The Celebrity Truth

Actor Rob Schneider placed an an advertisement in an Australian newspaper on Tuesday (August 28) criticizing one of his co-stars from 2001’s ‘The Animal’, saying he’s "severely disappointed" of being accused of "comedic plagiarism".

Schneider was angered after actor Michael Caton joked that a movie Caton starred in with Paul Hogan called ‘Strange Bedfellow’s’ bore resemblance to Adam Sandler’s latest movie ‘I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry’, a movie Schneider guest stars in.

The open letter to Caton, placed as an advertisement, appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald and said:

"Dear Michael,

I was severely disappointed when word got to me that you had accused me of comedic plagiarism in some Sydney rag.  I heard you said that I lifted the idea for a film you did with Paul Hogan about ‘two gay firemen’ "Strange Bedfellows" and had given it to Adam Sandler for his movie about ‘two gay firemen’ called "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry."

I am very flattered that you think that I am the one who chooses the films of Adam Sandler (currently the highest paid actor in the world).  However, for the life of me I can’t understand why, as your friend, you wouldn’t at least call or e-mail me to ask me first.

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 for my Victoria’s Bitters.

While I guess it is possible that the credited writers of "Chuck and Larry," Barry Fanaro, Academy Award winners Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor (whom I have never met) took your idea, I find it very implausible.

The story was based on a true story of two firemen from Virginia (see Associated Press article by Clarence W. Leahaw 11/8/1979).  I believe your movie came well after that.  In any event, the only thing I had to do with the film was to make a small cameo appearance, unbilled at that!  I’m proud of the movie because at its core it’s about acceptance and a rejection of bigotry.  As another actor in the film Ving Rhames told me, "If you take out the word ‘gay’ and replace it with ‘black’ it’s the same struggle as 40 years ago."

Michael, I know that being an Actor is a very tough business, and 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!

No matter what, I will always admire your billiant and iconoclastic performance as Darryl Kerrigan in "The Castle."  But regarding your unkind accusations about me, "They are not going in the poolroom!"

Painfully yours,
Rob Schneider

PS. Please give my love to Helen and that annoyingly tall son of yours."

Caton has responded to Schneider’s letter saying, "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 he owes me one’. The comments I made were obviously tongue in cheek.

"I’m not bitter, more bemused.  I have nothing to gain professionally, financially or personally by being drawn into this argument, and in fact have still not seen ‘I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry’ – so I cannot comment on potential similarities."

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Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures.  Taken from Deuce Bigalow: European Gigalow.