Trivia: One of the most endearing goofballs to ever grace the stages of Saturday Night Live, affectionately offensive funnyman Adam Sandler has often been cited as the writer/performer who almost single-handedly rescued the long-running late-night television staple when the chips were down and it appeared to have run its course. Though his polarizing antics have divided audiences and critics who often dismiss him as lowbrow and obnoxious, Sandler's films, as well as the films of his Happy Madison production company, have performed consistently well at the box office despite harsh and frequent critical lashings.Born in Brooklyn on September 9th, 1966, it may come as no surprise that Sandler was a shameless class clown who left his classmates in stitches and his teachers with a handful. Never considering to utilize his gift of humor to pursue a career, Sandler eventually realized his potential when at the age of 17 his brother encouraged him to take the stage at an amateur comedy competition. A natural at making the audience laugh, the aspiring comedian nurtured his talents while attending New York University and studying for a Fine Arts Degree. With early appearances on The Cosby Show and the MTV game show Remote Control providing the increasingly busy Sandler with a loyal following, an early feature role coincided with his "discovery" by SNL cast member Dennis Miller at an L.A. comedy club. As the unfortunately named Shecky Moskowitz, his role as a struggling comedian in Going Overboard (1989) served as an interesting parallel to his actual career trajectory but did little to display his true comic talents.It wasn't until SNL producers took Miller's praise to heart and hired the fledgling comic as writer on the program that Sandler's talents were truly set to shine. Frequent appearances as Opera Man and Canteen Boy soon elevated him to player status, and it wasn't long before Sandler was the toast of the SNL cast in the mid-'90s. While appearing in SNL and sharpening his feature skills in such efforts as Shakes the Clown (1991) and Coneheads (1993), Sandler signed a recording contract with Warner Bros., and the release of the Grammy-nominated They're All Gonna Laugh at You proved the most appropriate title imaginable as his career began to soar. Striking an odd balance between tasteless vulgarity and innocent charm, the album found Sandler gaining footing as an artist independent of the SNL universe and fueled his desire -- as numerous cast members had before him -- to strike out on his own. Though those who had attempted a departure for feature fame in the past had met with decidedly mixed results, Sandler's loyal and devoted fan base proved strong supporters of such early solo feature efforts as Billy Madison (1996) and, especially, Happy Gilmore (1996).His mixture of grandma-loving sweetness and pure, unfiltered comedic rage continued with his role as a slow-witted backwoods mama's boy turned football superstar in The Waterboy (1998), and that same year found Sandler expanding his persona to more sensitive territory in The Wedding Singer. Perhaps his most appealing character up to that point, The Wedding Singer's combination of '80s nostalgia and a warmer, more personable persona found increasing support among those who had previously distanced themselves from his polarizing performances. As the decade rolled on, Sandler also appeared in the action-oriented Bulletproof (1996) and the even more affectionate Big Daddy (1999). In 2002, Sandler starred in a re-imagining of Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, titled simply Mr. Deeds.Beginning in the late nineties, Sandler's Happy Madison production company launched such efforts as Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999), Little Nicky (2000), The Animal and Joe Dirt (both 2001). Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo appeared in (2005), and Grandma's Boy in (2006). Despite critical castigation for scraping the bottom of the barrel with these efforts, Sandler's commercial instinct remained intact; the films all hit big at the box office and drew an ever-loyal base of fans who gravitated to any feature with Sandler's name attached.The early 2000s also saw Sandler attempting to branch out in a number of unusual directions, which included the animated "Hanukkah Musical" 8 Crazy Nights (2002). Sandler also began dipping his toes into the realm of drama with a starring role in the eccentric, critically acclaimed tragicomedy Punch-Drunk Love (2002), directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Sandler also starred in the Jim Brooks-helmed comedy/drama Spanglish (2004), an unsually subdued and gentle turn away from the irascible types that Sandler usually played. The critical receptions were, again uneven, as reviewers loathed 8 Crazy Nights, justifiably praised Punch-Drunk across the board, and espoused mixed feelings about Spanglish.Perhaps well aware of the extent of these risks that he was taking with his career, Sandler continued to sustain his popularity with a steady (and reliable) stream of crowd-pleasing star vehicles throughout the early 2000s. 2002's self-produced Sandler vehicle Anger Management (which teamed him up with a maniacal Jack Nicholson); the 2004 effort 50 First Dates, in which he co-starred with fellow Wedding Singer alum Drew Barrymore; and the 2005 remake of Robert Aldrich's The Longest Yard all made box office gold. In 2006, Sandler starred in yet another hit: Click, a surrealistic comedy directed by Frank Coraci, co-starring Sean Astin, Kate Beckinsale and Christopher Walken. The film was a big hit and, having spent the past few years playing it safe, Sandler decided it was a good time to take another chance. He signed on to star with Don Cheadle in the 2007 drama Reign Over Me, playing a man who lost his wife and children in the 9/11 attacks, and is headed for complete self-destruction. The critics weren't as enamored with this dramatic attempt as they were with Punch-Drunk Love, but Sandler was mostly well received even when the film wasn't. Always tempering his risks with more predictable career moves, the actor next signed on to appear alongside King of Queens star Kevin James in the buddy movie I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, a comedy about two straight firefighters who pretend to be a gay couple to receive domestic partner benefits.On a seemingly never-ending roll with his broadly appealing comedic roles, Sandler next played an Israeli secret agent and skilled beautician in 2008's You Don't Mess with the Zohan. He followed this up with a turn in the kids comedy Bedtime Stories in 2009, before adding a dash of dramatic acting to a humorous role once more, with the 2009 Judd Apatow flick Funny People. For Sandler's next project, he reteamed with Cuck and Larry co-star Kevin James for the 2010 romp Grown Ups, before cozying up to Jennifer Aniston for the romantic comedy Just Go With It in 2011. Despite his beautiful co-star, Just Go With It did poorly at the box office, and so for his next movie, the funnyman chose a more bankable supporting actor: himself, playing both a man and his own annoying twin sister in the 2012 comedy Jack and Jill.

