The Real Reason Why Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Skipped His 'Happy Gilmore 2' Premiere
Travis Kelce has a small role as a hotel employee in Happy Gilmore 2, marking another foray into acting for the Kansas City Chiefs tight end. Although the film had its premiere in New York City last night, neither Kelce nor his girlfriend, Taylor Swift—who owns property in the city—attended.
Their absence comes without scandal: Kelce had to miss the event because he had work. Training camp for the Chiefs began today at 9:15 A.M. local time at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri. The players arrived on Sunday.
Swift and Kelce, who have been together for nearly two years, have never walked a formal red carpet together. The closest the couple has come to a debut was when they arrived hand-in-hand at Kelce's Tight End University welcome reception last month.
Swift was last seen at Selena Gomez's early 33rd birthday party. Gomez shared photos yesterday of Swift posing with her in a pile of balloons.
Kelce was spotted at training camp today:
On July 1, the couple was photographed having a lunch date in Ohio, marking one of their most recent public sightings together. A month before, a source explained to Us Weekly that Swift and Kelce are trying to keep their relationship more private.
'They're making fewer public appearances together because [their relationship] brings too much unwanted attention, but there isn't trouble in paradise,' the insider said.
Swift will be front and center cheering Kelce on once football season begins, a source told People on June 12. 'Taylor is really looking forward to the upcoming NFL season—not just because she loves supporting Travis, but because for the first full season since they started dating, she's not juggling a packed tour schedule,' the source explained. 'This fall will be completely different. It's the first season where she's not constantly flying back and forth or working around an entire touring calendar.'
On July 1, a source told People that the time Swift and Kelce spent out of the spotlight this spring and summer has made a big difference. 'It's been a turning point for their relationship in a lot of ways,' the insider said. 'They're incredibly happy and in sync. There's a calmness and ease to their relationship right now that's been really grounding for Taylor and Travis.'
Kelce's absence from Happy Gilmore 2's premiere doesn't take away from his performance either. Adam Sandler raved about both Bad Bunny and Kelce's acting ability at the New York premiere.
'Travis and Bunny are ridiculous in it,' Sandler told People. 'Every athlete kicks ass.'

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New York Post
17 minutes ago
- New York Post
‘Happy Gilmore 2' character's death sparks fan outrage — and a surprising cast reaction
Fans aren't happy about Happy. Spoilers below for 'Happy Gilmore 2.' The Adam Sandler sequel, now streaming on Netflix, has left viewers outraged because one beloved character from the original 1996 sports comedy classic is killed off in the film's first few minutes. 10 Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore in 'Happy Gilmore 2.' Scott Yamano/Netflix 10 Julie Bowen and Adam Sandler at the red carpet for the Netflix 'Happy Gilmore 2' premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Monday, July 21, 2025, in New York City. John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock That character is Julie Bowen's Virginia Venit, Sandler's on-screen love interest from the first 'Happy Gilmore.' Although Happy and Virginia get married and welcome five kids together during the nearly 30-year break between the two movies, Bowen's character tragically passes away when Happy accidentally hits a shanked shot at her head during a golf tournament. Virginia's death is only shown during a montage played at the very beginning of the new golf flick, and the movie ultimately picks up with Happy effectively retired and reeling from the loss of his wife. 10 Julie Bowen as Virginia Venit and Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore in 'Happy Gilmore.' Joseph Lederer/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock 10 Julie Bowen as Virginia Venit and Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore in 'Happy Gilmore 2.' Scott Yamano/Netflix Shortly after the sequel premiered on Netflix on Friday, July 25, viewers rushed to social media to express their outrage and slam the decision to kill off Bowen's Virginia. 'No way did they kill HER in the first ten minutes of Happy Gilmore,' one angry fan tweeted upon watching the new movie. 'Happy Gilmore 2 is a huge piece of s–t,' fumed another disappointed viewer. 'Instantly killing off the best actor is insane.' 'Bro, 3 minutes into Happy Gilmore 2 and Virginia died,' commented a third. 'Wtf kind of bs writing is that?' 10 Adam Sandler and Julie Bowen at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Happy Gilmore' on February 7, 1996. Alan Berliner/BEI/Shutterstock 'Seriously? They started off Happy Gilmore 2 by killing Virginia?' yet another angry fan wrote on X. Another Sandler fan complained about Virginia's death, as well as all the surprise celebrity cameos included in the new sequel. Besides Sandler's wife, Jackie, and daughters, Sadie and Sunny, 'Happy Gilmore 2' features appearances from Eminem, Post Malone, Travis Kelce, Kid Cudi, and more. 10 Julie Bowen and Adam Sandler at the red carpet for the Netflix 'Happy Gilmore 2' premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Monday, July 21, Netflix Several real-life pro golfers, including John Daly, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy, also show up. 