Another candid confession from Jerry O’Connell backfired fast as critics seized on the actor’s remarks about his teenage daughters’ partying and vaping habits.
O’Connell, 52, revealed his high school-aged daughters — whom he shares with wife Rebecca Romijn — have begun navigating social scenes he admits can be hard to control. The “Stand By Me” star said while he aims to keep communication with his daughters open, he’s also confronting concerns about addiction as vaping becomes a constant presence.
“It’s funny, I have teenage daughters now who are starting to go out, starting to socialize,” he told Jamie Kennedy on the “Hate to Break It to Ya” podcast. “And it’s funny, I had dinner with one of my daughters who party a little, my daughters party. They’re nepo babies in Los Angeles. They’re gonna party.”
“They’re not quite 18 yet, but they’re in high school,” he clarified. “And these kids in high school do things. I know I’m supposed to be stricter. And I’m sure some of your comments will be like, ‘He should lay down the law.’ But like I try to — it’s not how I parent.”
“It’s not how I parent,” O’Connell emphasized. “I have like a ‘call me anytime’ [rule], but I said to my daughter the other night, I was like, ‘If you can do this without getting into the drugs, it really, it’s how my friend Jamie and I are still here somehow.'”
Later in the interview, O’Connell revealed his teenage daughters are “vaping all the time.”
“Get that out of the house,” Kennedy told him. “Dude, you’ve gotta be — throw them out.”
O’Connell explained that it’s easier said than done.
“It’s addicting,” he said. “Like, so doesn’t it replace with another vape? Shouldn’t I deal with like, talking to them about, like, addiction and how this is gonna lead to a lifetime of addiction as opposed to like…” He joked, “It’s not the vape’s fault.”
“What about your wife? Does she let them vape?” Kennedy asked.
“No, we don’t let anyone vape,” O’Connell emphasized. “It’s happening. These kids are crazy these days.”
O’Connell also addressed the backlash he received for his appearance on Bill Maher’s podcast, where he claimed his wife and daughters “became physical” with him on the night of the 2024 election after he made offhand remarks about Kamala Harris’ loss to President Donald Trump.
“I said something along the lines of ‘There was no planning. This is what they get. There should have been a primary.’ I said something along those lines, you know, like I was just spitballing ideas. It was a shock. My wife and daughters, without saying anything, became physical with me. They were filled with rage,” O’Connell told Maher.
“So if I am being careful with you in how I say things, yes, I live in California,” he explained. “I live with not one, not two, but three people who, if I made any kind of joke, they’d become very angry with me.”
O’Connell clarified on Kennedy’s podcast that his family did not beat him up. “They did not,” he said. “I take that back. I fully take that back. I was making a joke.”
Fans criticized O’Connell in the comments, claiming he was overly passive and conflict-avoidant. They framed the actor as “less masculine” and influenced by “woke” Hollywood values, using stereotypes to argue he’s changed for the worse.
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“Brooo, jerry whats happened to you, you’re heterosexual ISH?? You let your wife and daughters beat on you? You cant tell your kids not to vape? Its not the vapes fault? Bro you need to be injected with high amounts of testosterone!! you’re way too much of a people pleaser, and way too fearful of silly s–t to be a grown a– man. Your wife and daughters have stripped you of all of your masculinity and LA seems to have caused you to idk have issues,” one commenter wrote on the YouTube video of the podcast. “Bro as a real fan who loves your work, please dont be like this, woke and confused and fearful of every word you say, you are a talented man, please stop letting your family/women/woke Hollywood change you in the worst way possible, you are better than that. I really hope someone as awesome as you starts putting themselves first and stops trying to please your toxic family and woke Hollywood soon.”
“Get rid of the vape. Listen to your buddy. Also…protect your daughters. Just protect them. You know better,” someone wrote.
“Poor Jerry. Nice guy. Wants an easy life. Very scared of confrontation and backlash from critics, the public and the ones at home,” another user wrote.
“I lost all respect for Jerry when he admitted his wife and daughter got physical with him when Trump won the presidency,” another wrote.
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One user claimed, “Honestly Jerry kind of represents Hollywood non aggressive wokness [sic]. And i say this as a fan.”
O’Connell’s podcast appearance did draw some praise from fans, despite the controversial takes he shared.
“Love Jerry and LOVED this podcast! I could have listened to you guys talk for even longer,” one user wrote.
“I never knew Jerry was this funny and entertaining,” another added. “He’s a riot.”
“This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for! I f—ing love Jerry!!” another user wrote.
“Aw man I love Jerry so much, he seems like such a genuine dude!” one user added.
“hah, you can just tell Jerry is just a nice dude. can’t fault someone for being a great person,” another wrote.
Fox News Digital reached out to O’Connell for comment.