Trivia: Actress Kathy Bates has been involved in the arts in one way or another since graduating from Southern Methodist University. Among the Memphis native's earliest jobs were a stint as a singing waitress in a Catskill resort and a sojourn as a gift shop cashier in New York's Museum of Modern Art. Bates was type-cast in character roles early on, which assured her a lot more work than the thousands of faceless ingenues in the business. Her film debut occurred with 1971's Taking Off, and she made her off-Broadway debut five years later in Vanities.For a long while, Bates made her name on the stage, only to see her roles go to other actresses in the plays' subsequent film adaptations. In 1983, she was nominated for a Tony award for her stage appearance as a garrulous would-be suicide in 'Night, Mother, a role played on screen by Sissy Spacek. She also appeared as Lenny McGrath in Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Crimes of the Heart, a role played on screen by Diane Keaton. And in 1987, playwright Terrence McNally wrote a part specifically tailored to Bates' talents: the much-abused waitress Frankie in Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, a role which won her an Obie award, and, following a familiar pattern, was played on screen by Michelle Pfeiffer.Bates finally got to star in a movie herself in 1990. And what a starring role it was: in Misery, she portrayed the psychotic "Number One Fan" of romance writer Paul Sheldon (James Caan), a searing performance which earned the actress an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. Appropriately enough, Hollywood screenwriters subsequently began making more room for Bates in their scripts. She worked steadily throughout the rest of the decade in films of greatly varying quality. Particular highlights included Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), A Prelude to a Kiss (1992), Dolores Claiborne (1995), Titanic (1997), and Primary Colors (1998), the latter of which featured Bates giving an Oscar and Golden Globe nominated performance as a political muckraker. Following her firey, foul-mouthed performance in that thinly veilied political biopic, Bates added a new credential to her resume, that of director. Initially taking the helm for the made-for-cable feature Dash and Lilly, Bates would subsequently direct episodes of the quirky HBO drama series Six Feet Under, simultaniously taking minor film roles before returning to more substantial roles with the CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame entry My Sister's Keeper. Roles in Love Liza and Dragonfly (both 2002) were soon to follow, and with her turn as an extroverted mother who catches the attention of Jack Nicholson in About Schmidt Bates would recieve her third Oscar nomination.She directed a number of episodes of the HBO series Six Feet Under before joining the cast in season 3 as Bettina. The next year she portrayed Queen Victoria in the big-budget remake of Around the World in 80 Days. She directed he feature Ambulance Girl in 2005. She continued to act steadily in a variety of projects including Failure to Launch, P.S. I Love You, Fred Claus, Bee Movie, and Revolutionary Road. She provided expert support for Sandra Bulock as the younger actress was winning an Oscar in The Blind Side, and Bates joined the cast of The Office in 2009. She was part of the large ensemble in 2010'ss Valentine's Day, and in 2011 starred as Gertrude Stein in Woody Allen's Oscar winning Midnight in Paris. That same year she launched her own network Drama series Harry's Law.

