Jerry O’Connell: Teenage Wasteland

Summary

Podcast Summary: Let's Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa
Episode: Jerry O’Connell: Teenage Wasteland
Release Date: May 28, 2025

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of "Let's Talk Off Camera with Kelly Ripa," host Kelly Ripa delves into the challenging yet relatable topic of parenting teenagers. Joined by guest Jerry O’Connell, along with co-hosts Jan and Albert, the conversation navigates the complexities of raising adolescents in today’s environment. From handling teenage parties and substance abuse to fostering open communication and preparing for the transition as kids grow into adults, this episode offers valuable insights and heartfelt anecdotes.

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Main Discussion

Teenage Parties and Alcohol Smuggling

The episode kicks off with an alarming revelation from Jerry O’Connell about how teenagers are ingeniously smuggling alcohol into parties. He shares:

Jerry O’Connell [01:02]: "They order test tubes on the Internet...put the test tubes filled with alcohol inside the tampon packages...go into parties and stuff. And then everyone treats out of tampons."

This technique showcases the lengths to which teens will go to access alcohol, highlighting the persistent challenge parents face in monitoring and controlling such activities.

Parental Liability and Hosting After-Parties

Kelly and Jan discuss the responsibilities and risks associated with hosting after-parties for teenage events like prom. They touch upon the legal and safety implications:

Jan [03:15]: "If you host it, you're also liable."

The conversation underscores the dilemma parents face between wanting to monitor their children’s activities and avoiding legal liabilities.

Personal Experiences with Teenage Drinking

Jerry shares a personal story about his daughters wanting to host an after-party after a school play. He recounts his strict stance on alcohol:

Jerry O’Connell [04:07]: "I'm not going to serve alcohol. I got a breathalyzer...every kid who drove up to my house got breathalyzed."

He further critiques parents who supply alcohol to their teens, emphasizing the negative consequences of such permissive attitudes.

Consequences of Teenage Drinking

Kelly relates by sharing her own experience with teenage drinking and the importance of instilling fear and responsibility:

Kelly Ripa [07:51]: "I think we instilled enough fear in them to keep them relatively...their feet are planted pretty firmly on the ground."

This segment emphasizes the balance between allowing freedom and ensuring safety through responsible parenting.

Sexuality and Open Communication

The conversation transitions to discussing how to approach conversations about sexuality with teenagers. Jerry highlights the challenges of being the one to initiate these talks:

Jerry O’Connell [18:02]: "At their pediatrician, they had to go in for shots, and they got shots that deal with the HPV...You have to get them for these girls."

Kelly agrees on the necessity of open dialogue, stressing trust and responsible sexual behavior:

Kelly Ripa [20:20]: "They should definitely talk about what responsible sexual activity looks like for a person your age."

Caller Stories and Real-Life Scenarios

Throughout the episode, listeners call in with their own parenting challenges, adding depth and relatability to the discussion. Notable interactions include:

• Allison from New York City [21:31]: Shares her experience hacking her daughter’s computer to discover her boyfriend was cheating, leading to a breach of trust.

  Caller 1: "I found out that he was cheating on her. It created a whole issue because she didn't know I knew."

• Nina from Michigan [26:29]: Discusses hosting parties without permitting alcohol and the dynamics of her teenage daughters’ social lives.

  Nina [33:33]: "Sometimes teenagers need to hear it from somebody else rather than their parents."

These stories illustrate the universal struggles parents face in navigating teenage behavior and maintaining trust.

Balancing Punishment and Understanding

Kelly and Jerry debate the effectiveness of punishment versus understanding in parenting. Kelly reflects on her own methods:

Kelly Ripa [48:16]: "We punished... took away Halloween... Other parents were stunned."

Meanwhile, Jerry shares his approach of minimal punishment to encourage introspection and responsibility:

Jerry O’Connell [47:59]: "Make them realize where they went wrong... make them feel shame about what they did."

Encouraging Responsibility and Time Management

The hosts emphasize the importance of time management and responsible behavior. Kelly shares strategies to reduce distractions like excessive phone use:

Kelly Ripa [39:48]: "Stress the time management... if you put that time in the schoolwork instead of the phone..."

