Travis Kelce, Adam Sandler, and Bad Bunny all star in the upcoming movie Happy Gilmore 2, which is set to release this Friday. Ahead of the premiere, the Kelces hosted Sandler on their podcast, New Heights. During the interview, they talked about a range of topics, but few moments were more flattering than when Sandler equated Travis’s acting to Jason’s analytical skills.
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When the first Happy Gilmore came out in 1996, it was a goofy comedy that Sandler wrote and produced with his friends. Initially, it received mixed reviews from critics, but it eventually became a commercial success and has stood the test of time as one of the best sports comedies ever made. Nearly 30 years later, it feels fitting that the hit movie is finally getting a sequel.
In the first film, not many real golfers or athletes were included. This time around, though, the movie is filled with recognizable faces. One of those is Travis Kelce, who Sandler said was awesome in his role.
When Jason Kelce asked the actor about his brother’s acting skills, here’s what he had to say: “Me and Travis are pretty equal, buddy,” Sandler said on New Heights. “A handsome star. A stud! You should’ve seen him!”
Perhaps the nicest thing Sandler said came right after that, when he related Travis’s performance to Jason’s stint as an analyst on ESPN.
“Jason, he was so cool. He was just like you! Just like you, when you took over with announcing! You guys just go, ‘Alright, if I’m doing this, I might as well be great at this.’ Anyways, yeah, you were cool as sh*t. Travis was locked in,” Sandler expressed.
While the famous actor and comedian meant it positively, Jason’s stint with ESPN as an analyst hasn’t been amazing so far.
He’s produced more memorable moments than the feeling that he’s doing a good job with his analysis. It’s not that his analysis has been bad. But when it’s mixed with incidents like spiking the phone of a fan who used a homophobic slur, the attention gets drawn elsewhere.
Furthermore, the worldwide leader in sports tried to give Jason his own show recently. They Call it Late Night, a late-night centric, football-themed show, debuted in early January. They ran 5 episodes before the end of the season, and none were particularly memorable. It’ll be interesting to see if ESPN brings it back next year.
Sandler on Kelce’s chemistry with other cast members
Later in the podcast, Sandler switched topics and discussed on-set dynamics that he observed while filming. One of the dynamics that he noted as positive was the relationship between Travis and the famed musician Bad Bunny.
“You two guys were amazing together. He was so sweet, and you had to be a bit of a louse to him, man. And you didn’t like doing it because you love the guy,” Sandler said.
It was then that the comedian revealed maybe more than he was supposed to about Travis’ character. He mentioned that the NFL tight end “towered” over Bad Bunny in a scene, leading us to believe he plays the role of a bully of some sort. If that’s the case, it would be a perfect role for Travis.
After the exchange, Sandler even touched on what the plot of the new movie was about.
“We tried to make it [about] a real athlete. Like, you guys know the deal, and you know it, Jason. We were thinking, when an athlete retires, what goes on throughout the day? And how you miss it, and then you say, ‘If I got out there again.’ You know, that’s kind of your whole life is one thing. Then all of a sudden, you’re not doing that,” Sandler shared.
If there’s anyone who knows about that, it’s Jason. He just retired and has been seemingly out of place, trying to fit in elsewhere ever since. He’s doing as good of a job as he can at it, but it’s produced mixed results so far. Surely, it’s made Jason think at times that he should just go back to the NFL. But he knows that life is in the past.
We’re all super excited to watch the new Happy Gilmore when it comes out. Sports fans still watch the first one regularly to pass the time. It’s a lighthearted, fun, goofy comedy that has become an all-time classic. We’ll see if the new one can live up to the legend.