Trivia: A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, American actor Henry Winkler, born October 30th, 1945, first appeared on Broadway and in films (Crazy Joe, The Lords of Flatbush [both 1974]) before making the guest-star rounds on TV sitcoms. He worked several times for MTM productions, appearing in such roles as Valerie Harper's date on Rhoda and a charming thief undergoing psychoanalysis on The Bob Newhart Show. In 1973, Winkler was selected among hundreds of candidates (including ex-Monkee Micky Dolenz) to play the small recurring role of Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli, a leather-jacketed auto mechanic, on the new TV sitcom Happy Days. Though the series' stars were ostensibly Ron Howard, Anson Williams, and Donny Most, the bulk of the fan mail sent to Happy Days during its first season was addressed to "the Fonz." By the time the second season rolled around, Winkler was afforded second billing and a larger slice of screen time on each week's episode. Soon the more impressionable TV fans of America were parroting such Fonzie catchphrases as "Aaaaay" and "Sit on it!," while the nonplussed Winkler, who always regarded himself as a Dustin Hoffman-esque character actor, climbed to teen-idol status, complete with fan magazine interviews, posters, and Fonzie dolls. He also enjoyed a substantial salary boost, from 750 dollars per episode to (eventually) 80,000 dollars. At first, the off-stage Winkler could be as testy and sarcastic as his on-stage persona, but as Fonzie assumed "role model" proportions, the actor began comporting himself in as polite and agreeable a manner as possible. Accordingly, Fonzie became less of a Marlon Brando-type hoodlum and more of a basically goodhearted, moralistic young fellow who happened to be a motorcycle-racing dropout. By the time Happy Days ended in 1983 (by which time Winkler was elevated to top billing), Fonzie was a "drop-in," with a good job as a high school shop teacher and the possibility of a solid marriage. During his Happy Days heyday, Winkler was determined to prove he was capable of playing parts above and beyond Fonzie by taking film roles as far removed from his TV character: the troubled Vietnam vet in Heroes (1977), the vainglorious actor-turned-wrestler in The One and Only (1981), a '30s-style Scrooge in An American Christmas Carol (1982), and the timorous morgue attendant in Night Shift (1983). Following the example of his Happy Days co-star Ron Howard, Winkler also began working his way into the production and direction end of the business. In addition, Winkler used his name value for the benefit of others, remaining active in charitable and political causes. After several years away from the camera, Winkler returned to acting in the 1991 TV-movie Absolute Strangers, playing the husband of a woman caught in the middle of a volatile pro-life/pro-choice argument. And in 1993, Henry Winkler starred in the brief TV sitcom Monty, portraying a bombastic Limbaugh-type conservative TV personality. Winkler appeared in Little Nicky (2006) and You Don't Mess With the Zohan (2008), both times playing himself. Winkler continued to take small roles and guest spots on television and film throughout the 2000s.