Jerry adds practical advice on managing screen time:

Jerry O’Connell [40:51]: "I got my kids to turn their notifications off completely."

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Notable Quotes

• Jerry O’Connell [01:02]: "They order test tubes on the Internet...put the test tubes filled with alcohol inside the tampon packages."

• Jan [03:15]: "If you host it, you're also liable."

• Kelly Ripa [07:51]: "I think we instilled enough fear in them to keep them relatively...their feet are planted pretty firmly on the ground."

• Kelly Ripa [20:20]: "They should definitely talk about what responsible sexual activity looks like for a person your age."

• Allison [21:31]: "I found out that he was cheating on her. It created a whole issue because she didn't know I knew."

• Nina [26:29]: "Sometimes teenagers need to hear it from somebody else rather than their parents."

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Conclusions and Takeaways

The episode "Teenage Wasteland" offers a candid and comprehensive look into the challenges of parenting teenagers. Key takeaways include:

1. Vigilance and Monitoring: Parents must stay vigilant about their teenagers' activities, especially regarding substance abuse and party environments.

2. Open Communication: Establishing open and honest communication channels is crucial for building trust and guiding teenagers through complex social landscapes.

3. Balanced Approach to Discipline: Striking a balance between setting boundaries and allowing autonomy helps teenagers develop responsibility without feeling overly controlled.

4. Safety First: Prioritizing safety over permissiveness can prevent dangerous situations and legal liabilities.

5. Long-Term Relationship Building: As children grow, transitioning relationships harmoniously ensures continued support and understanding.

This episode serves as a valuable resource for parents navigating the tumultuous teenage years, offering practical advice, personal stories, and expert insights to foster healthier family dynamics.

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Listeners who have not tuned in will find this episode both insightful and relatable, providing actionable strategies for effective teenage parenting in today’s world.

Transcript

[Jerry O'Connell]

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[Kelly Ripa]

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[Jerry O'Connell]

They order test tubes on the Internet. A bunch of test tubes. They then take tampons, review, remove the tampons from the packages, then put the test tubes filled with alcohol inside the tampon packages, seal them back up and put a handful of them in their bags and stuff. And then go into parties and stuff. And then everyone treats out of tampons. Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

Wow.

[Jan]

Wow.

[Kelly Ripa]

I didn't know that.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Listen, you guys wanted to talk off camera? Let's talk off camera. They're sneaking in booze in the tampons. Kelly.

[Kelly Ripa]

Somebody gonna cue me or do I cue myself? Cue yourself. Okay. Okay. We are back. Everybody buckle up. Another live. I said it, Jan. I said it, Albert. Another live episode of let's Talk off camera on Sirius XM's radio. Andy. Andy Cohen has his own radio station. Did you know that chant? And he let us on it, which I'm sure he regrets every day. And today we are joined by the greatest of the great. I mean the goat of humanity, Jerry o' Connell. Jerry o' Connell.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Hey, everybody.

[Kelly Ripa]

Jerry. Yes, Jerry, looking good.

[Jerry O'Connell]

First time. First time, long time. That's what they say in talk radio. First time caller, long time listener.

[Kelly Ripa]

Listen, let me tell you something. Going to describe you to our listeners because as you know, Jerry, we are an off camera podcast.

[Jerry O'Connell]

But Sherry o' Connell, which I'm not used to, I'm strictly on camera, but whatevs.

[Kelly Ripa]

Looking fit, looking sexy. He's wearing a pink button down polo shirt, muscles showing, a bit of chest, a bit of like glistening. Are you wearing baby body oil or something?

[Jerry O'Connell]

No, actually, I just haven't. Like, you know what? I went to the beach yesterday and I still haven't Bathed. I still have, like. So it's a little bit of sunblock and everything.

[Kelly Ripa]

Before we get into you, Jer, Jan's son, her baby boy, her newborn Caden, had his junior prom this weekend.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Wow.

[Kelly Ripa]

Jan, give me the dish.

