Adam Sandler -- not the actor -- dressing as ‘creepy’ Cookie Monster in California

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — No, that’s not the Waterboy hiding inside that Cookie Monster costume.

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A man who shares the same name as actor Adam Sandler has been hustling families for money on a California pier, hoping to persuade them to pose their children with the furry character from “Sesame Street” for money, KRON-TV reported.

While Sandler, 59, has committed no crimes, the Santa Cruz Police Department wrote in a Facebook post that it has received calls and emails from residents who claim he is “creepy,” and that his presence and comments make them uncomfortable.

Police said that Sandler was working the Beach and Wharf areas of Santa Cruz.

“It is important to note he is not employed by, contracted by, or permitted by the City of Santa Cruz or any local business on the Wharf or surrounding areas,” police wrote. “He is exercising his First Amendment rights; however, if you have concerns about inappropriate behavior or him claiming to be hired by the city or a business, you should contact Santa Cruz Police immediately.”

“We are getting calls from people who say he is ‘creepy,’” Santa Cruz Police Department spokesperson Joyce Blaschke told KRON. “Based on his history, we advise the public to not engage with this individual. Steer clear from him.”

Cookie Monster is not Sandler’s only “Sesame Street” character. During the mid-2010s, he dressed up as Elmo and earned the nickname “Evil Elmo” for yelling at tourists who did not tip him after taking his photo, KRON reported.

Sandler was eventually arrested and banned from San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf and Embarcadero piers, according to the television station.

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