Trivia: Former child actress Fairuza Balk started her screen career at the age of 11 when she starred as Dorothy in Return to Oz (1985). A sweet-faced child with dark hair and striking blue eyes, Balk -- whose first name means "turquoise" in Persian -- was summarily typecast in sugary roles in television movies. She spent some time in England making films and got a chance at more adult fare in 1989 when she played easily deflowered convent girl Cecile DeVolanges in Milos Forman's Valmont. Balk subsequently returned to the U.S. and, at the age of 18, she earned some of the greatest acclaim of her young career for her portrayal of Shade, a sensitive girl growing up in a dead-end New Mexico town, in Gas, Food, Lodging (1992), the esteemed directorial debut of Alison Anders. Following further TV and film work, Balk earned a certain degree of cult status with her starring role as a psychotic teenage witch in The Craft (1996). In keeping with the goth image fostered by her role in the film, Balk subsequently bought Panpipes, a famed Hollywood occult shop. In 1998, the actress ventured into more mainstream territory as the girlfriend of Adam Sandler in the smash comedy The Waterboy. That same year, she earned plaudits playing another girlfriend, this time in American History X, which cast her as the love interest of a neo-Nazi (Edward Norton). As the 2000's unfolded, Balk would continue to appear on screen in movies like Almost Famous, Wild Tigers I Have Known, and Humboldt County.

Trivia: The son of an amateur musician, Jerry Reed spent his formative years laboring in the cotton fields of Georgia, teaching himself the guitar in his spare time. At 18, Reed was hired by Capitol Records as a staff songwriter. One of his first compositions, "Crazy Legs," proved to be a hit for C&W star Gene Vincent; likewise, Elvis Presley scored successes with Reed's "Guitar Man" and "U.S. Males." After army service, Reed established himself as one of the most highly sought-after studio guitarists in the business. He made his mark as a singer in his own right with his best-selling 1967 rendition of "Guitar Man." Reed went on to win a Grammy award for his 1970 chart-topper "Amos Moses"; his later number-one hits included 1971's "When You're Hot, You're Hot" and 1982's "She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)." He augmented his recording fame as a regular on the TV series The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, then as star of his own summer-replacement variety weekly, 1972's The Jerry Reed When You're Hot You're Hot Hour. By 1977, Reed had pretty much put his recording activities on the back burner in favor of his blossoming film career. He made his movie bow in Burt Reynolds' W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings (1975), then went on to co-star as Cletus in Reynolds' two Smokey and the Bandit outings, composing the musical score for both films. Reed was elevated to second billing in the Reynolds-less Smokey and the Bandit III (1983), but only after the film had been unsuccessfully previewed with Jackie Gleason playing both Smokey and the Bandit. Jerry Reed made his film directorial debut with 1981's What Comes Around.

Trivia: Comedian and actor Blake Clark grew up in Georgia and fought in the Vietnam War before hitting the small screen in the early 1980s in a string of guest starring spots on shows like M*A*S*H, Moonlighting, and St. Elmo's Fire. During this time, he was also featured in comedy specials on HBO, NBC, and ABC. The roles kept pouring in for the gruff-voiced actor, who landed a regular role on Home Improvement in 1994. He played Tim Taylor's friend Harry, who owned the hardware store where Tim spent much time and money. Clark also had recurring roles on The Drew Carey Show, The Jamie Foxx Show, and Boy Meets World (as Shawn's father, Chet). On the big screen, Clark became a favorite of Adam Sandler and was cast in many of his movies, including The Waterboy, Little Nicky, Mr. Deeds, and 50 First Dates. Clark also replaced the late Jim Varney as the voice of Slinky Dog in 2010's Toy Story 3.

