At a Glance
- Henry Winkler says he and Adam Sandler are “like family” after the comedian name-checked him in “The Chanukah Song”
- Winkler returned the favor by appearing in Sandler’s 1998 hit The Waterboy and three more films
- The actor presented Sandler with a career-achievement award at the AARP Movies For Grownups Awards on January 10, 2026
- Why it matters: The story shows how one lyric can spark a decades-long friendship between two comedy icons
Henry Winkler credits a single line in Adam Sandler’s 1994 holiday staple for turning casual respect into what he now calls a family-level bond. Speaking to News Of Losangeles ahead of the January 10, 2026 AARP Movies For Grownups Awards, the 80-year-old actor traced the roots of their friendship to Sandler’s Saturday Night Live performance of “The Chanukah Song,” where he rhymed Winkler’s Happy Days character with deli food.
The Lyric That Started It All
Sandler, 59, debuted the comedic carol during the SNL season 20 episode that aired in December 1994. Mid-song he sang:
- “Guess who eats together at the Carnegie Deli”
- “Bowzer from Sha Na Na and Arthur Fonzarelli”
The reference placed Winkler’s leather-jacketed sitcom icon alongside other Jewish celebrities Sandler celebrated. Winkler, who played Fonzie from 1974 to 1984, told News Of Losangeles he phoned Sandler the next day to thank him for the shout-out. That call, he said, “started everything.”
From Thank-You to cameo
Weeks after the conversation Sandler asked Winkler for a favor: fill a last-minute gap in The Waterboy. Winkler recalled the late-night summons:
- Call came around 11:30 p.m.
- Drove to set, shaved, sat in makeup until 3:30 a.m.
- Compensation: “A cookie,” he joked on Let’s Talk Off-Camera with Kelly Ripa
The brief role cemented a pattern. Winkler later appeared in:
| Film | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Little Nicky | 2000 | Cameo |
| Click | 2006 | Supporting part |
| You Don’t Mess with the Zohan | 2008 | Supporting part |
| Sandy Wexler | 2017 | Cameo |
Award-Night Tribute
At the Beverly Wilshire Hotel ceremony Winkler presented Sandler with the AARP Movies For Grownups career-achievement honor. In his speech he praised the comedian’s “generosity of soul,” telling News Of Losangeles that castmates “learn from him” simply by watching him work.
He also marveled at Sandler’s global reach: “He is connected to the world. He’s universal. Not just in popularity-his expanse. And I am so happy to be in that organ.”
Keeping the Dynamic Alive
Despite their closeness Winkler insists he never attempts to out-joke Sandler. “Never have I, nor have I even tried,” he said, noting that spontaneity keeps every encounter fresh: “You never know what the next moment is going to be with Adam, but it is always filled with warmth.”
The friendship, sparked by a lyric about deli food, now spans more than three decades, four feature films, and countless family gatherings-proof that a single comedic nod can evolve into what Winkler simply calls “a connection.”
