michael caton

Rob Schneider Versus Michael Caton

6:25PM Jess McGuire | How quickly things change in Hollywood, eh? One time co-stars in The Animal (and, we presume, friends – in our world, everyone in Hollywood who work together automatically become bosom buddies and/or lovers) Michael Caton and Rob Schneider are in the midst of a very public war of words over comments Caton made about his flick Strange Bedfellows being the inspiration for Schneider chum Adam Sandler’s latest movie I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry. It appears Schneider, forced to choose between an Antipodean ex-work mate and his meal ticket, decided to go in to bat for Adam Sandler via the always enjoyable medium of an open letter. In response to comments Caton made in the press a few months ago claiming he’d given Schenider a DVD copy of he and Paul Hogan’s MADCAP COMEDY (screamy capitalisation author’s own) Strange Bedfellows and adding “I’m going to have to get on to Rob Schneider and say you owe me one, pal, or Adam Sandler owes me one. They’re really good mates and it’s obvious he’s said ‘Hey, have a look at this’”, Schneider retorts – amongst other things - “It is true you gave me a DVD copy of Strange Bedfellows but I must confess I’ve never watched it, as it is not on the same format as I have and it makes quite a nice drink coaster. I know that you recently made an early (and deserved) exit on Dancing with the Stars, still in my wildest imagination I never could see you as one who would ever become ‘bitter’. Unfortunately, that is the conclusion that you have forced me to come to. Now Paul Hogan I can understand!” Ouch. We do appreciate the obviousness of his attempt to make it clear to Adam Sandler that he still loves him, loves him more than anyone, and please god, give him a role – no matter how small! – in his next movie. Caton has now spoken out, saying it was all a case of Schneider taking a joke too seriously! “I had a wonderful time making The Animal with Rob Schneider in 2001 and am disappointed by his comments as I have always considered Rob a friend of mine. I was doing press for network television around the time the film I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry was released and it was during that time that several journalists asked me about the similarities between the story lines of that and Strange Bedfellows. At no time did I approach the media on this matter. I can only repeat what I said at that time which is that I did give Rob Schnieder a copy of the Strange Bedfellows DVD. I emailed Rob that if the reports of similarities were true then ‘tell Adam Sandler owes me one’. The comments I made were obviously tongue in cheek. We refuse to believe it’s possible Schneider missed an blatant gag, because if that’s true, well… well… then perhaps, just perhaps, he isn’t one of the comic geniuses of our time. And that’s a truth we’re just not prepared to face right now, as we clutch our copy of Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo in one hand and a pen in the other, practicing our “Mrs Rob Schneider” signature until our hand cramps up. More »