The host of the 2025Oscars, Conan O’Brien, reveals the inspiration behind the viral Adam Sandler bit. The comedian appeared at the 97th Academy Awards in his usual attire, wearing a blue zip-up hoodie and basketball shorts for Hollywood’s most prestigious night. During the first thirty minutes of the ceremony, O’Brien asked Sandler why he was dressed up as a “guy playing video poker at 2am.“The comedian replied in his signature inflection, “Nobody thought about what I was wearing until you brought it up!” before he got up to jokingly leave the ceremony and play a game of basketball.
In an interview withET,O’Brien revealed that the joke was entirely Sandler’s idea. O’Brien recounted how he initially approached Sandler with a concept for their heated exchange, but Sandler in turn proposed to the host that he should dress in his signature casual style, ultimately avoiding the traditional red-carpet tuxedo. Read what O’Brien had to say below:
I made the idea for Sandler. And then… Adam and I are old friends. I called him up, and he liked the idea. And thenhe said,“I have another idea,”andit involved him dressing in the way that he’s most comfortable.
Which, of course, was his idea.Because he doesn’t want to put on a tux. Then, his idea was so great. That was all Adam. Adam’s the king.
What This Means For Adam Sandler’s Oscar Bit
It Was A Part Of His Master Plan
Sandler has always been one of Hollywood’s most comedic figures, with his casual fashion sense often drawing attention.Sandler’s Oscars 2025 cameowas no different, as he showed up in a blue zip-up hoodie, standing out among the sea of sleek tuxedos and trailing gowns. However, as O’Brien later revealed, the outfit gag was Sandler’s idea,giving him the perfect excuse to wear his signature basketball shorts over a suitat one of the most-watched live events on television.
Before making a jab at Sandler’s outfit, some ofConan O’Brien’s best jokesat the ceremony were playful call-outs of various celebrities in the room, including the controversialEmilia PérezBest Actress nominee Karla Sofía Gascón andBabygirl’s Antonio Banderas. For his first time hosting the event,O’Brien expertly walked the line between roasting and celebrating the stars. In a review of the 2025 Oscars,ScreenRant’sMary Kassel commended O’Brien as one of the best hosts in recent memory, following Jimmy Kimmel’s run in 2024:
[O’Brien] brought a refreshing lightness and sincerity to the night without ignoring the complicated issues facing the U.S. and the future of Hollywood.- Oscars 2025 Review
Our Take On Adam Sandler’s Outfit Gag
A Classic Sandler Move
I thought the outfit gag at theOscarswas quintessentially Adam Sandler, especially knowing it was his idea, but my favorite part was him yelling “Chalamet!” right in a confused Timothée Chalamet’s face as a callback to their interaction at the Golden Globes.Sandler’s next movieswill have more of his antics and lack of fashion sense, withHappy Gilmore 2premiering later this year on Netflix. While Sandler may not be walking red carpets in designer suits anytime soon,his signature style and humor aren’t going anywhere.