Trivia: Following brief enlistment as a regular cast member on television's The Larry Sanders Show and The Jeff Foxworthy Show, comedic actor Peter Dante scored a series of bit parts and supporting roles in farces produced by Adam Sandler's Happy Madison production company (many of which also featured Sandler in the cast). These outings included Big Daddy (1999), Little Nicky (2000), Grandma's Boy (2006), and Strange Wilderness (2008).

Trivia: Another Saturday Night Live alumnus to make a bid for big screen stardom, Rob Schneider got his first chance to carry a film with Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (2000), a mistaken identity comedy that was as commercially popular as it was critically eviscerated. The diminutive Schneider, who was born to a Filipino mother and Jewish father in San Francisco on October 31, 1963, got his start in comedy in high school. He began writing sketches when he was 15 and also began appearing at local comedy venues. Inspired by such comics as Richard Pryor, Gene Wilder, Peter Sellars, and Monty Python, Schneider decided to try to make a career out of stand-up.Following high school graduation, the fledgling comedian set off for Europe, where he traveled for a few months until he was robbed in Paris. Scraping together enough cash to make it back to the U.S., Schneider returned to San Francisco and renewed his determination to make it as a comedian. He quickly became active on the comedy circuit, opening for such luminaries as Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, and Dana Carvey. Schneider got his big break in 1990, when he was discovered by SNL producer Lorne Michaels while performing on an HBO comedy special. He was hired on as a writer for SNL in 1991, but he soon began performing his own material as well as writing it. He earned great popularity and lasting fame for his characterizations of "Richard "the Richmeister" Laymer" and "The Sensitive Naked Man," as well as various celebrity impersonations. Schneider stayed with the show until the end of the 1993-1994 season, when he decided to quit in order to pursue his film career.Following his departure from SNL, Schneider had a sizable supporting role in the Sylvester Stallone vehicle Judge Dredd (1995), but his subsequent film work was limited almost solely to forgettable comedies. In 1996, the comedian returned to television as one of the stars of the short-lived sitcom Men Behaving Badly, but he continued to focus much of his energy on a film career. After appearing in The Waterboy (1998) and Big Daddy (1999), two wildly successful comedies starring fellow-SNL alum Adam Sandler, Schneider starred as the titular hero of Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, a fish tank cleaner who assumes the identity of a high-living gigolo. Panned by critics as immature and vulgar, Deuce Bigalow nevertheless did decent business in theaters and found a niche after it's subsequent release on home video, prompting Schneider to prepare a sophmore effort, The Animal. Co-starring Survivor contestant turned thespian Colleen Haskell, Schneider's tale of a car accident victim imbued with superhuman powers after being pieced back together with animal organs kept the low-brow rolling while marking his territory among the ranks of the more successful transitions from SNL player to big screen star.Later, in the 2000s, Schneider frequently alternated between starring in his own films (The Hot Chick, Duece Bigalow: European Gigolo), and supporting his old pal Sandler (The Longest Yard, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry), with few on either side truly managing to ignite the box office or his career momentum. Though 2012 found Schneider attempting to break back into television with Rob, a CBS sitcom centering on an OCD landscape architect who marries into a jovial Mexican-American family, the network cancelled the series after just one season.

Trivia: The son of actors, juvenile performer Clint Howard began showing up on screen in the mid-1960s, usually in the TV series and feature films co-starring his older brother Ron Howard. Clint's best-known TV guest appearances include the part of Balok in the 1966 Star Trek episode "The Corbomite Maneuver," and his vivid portrayal of a youthful prognosticator in the opening installment of Night Gallery's 1971-72 season. He was starred in the 1967 Ivan Tors theatrical feature Gentle Giant and in that property's TV-series spin-off Gentle Ben. Upon attaining adulthood, Howard was mostly consigned to character parts; he has also been featured in the films directed by his brother Ron Howard, from Eat My Dust (1978) to Apollo 13 (1995).