[Jan]

It was great. Listen, it was awesome to see these kids, but we had a debate going on in our house. Cause he asked if we can host the after party.

[Kelly Ripa]

And.

[Jan]

And here's my thought about the after party. Okay? If you host it, you can monitor the situation.

[Kelly Ripa]

If you. And.

[Jan]

But if you. If you host it, you're also liable.

[Kelly Ripa]

Liable.

[Jan]

If you don't host it, it's going to be somewhere else and you have no control over the situation.

[Kelly Ripa]

Liability is the word.

[Jan]

I know I'm not. Here's the thing.

[Kelly Ripa]

I want you to hear the word liability.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Liability.

[Jan]

Here's the thing.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Seleno and Bob, I'm not going to.

[Albert]

Take.

[Jan]

I'm not going to serve alcohol.

[Kelly Ripa]

They're going to buy alcohol. They are monsters. They going to bring alcohol.

[Jan]

But I can monitor it.

[Kelly Ripa]

You cannot monitor these monsters. Liability is the word I want you to marry into your brain.

[Jan]

I didn't end up doing it, but he went to someone else's house and guess what? They did it there.

[Kelly Ripa]

And guess what? Those parents are liable.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Okay, so we actually. Hey, Jerry OConnell here, everybody. I have an awesome tan. My shirt is open. A little bit of chest hair tickling out of the top of my shirt. Whatever. I am the father of two teenage daughters, 16 year olds. And my daughter was in a school play and my other daughter was in the crew. And afterwards they came to me, and this is my imitation of Kelly Ripa imitating her teenage daughters. Her teenage daughter. When they were. A few years ago, when Kelly's daughter was a teenager, my daughters came up to me with complete vocal fry because we live on the West Coast. And they were like, dad, we want to throw the cast and crew after a party. And at first I said, absolutely not. Because much like Jan, much like Kelly, much like Seleno and Barnes taught me, I do not want to be liable for when a kid falls off my roof and dies. Sorry. I don't want to be liable for that. Or we have a. I don't want to boast here. I already talked about my. My tan. But we have a pool. I don't want to wake up the next morning and see, God forbid, a kid in the pool. Not alive, unalived.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Sorry to make this.

[Kelly Ripa]

No, they get into their kids. Their children. You know, sometimes we told my kids, for Them I do.

[Jerry O'Connell]

It is a fine line because I do want my kids to be popular.

[Kelly Ripa]

And want them to be cool.

[Jerry O'Connell]

And my wife was out of town. My wife is a very famous actress, Rebecca Romain. Look her up on the Internet. And I'm the second husband, the first husband, that's not me. I'm the second one. And my wife said, you know, just do it. I'm not in town, like, go, go for it. So I'm not kidding. I got a breathalyzer. You can go to your drugstore and get a breathalyzer. Any kid who drove up to my house got breathalyzed. And I'll tell you what's funny. I don't know what the laws are where everybody else lives, and I'd love to hear what the phone lines have to say about this. But I'll tell you the problem with these kids today. It's not so much the booze, it's the fact that marijuana is legal in California. And all these kids take edibles now. Sorry. I mean, you want us to be real on this show? I saw some kids laying on my floor and I was like, listen, are those kids okay? Is that fentanyl? And they were like, no, they just took edibles. And I was like, okay, I don't want to see it. I don't want to know about it. Because I am not one of those parents. There are parents in my neighborhood who supply these kids with booze. And I am not that parent. And I don't adhere to that. Now, listen, their argument. I haven't really faced the parents. I don't even want to meet them. I don't even want to know them. That's how little I have in common with these parents. But their thing is like, well, they're going to get the booze elsewhere. Better that they get it here. But I got to tell you, I think these drunk parents just want to party with these kids. And that's another level of sick that.

[Kelly Ripa]

I have an issue. I agree with you. I think there's. There's something a little twisted about the parents that feel the need to be the cool parent that has makes all things possible and everything available at all times. We were not those parents. And to varying degrees of success, our kids. Kids will find a way to get up to no good if they really wanna get up to no good. But I think that we instilled enough fear in them to keep them relatively. I mean, you know my kids, Jerry, their feet are planted pretty firmly on the ground.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Although hard working kids. Yeah, they're hardworking kids, they work hard, they show up.