'Sorry to spoil Happy Gilmore 2, but they killed poor Virginia and brought along a whack load of dumbasses to make it an inane mess,' one fan wrote. 'This thing never happened, okay?' Meanwhile, Sandler and Bowen reacted to Bowen's shocking 'Happy Gilmore 2' death during an interview with Entertainment Weekly published shortly after the movie's release. 10 Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen and Adam Sandler in 'Happy Gilmore.' ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection The 'Modern Family' star suggested that her character needed to die to drive Happy and the events of the film. 'Happy's the best, but he did need to have something – you need to have some adversity,' Bowen, 55, explained. 'Yes, Happy is in pain,' she continued. 'And he had to get there somehow. And I contribute to the pain through the heart. I think it is very relatable and wonderful. I loved it.' 10 Julie Bowen as Virginia Venit in 'Happy Gilmore 2.' Scott Yamano/Netflix Bowen previously opened up about how she thought Sandler would recast her with a 'younger' actress. 'I didn't think they'd bring me back at all,' the actress revealed earlier this month during an episode of Michael Rosenbaum's 'Inside of You' podcast. 'I mean, who am I supposed to be?' Bowen added at the time. 'He's got to have a younger woman in this one.' 10 Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore in 'Happy Gilmore 2.' Scott Yamano/Netflix As for Sandler, who co-wrote the film with Tim Herlihy, he was just happy to return to the world of 'Happy Gilmore' after 29 years. 'You couldn't have a nicer vibe,' Sandler, 58, began. 'It was just the whole thing. There wasn't like a particular day, you didn't want any day to end.' 'You were with somebody you loved and somebody you just met that you idolized,' he continued regarding the film's many cameos. 'It was a kind of legendary shoot.' 10 Julie Bowen and Adam Sandler sit for an interview together before the release of 'Happy Gilmore 2.' foxnews 'It's a shoot that we'll never have again in our life, probably,' the comedian concluded. In addition to Sandler and Bowen, 'Happy Gilmore 2' sees Christopher McDonald (Shooter McGavin) and Ben Stiller (Hal) reprise their roles from the original. Carl Weathers, who was set to return as Derick 'Chubbs' Peterson, sadly passed away in February 2024. His death forced Sandler to rewrite the sequel's script.


USA Today
17 minutes ago
- USA Today
Taylor Swift tells fans this new movie is a '13/10' must-watch
Taylor Swift is giving an outstanding movie review for boyfriend Travis Kelce the day after he hard launched their two-year relationship on his Instagram main grid. The Eras Tour singer posted a photo of the movie poster for Adam Sandler's golf hero sequel on her Instagram story on July 25 and wrote, "Happy Gilmore 2 had me cackling and cheering the whole movie! An absolute must watch, 13/10, go watch it on @netflix as soon as humanly possible 🍯." Kelce makes an appearance alongside another celebrity bringing his star power to the highly anticipated sequel: Bad Bunny. Swift hasn't endorsed a movie since she encouraged fans to watch the Zoë Kravitz movie "Blink Twice" in August of last year. At the July 21 movie premiere, Adam Sandler – who attended the 2023 Eras Tour movie premiere with his daughters – was asked by an Extra reporter if he considered a Swift cameo. "We didn't want to bother Taylor," Sandler replied. "We just let Taylor entertain the world as she does. I listened to 'All Too Well' three times in a row today with my kid. She's done a lot for our planet, so we love her." 'I didn't practice at all': Stars Adam Sandler, Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald dish on filming What happens to Travis Kelce in 'Happy Gilmore 2?' Kelce made an appearance in "Happy Gilmore 2" as a restaurant manager who is something of a bully to his subordinate "Oscar," played by singer and entertainer Bad Bunny. Kelce is in a pair of scenes in the movie, but the more notable one features Bad Bunny's character going to his happy place, where he slathers honey over a half-naked Kelce, who is tied to a post. Kelce is then left to be devoured by a bear in the fantasy sequence. Earlier, Kelce chest-bumps Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa through a restaurant table. Feeling so high school On July 24, Kelce posted 13 photos from the Kansas City Chiefs' training camp on Instagram. "Had some adventures this offseason," he captioned the carousel. Highlights included ice skating with Swift, boating with his dad Ed Kelce, hanging out with his mom Donna and brother Jason Kelce, attending Tight End University in Nashville and belting out karaoke at the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship in Lake Tahoe. The post gave fans a rare peek into the couple's romantic moments. "Just casually sharing some of their best days together," one commenter wrote beneath the cozy snapshots. Contributing: Joe Rivera, USA TODAY Follow Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network's Taylor Swift reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.


