One of Hollywood’s funniest stars is opening up about how things in sunny California weren’t always so bright for him, even during his upward trajectory to stardom and mainstream success. Adam Sandler, 59, revealed in a new interview that he once felt “invisible” while stepping out in public side-by-side with longtime Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney.
People says Sandler revealed to The New York Times that the reality of his friend’s popularity and good looks sunk in when he attended an NBA game with the silver fox. The outing, which took place back in 1995, hit Sandler like a ton of bricks, according to his account of the story.
“I remember feeling as invisible as I’d ever felt,” the comedian recalled, describing the low moment. Read on to find out what happened to make Sandler feel so bad, and how he overcame the low moment.
Adam Sandler Recalls Brutal Outing to Basketball Game With George Clooney
The “Happy Gilmore” star says he was hit by a devastating moment when he stepped out to a sporting even with George Clooney, who starred in NBC’s hit medical drama “ER” from 1994 to 1999. Sandler explained, “It was at the height of ER, and I went to a Knicks game with George.” After revealing that people’s reactions to Clooney left him feeling invisible, Sandler went on, “I thought I was becoming a star, and I was like, ‘Oh, not a soulâs looking at me.’”
At the time, Sandler was hot off the success of his hit film “Billy Madison,” which everyone remembers for its hilarious dodgeball scene.
Sandler went on to explain that every woman in the arena was looking at Clooney, and he imagined every man present was thinking, “Man, I wish I was that guy.”
Clooney, for his part, said the outing with Sandler was “really fun,” and that the friends have always kept in touch.
In August 2025, Sandler and Clooney goofed off together on the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival, with Clooney grabbing a camera and playing photographer as the pair promoted their film “Jay Kelly,” directed by Noah Baumbach.
Adam Sandler & George Clooney’s New Movie Hits Netflix Soon
Clooney and Sandler star together in “Jay Kelly,” which hits Netflix December 5. In it, Clooney plays “a movie star with an identity crisis,” per Deadline.
“It’s a nice movie. I’m happy to be in it,” Sandler told Terri Seymour earlier this month at the film’s Los Angeles premiere. On working with Clooney, the dad of two said, “He’s very funny. I love him. He’s a very giving human being, he takes care of a lot of people, and we got to do some intimate scenes and get to know each other really well.”
He went on to say Clooney was “always looking out” for him during shooting, staying attentive to Adam’s performance and whether he was “having a good time.”
See the trailer for George Clooney and Adam Sandler’s new movie below.
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