Trivia: Attended high school with Janis Joplin. Was an all-conference defensive lineman at the University of Arkansas and was on the school's 1964 national championship team; future Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was also on the squad and he hired Johnson to coach the NFL team in 1989. First head coaching job was at Oklahoma State (1979-83). Wrote an autobiography, Turning the Thing Around: My Life in Football, in 1993. Had a cameo as himself in the 1998 big-screen comedy The Waterboy, and another as a bearded prisoner in lockup in a 2006 episode of The Shield. Was the first head coach in football history to win both an NCAA Championship (University of Miami-1987) and a Super Bowl title (Dallas Cowboys-1992 and 1993). Coached the Miami Dolphins from 1996-99 before retiring from football to become an NFL analyst on Fox. Was a contestant on CBS's Survivor: Nicaragua in 2010. He was the third player voted off the show.

Trivia: Signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles after college. Played with the Cleveland Browns (1980-82) and again with the Philadelphia Eagles (1983-84). Started NFL coaching career as special teams coach with the Browns in 1985. Also coached as an assistant in Kansas City. Hired as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1992. In 1995, became the youngest head coach (38) to get his team to the Super Bowl. Won Super Bowl XL in 2006. Resigned as head coach of the Steelers in 2007. In his 15 seasons as head coach, the Steelers made the playoffs 10 times and made six appearances in the AFC title game. Was hired by CBS Sports as an analyst in 2007. Takes piano lessons.

Trivia: American actress Lynn Swann has spent most of her career on-stage and in improvisational comedy, but she has also appeared on television and in a few feature films.

Trivia: Linebacker for the New York Giants Lawrence Taylor has sometimes been called one of the best defensive football players in history. An All-American during his career at the University of North Carolina, Taylor was drafted by the Giants in 1981, and he went on to play for the team until 1993. During that time, Taylor wracked up a record that continues to endure. But even as Taylor was setting records on the field, he was also the center of ongoing controversies, with drama swirling over everything from his salary to his admitted cocaine use. After retiring, Taylor began regularly appearing as a commentator and analyst on sports shows and acted in movies like Any Given Sunday and The Waterboy. He eventually gave up the hard-partying lifestyle he'd come to be known for and picked up a hobby in golf, sometimes appearing in celebrity tournaments. In 2010 he played himself in the comedy When in Rome.

Trivia: Renowned sportscaster Dan Patrick was born in Zanesville, Ohio in 1957. Although he played high-school basketball, a career in broadcasting beckoned. After working at CNN and Headline Sports, Patrick hired on at ESPN where he was teamed with fellow anchor Keith Olbermann and together they helped establish Sportscenter as the most popular sports broadcast of its time. During that era, Patrick coined the catchphrase "en fuego" that he used whenever an athlete was having a very good night. He left ESPN in 2007 and eventually developed his own morning radio show. He also became a regular contributor to Sports Illustrated, and began a professional relationship with NBC that led to Patrick co-hosting Football Night in America, as well as hosting portions of the network's Olympic coverage in 2012 and 2014.Though not an actor, Patrick has made cameo appearances in a number of Adam Sandler's movies including The Longest Yard, Jack and Jill, That's My Boy, Just Go With It, Grown Ups, Grown Ups 2, and Blended.

Trivia: Set 19 school records as a quarterback for the University of Oregon Ducks. Selected in the third round of the 1973 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers; spent his entire career (1973-87) with the team and led them to the AFC West title three straight years (1979-81). Covered the Chargers' September 26, 2010, road game in Seattle when San Diego's QB Philip Rivers threw for 455 yards, eclipsing Fouts' franchise mark of 444 yards, set December 11, 1982. Appeared with broadcaster Brent Musburger in Adam Sandler's 2003 movie The Waterboy. Was one of the first athletes to be endorsed by Nike; the company named a building after him at their world headquarters in Beaverton, OR, in 1990. Inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions Hall of Fame (1989); the State of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame (1992); the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1993); and the San Francisco Bay Area Hall of Fame (1997). Joined ABC Sports as a football analyst in 1997, before moving to CBS in 2008.

