The Films that Made Me Want to Get into Education: Billy Madison

I know a lot of you are thinking, "just how the heck can you combine a career in education to this ridiculous Adam Sandler comedy?"

And I can agree, it takes a bit of stretch, but I know there is more than one reason that I feel that Adam Sandler's early comedic hit was at its finest. I have always kind have felt that Adam Sandler's films have gotten softer in tone once he made Big Daddy, and then more date night friendly than his early days of nutty mayhem and off the wall phrases that were just border line senseless and idiotic.

But at the same time, there is a bit of classical charm in how stupid that Adam Sandler pulls off the moron whose father paid for his grades and now Billy wants to prove he can go through all twelve grades in order to take over his father's chain of hotels. Along the way he makes relationships with the young students in his classes, and soon learns that he is admired by children but humiliated by teenagers in high school.

I felt this same way on my first day as a substitute Spanish teacher. But if you would like to read about my other early exploits as a sub, click on my recent Associated Content article on how Kindergarten Cop made me want to be a teacher. I noticed at the high school setting I looked so young and clean shaven, that I was not intimidating at all. Not to mention my long, curly hair that flopped up like a mop and wide like a brunette Carrot Top. One kid entered shouting, "Yo, we got Urkel y'all." I didn't understand why I was Urkel, perhaps it was the sports jacket that was excessive. I complained to my brother Joe on the cell phone during lunch and he just reminded me, "ah screw 'em!"

I didn't feel success until the following day when I had to sub as a middle school Spanish teacher. I had never had more than about three days of a Spanish class before, so I was totally clueless. I remember the kids in the Highland Middle School were rowdy after a lunch break and one student told me that the teacher normally says the word, "Silenco." So I called out the word once and to no response, I called it again with a bit more sternness.

Finally I got so frustrated from repeating myself I recalled my various hours of wailing out heavy metal tunes in my car that I forced out the loudest shout for the word "Silenco!" had ever been shouted before. The class came to a halt and they stared at me in a sudden jolt of fear, but soon washed over into a slow roll of laughter for how I had sounded. What was funny how much I started joking around with this bunch and I had earned a reputation amongst the middle school students and faculty. From just that one day there at that school, it quickly led my way into a long term position as a Computer / Technology teacher. And now, well the rest is history and I have been in education ever since that school year about seven years ago.

But during my first year as that Technology and Computer teacher, I recalled those moments in Billy Madison. How easily he connected with the younger crowd because they appreciated his immaturity but they could also look up to him as well for relating to them. I guess that was how I was able to work with the kids as they reminded me a lot about my younger siblings, who had all recently moved away down to South Carolina and I was still the last Gorcesky in New York.

And for those of you that haven't even Billy Madison before, you got to check it out. It was one of Sandler's earliest hits, and I am talking about after his little Overboard stint. You figure he must be proud of it because his production company of Happy Madison Productions, which has produced such hits like The Nick Swardson Show , Mall Cop, Grandma's Boy share its roots in Sandler's first feature length hits.

The film is also directed by Tamra Davis, who had recently directed another SNL alumni, Chris Rock in the feature CB4. And after Billy Madison, Tamra Davis would also direct the cult classic with Dave Chapelle and yet another SNL alumni, Jim Brewer, in the comedy of Half Baked. Yet another SNL member stars in the film along with Adam Sandler, is his real friend Norm MacDonald, who plays his fellow drunk and idiotic friend.

For what it is worth, Billy Madison is about ninety minutes of stupidity. It has over the top acting, and ridiculous characters that range from a gay pro wrestler turned Principal to lunch stealing bus drivers and an old lady who thinks she is cool for peeing in her pants. Billy is a fool, but he is a great person at heart and the caring, but joking around with the kids makes me always think of this movie when I work with the kids at school, especially when I play a game of Dodge ball with them.

references:
imdb.com
adamsandler.com