New York Post
17 minutes ago
- New York Post
‘Happy Gilmore 2' review: Good to see Adam Sandler, but it's not on par with the original
movie review HAPPY GILMORE 2 Running time: 114 minutes. Rated PG-13 (strong language, crude/sexual material, partial nudity and some thematic material). On Netflix. It's fitting that the sequel to Adam Sandler's 'Happy Gilmore' landed on Netflix. Weird to think now, given its enduring popularity, but the 1996 comedy, although profitable, didn't do huge box office at movie theaters. It settled for No. 38 that year. Then, thanks to cable TV reruns at home, dumb fun 'Happy' turned into an endlessly quotable 1990s classic. Teens loved it, which is not surprising considering Sandler has always been an overgrown kid. The memorable lines are endless. 'The Price is Wrong, b—h!,' 'You suck, jackass!,' 'Tap tap taparoo' — each one worthy of being slapped on a T-shirt. So, the small screen suits 'Happy.' The bigger question is: Did we need more 'Gilmore' 29 years later? Eh, not really. But, like the belligerent man who dreamed of being a hockey player and unwillingly ended up King of the Putting Green instead, it's here anyway. Without question, the followup isn't as hilarious as the original. Who honestly expected it to be? And a good 20 minutes could have been trimmed. But '2' is warm and comfortable, features another untethered performance from Sandler that only he can give, and is less lazy than I feared. 'Murder Mystery 2,' it is not. Phew. 4 Happy Gilmore takes up the clubs again 29 years later. Scott Yamano/Netflix Back at the keyboard, co-writers Sandler and Tim Herlihy pump in a lot of fan service (just about every 1996 scene is replayed) and a little fan fury. After a quick montage of what Happy's been up to the past three decades — superstardom, product endorsements, trophies, a pack of wild kids, hosting 'SNL' — the man accidentally kills his wife Virginia (Julie Bowen, back for five minutes) with his famed running driver swing. A big swing, to say the least. The surely controversial move is much darker than the gator-head shock death of Carl Weathers' Chubbs' from the first. And it starts the movie off on a somber note. Happy's now a single dad who becomes an alcoholic and works at a grocery store. When his dancer daughter Vienna (Adam's actual daughter Sunny Sandler) wants to go to a pricey Parisian ballet school, he finally picks up the clubs again to foot the bill. 4 The film makes a controversial move with Julie Bowen's Virginia. Scott Yamano/Netflix Clearly, there is not much in the way of plot. Well, there is a overwrought thread about a sexed-up PGA competitor called Maxi Golf (perhaps that's a dig at LIV). But it's hard to root for the PGA like it's some penniless underdog. To puff things up, there are about five million celebrity cameos. Really, if you make star spotting into a drinking game during 'Happy Gilmore 2,' you'll be dead by the credits. Some of the core cast return: Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin, who's released from an asylum, Ben Stiller's Hal and Kevin Nealon. 4 Happy's old nemesis Scooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) returns. AP But it's the clown car full of newcomers, from Jon Lovitz to Eminem, who chew up the scenery beyond recognition. A peek at the madness: Bad Bunny, Happy's soft-spoken new caddy, rubs honey all over Travis Kelce's body during a fantasy sequence before Taylor Swift's boyfriend is attacked by a bear. The cast also adds plenty of real pro golfers, such as Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, John Daly and Scottie Scheffler. You get the vibe that they all love the '96 movie. The downside of having a cast of trillions, though, is that we never really get to know any of these new people. They jump in, crack a joke and beeline to craft services. A-listers constantly popping up like a long game of Whack-A-Mole grows gimmicky. 4 John Daly is one of several real golfers to appear in 'Happy Gilmore 2.' AP And, predictably, because Happy has already been the most famous golfer in the world, the ragtag road to victory doesn't feel as euphoric as the last time. Nothing does. Regular-guy Sandler is deservedly a favorite actor of the masses. However, the actor's angry shouting and pummeling hecklers played better when he was a 29-year-old rebel from 'SNL.' Now double that, he comes off more like Casey Affleck in 'Manchester by the Sea,' only funny. Still, 'Happy Gilmore 2' works well enough for what it is. But, please, please, please, keep you hands off 'The Wedding Singer,' 'Billy Madison' and 'The Waterboy.' You can't do it!