Trivia: Roomed with actor Burt Reynolds and University of Miami baseball coach Ron Fraser while attending Florida State University. Posed for an in-game picture in front of the scoreboard with his 1976 Indiana University football team once the Hoosiers took their first lead over Ohio State in 25 years (IU eventually lost, 47-7). Led a University of Louisville team that included ESPN analyst Tom Jackson to the school's second-ever bowl game (the 1970 Pasadena Bowl, a 24-24 tie against Long Beach State). Held Florida State's all-time record for interceptions (14) until 1980. Corso's total was equaled by Deion Sanders. Secured his status at ESPN after flying to a college all-star game in Tokyo as a last-minute substitute announcer, leaving the U.S. on the same day as the game. Developed a signature gimmick on College GameDay of donning a mascot head from the school he picks to win during the predictions segment that closes the show. Serves as director of business development for pencil company Dixon Ticonderoga, helping to create a crayon made of soybeans in 2001. On GameDay, Corso likes to emphatically shake his pencil when making a point.

Trivia: Joined ESPN in 1986 as the host/reporter of Scholastic Sports America. Began work as ESPN's primary studio host for college football in 1989. Hosted the first Home Depot College Football Awards in 1993. Served as cohost at the first X-Games in 1995. Named by Sporting News as one of the Most Powerful Media Personalities in Sports, along with Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit.

Trivia: Known to many as the guy who appears in all the Adam Sandler movies, Allen Covert grew up in Florida and went to college in New York, where he met Sandler while working at a restaurant. After trying his hand at improv, he became steadily more interested in comedy, and began to collaborate with his friend Sandler, helping write the material for Sandler's comedy albums and eventually appearing in his films. Covert has subsequently appeared in almost all of Sandler's movies, beginning with 1989's Going Overboard (also known as Babes Ahoy). His appearances have ranged from small cameos to major supporting roles, and he even gained 40 lbs. to play Sandler's roommate in Little Nicky. The comedian has also worked as a writer, producer, and actor on his own, for movies like 2006's Grandma's Boy and 2008's Strange Wilderness.

Trivia: Best known as the younger (by one year) brother of talented but ill-fated Saturday Night Live comedian Chris Farley, Kevin Farley followed in the footsteps of his older sibling and established himself as a comedic screen presence in his own right. He grew up in Madison, WI, as the third of five children and the son of an asphalt company owner, and -- like Chris -- soon fell into a niche as the class clown. Both young men grew up as members of the Saturday Night Live generation and idolized performers such as John Belushi and Bill Murray beyond belief; Kevin attended Marquette University as a business major (graduating in 1986) and went to work for his dad. He grew to hate the business life and eventually moved to Chicago and enrolled in comedy classes, then relocated to Los Angeles and began signing for bit parts in Chris' features, such as Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, as well as guest spots in series programs such as That '70s Show and 3rd Rock from the Sun.Following Chris' death from an overdose in December 1997, Kevin landed a starring role on the briefly run MTV sitcom 2Gether, then moved into features, with an unsurprising emphasis almost exclusively on comedy, much of it in the destructive and anarchic vein of his late brother. Projects in which Kevin appeared included the Adam Sandler animated comedy Eight Crazy Nights (2002), the Cedric the Entertainer laugh-fest Johnson Family Vacation, and -- in a starring capacity -- a turn as a Michael Moore-like anti-patriotic director who gets the Ebenezer Scrooge treatment in the David Zucker gag-fest An American Carol (2008).

Trivia: Studied classical clarinet in high school and at the Juilliard School. Took a summer acting class at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts after his sophomore year and decided to focus on acting. Studied at the Acting Studio in New York. Made his film debut in the independent film Straight Out of Brooklyn in 1991 after seeing a casting notice in a trade paper in New York.