw one of my movies with their mom or dad and that was a really good memory for them. That is lovely.”