Henry Winkler gushed over his old friend Adam Sandler.
For the 80-year-old actor, the comedian “is a man of the world,” as he enthused about Sandler in a recent chat with the people At the 2026 AARP Movies for Grownups Awards.
During the event, Winkler presented Sandler with a Career Achievement Award.
“We’ve been like family ever since I called him to thank him for having me as a lyricist in his ‘Chanukkah’ song,” Winkler began. “Then he invited me to be in The Waterboy. And we have a connection now.”
The Barry star continued: “He’s a man of the world. He’s connected to the world. He’s global. Not just in terms of popularity, but in terms of his reach. And I’m very happy to be on this panel.”
How did Sandler add to his life? “First, you learn from him,” Winkler answered. “He teaches us how to have generosity of spirit. That’s the essence of him.”
Sandler’s candid and funny nature couldn’t be ignored as the Happy Days network praised, saying: “You never know what’s going to happen. You never know what the next moment with Adam is going to be, but it’s always so full of warmth.”
Furthermore, on stage, while accepting the award, Sandler showed his love for Winkler by saying, “Henry, you know I love you.”
He also recalled the speech Winkler gave at his wedding in 2003.
“It was the greatest speech. Everyone talks about how great your speech was to me [my wife] “Jackie,” Sandler praised.