[Kelly Ripa]

But there's one that really gave us a run for our money. And we, when she had her sweet 16, we made an agreement with her. We, you, she, she was a summer, summer baby. So she never had like a big birthday party before. So she, her sweet 16, we were like, okay, you, you can have a sweet 16. And you know, summer camp was no longer a thing at the age of 16. And so she had this party, it was out in Brooklyn. We rented a warehouse for it. And I said, look, I just want you to know I'm gonna have security there because I heard that these kids sneak in water bottles filled with vodka and marijuana wasn't legal then yet. So we had it much easier than the parents of today. And so she was like, you're gonna ruin my life socially. And I said, well, it's either security or checking backpacks or no party. So we had security checking backpacks. A few of the kids went to another parent's house. They all got shit faced there. And a bunch of them arrived off their faces and one somebody passed out. And the ambulance was called, the police came and the security guards were off duty police officers. And they talked to the cops who agreed not to shut the party down because my daughters sweet 16 would have been shut down in 15 minutes of it having started because a couple of kids who got drunk at somebody, some other parents house showed up at the party. And so by the way, I, I.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Hate to say this part of the whole story as well, but I mean like the story isn't these kids got drunk at so and so's house. The story is these kids got drunk at Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos.

[Kelly Ripa]

That's how it would, that's like, would be the story.

[Jerry O'Connell]

You take the blame for it.

[Kelly Ripa]

That would be the story.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Okay, can I tell you how these girls, how I mean, I just know this because I have daughters. How these kids. I shouldn't assign gender. Sorry everyone. How these kids sneak booze into parties. Now listen to this. You ready for this?

[Kelly Ripa]

Go.

[Jerry O'Connell]

They order test tubes on the Internet. A bunch of test tubes. They then take tampons, review, remove the tampons from the packages, then put the test tubes filled with alcohol inside the tampon packages, seal them back up and put a handful of them in their bags and stuff. And then go into parties and stuff. And then everyone treats out of tampons. Yeah. Wow.

[Jan]

Wow, I didn't know that.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Listen, you guys wanted to talk off camera, let's talk. Kelly wow, that is wild.

[Kelly Ripa]

That's not where I thought that was, like, what?

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

Wow.

[Jerry O'Connell]

No, no, no, no. I don't think it's in the vag. I think it's in, like, the packages.

[Kelly Ripa]

You know, was going someplace else.

[Jerry O'Connell]

I was like, yeah, no, that's how they smuggle drugs into this country. Don't get me started on smuggling drugs into this country. This is turning to Midnight Express. That said, I will say, listen, you want to talk off camera? I did have a daughter who showed up drunk to my house on Saturday night. She came home drunk. She did.

[Kelly Ripa]

And what did you do? What was the discussion like?

[Jerry O'Connell]

And the discussion was not that evening, because my daughter was too drunk. And then the next day drove her to rehab. Jokes, everyone. The next day. No. Just said, listen, there's a bunch of alcoholics in your family, and it's fun. I'm not gonna punish. I don't. I'm sorry. I know your callers. We should take it to the callers as well. I don't punish them, you know, I don't know. I don't think you can punish somebody. There's 16. That's what I mean. Let me ask everyone here on the panel, and we should open up to the callers. Did anyone here get drunk when they were 16? Absolutely. Kelly, did you ever imbibe?

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, I got drunk. I remember getting really drunk once. Really drunk. I think I had two wine coolers, and then I vomited all night. I'm historically a lightweight, and I think quitting drinking was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Whatever happened to the wine coolers?

[Kelly Ripa]

You were four years old. No, you were not four years old.

[Jan]

But I grew up in the city, and we were drinking. 13 years old on.

[Kelly Ripa]

Really?

[Jan]

Yeah, but it wasn't, like, passed out drunk or anything. It was just the social scene of the city.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, I think that there.

