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Kevin James says he thought his career was “over” after seeing the 2009 film “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” for the first time.
The film tells the story of Paul Blart (played by James), a clumsy mall security guard who finds himself in the middle of a robbery.
Speaking with Drew Barrymore on the Tuesday, February 3, episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, James, 60, said he initially thought the film was “terrible” until his good friend Adam Sandler made some changes.
“He’s a great collaborator,” Barrymore, 50, said, referring to her long working relationship with Sandler (who co-starred in “The Wedding Singer,” “50 First Dates” and “Blend”).
James agreed, saying, “Everything he does, I listen. I mean, I just follow.”
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According to James, Sandler played a key role in the film — both as a producer through his company, Happy Madison Productions, and by helping save the film while it was in development.
“And he saved me — he made my movie ‘Mall Cop,'” James said. “I would never have made something like that, he made it for me.”
However, he added that he was a little scared when he first saw the film.
“By the way, we shot it and we edited it. I don’t know what it’s like to see the first cut of a movie, but it’s scary,” James said. “We were so panicked because we thought, like, my career was over.”
He continued, “Adam said, ‘Relax, let me check it out.’
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The film was a box office success, grossing over $183 million worldwide for $26 million. A sequel, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, was released in 2015.