[Jerry O'Connell]

And of course, my daughter's. Of course, my daughter's gotten to a fight last night. And the other daughter who wasn't drunk was like, you know, you're just an alcoholic. I hate you.

[Kelly Ripa]

So is there one? That's the good time. Good time. Good Time Charlie. I know one of your daughter's names actually is Charlie, but is there a Good Time Charlie and not as good. Good Time Charlie?

[Jerry O'Connell]

Well, they both have their. They both have their licenses now, and they know very much not to drink and drive. That's a big no. No. Big no. No. But they, you know, one is. One is never. One is always the desi. One is always one Is a good. One is good, one is bad. What do you want me to say? One is. One is.

[Kelly Ripa]

Jan, do you think that because you grew up in the city like my kids grew up in the city, do you think that the parents are more lackadaisical with that because nobody's driving anywhere?

[Jan]

I think that the fear of the drinking and driving is out the window. And it's not that we're lackadaisal.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah. No, about it.

[Jan]

It's just more of like. I feel like if you're like, you can't, you can't, you can't. They're going to. And it's going to be worse if I know it's happening. I'm not, again, not serving it, not saying, like, let's go get a drink. I'm just saying, like, it's just not. It hasn't become a big deal. My kids aren't coming home wasted or anything like that.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right.

[Jan]

And I just think it's because we haven't made it so taboo.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right? That's right. You know, I had a system. It's so funny. I had a system with one of my kids who was, like, just afraid to go to any party. I really, like, instilled fear that these kids get up to no good, and the next thing you know, you're hooked on drugs. And so we had a code that if he texted me 911, I would call him and yell at him and demand he come home. But he didn't. And then he would be able to put me on speakerphone and be like, guys, my mom is so uncool. I gotta go. And so he 911'd me. He was at a party for, like, four minutes, and I got a 911. So I call and it goes straight to voicemail. And then I call again and it goes straight to voicemail. And now I'm like, texting. I'm like, are you okay? Are you okay? And he calls me back and he's like. He's like, why are you bothering me? And I go, you 911'd me? He goes, oh, yeah, it was a false alarm. Oh, my God. I didn't know. I didn't even know what a false alarm means. If you know anything about me, it's that I love to do laundry. It just gives me such satisfaction. But did you also know that skincare can start in the laundry room? The first step of a sensitive skincare routine is choosing the right laundry detergent. Allfree Clear is the number one detergent brand recommended by dermatologists for sensitive skin. Allfree Clear is 100% free of dyes and fragrance allergens. It provides an effective clean that's gentle on the skin while removing impurities like dirt and body oil that can irritate your skin. It's made with eight carefully selected ingredients to fight stains and be gentle on skin. How great is that? All freeclear has been a game changer for me. It leaves my clothes feeling fresh and my skin feeling happy. I especially love that it doesn't give my laundry a strong artificial odor like some other brands. You know what I mean? For an effective skin friendly clean wash with All Free Clear, Summer's here and the sun is shining. You need powerful sun protection that feels light on your skin. Meet Neutrogena Ultra sheer sunscreen. This SPF 70 lotion absorbs fast with a smooth, dry touch finish so you'll forget you're even wearing it. It blocks 97% of burning UV rays and is water resistant for up to 80 minutes. Lightweight, effective and perfect for sunny days. It's just what your summer needs. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen. You can't feel Shop now at Target. Whether you're all about simple mascara and gloss or you love to play with bold shapes and colors with Thrive Cosmetics, there's always a favorite for your every look. Like their Infinity Waterproof Eyeliner that comes in bold and classic neutral shades to complement every eye color and skin tone. And the best part, for every product purchase, Thrive donates products and funds to help communities Thrive. So while I would already have bought their makeup, this makes it so much more satisfying knowing that some of the money goes to a good cause. Try your new trusty favorites with an exclusive set for our listeners. New customers can get the Liquid Lash Extension mascara and a mini size Brilliant eye brightener at a special set price with free shipping. Available at thrivecosmetics.com off camera or save more with 20% off your first [e-mail] offcamera that's Thrive Cosmetics. C A U S C M E T-I C S.com off camera for 20% off your first order. Oh, we are back. I wish. You know what we should do instead of commercial break? We should just listen to Jerry and Jan's conversations with each other instead of going to commercial break.

[Jan]

You're talking about sex.

[Kelly Ripa]

We are talking. We segued from teenage drinking to who had the sex talk with your daughters? Jerry?

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah, it's interesting. My wife, Rebecca Romijn, model, actress, very attractive look. Her up is from Berkeley. Berkeley, California. So she was like. Like, at the age of two, she was like, girls, it's time to have that talk about your bodies. And I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We gotta. They gotta go through communion for. What are you talking about? We don't know. They made. They may join the nunnery. We don't know what's happening with them. They may not have sex at all. But you know what's funny? Boys are just starting to enter their lives, and I can see it. They come over. They're very nice. I mean, I have a really funny joke with these guys who come and drop my kids. Daughters off. I'm always like, all right, fellas, say no to what? And they go, drugs. And I go, that's it. Say no to drugs. And my kids are mortified when I say that. They seem, like, nice. They. They seem like nice boys. But actually, another father said this to me, who has older daughters. This is a little rough for me to say, but this is talking off camera, so let's. Let's talk off camera. This. This guy said to me, if you think your daughters are getting close to being. Oh, gosh, Sexually active, you have to say, hey, you gotta let me know if you're close to being sexually active, because we have to, like, go see your pediatrician. We have to go see your doctor, and we have to, like, talk about that, you know. So I did with my girls in the car, which is. I live in the suburbs. That's when you get them alone and you get them maybe not looking at their phone. You can. You know, it's just you and them. I said, hey, girls, I noticed there's guys coming around. You know, they're kind of cute, except the one with the dumb hair. But, hey, girls, if you're ever, like, sexually active, you gotta let me know. And they were like, shut up, shut up. And I was like, girls, you just. You gotta let me know, you know? And also, I mean, listen, let's talk off camera. At their pediatrician, they had to go in for shots, and they got shots that deal with the hpv. Sexually active kids. You know what I'm saying? Can I say. I mean, I can say, I'm such a dad. HPV shots. You know what I'm saying? You gotta get them for these girls, you know?

[Kelly Ripa]

No, you have to. I mean, it's the responsible thing to do. And I do think that's a very safe conversation to have to say. Listen, there's gonna come a time, you know, I prefer it to be later. But I'm not living. I'm not living in the dark ages. And there's gonna come a time and I just wann open dialogue. And if you are planning on becoming sexually active, I think we sh. It should be part of a larger conversation. There's, you know, you should definitely, we should definitely talk about what, what responsible sexual activity looks like for a person your age and how something may feel right right now. And you know, it's like I think those are all very good. They just need to know that they can trust you enough. And in the end, they're twins. They're going to talk to each other with their twin telepathy.

[Jerry O'Connell]

And so I'm going to have that. I'm going to have that talk with my daughters and then I'm going to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge.

[Kelly Ripa]

Jokes. Yeah. Let's go to the callers.

[Jan]

Okay, so we have Allison in New York City who has a comment or a story about spying on her teenage daughter, which I know all too well about.

[Kelly Ripa]

Let's hear it. Allison.

[Jerry O'Connell]

How are you?

[Kelly Ripa]

Allison from New York City, you're home with Jerry. Say hi.

[Caller 1]

Hello. So, yes, I actually have twins. I raised twins in New city, a boy and a girl. And I will say I was far more protective of my daughter for whatever reason, but things happen fast here. And so we had a long term boyfriend and there was parties, all kinds of things going on. So I figured out how to pull up her computer and read her.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Oh boy.

[Caller 1]

Which I think a lot of parents do. I thought this was being helpful and protective. But as a result, I found out that he was cheating on her. And it created a whole issue because she didn't know I knew. I thought she was in denial about it. I could see other people telling her what was happening. And I went down the rabbit hole of rage, sadness and anger towards him.

[Kelly Ripa]

I will kill him.

[Jan]

It's hard not to go down that road.

[Jerry O'Connell]

There's only one thing to do. You have to come up with a completely new different teenage female personality and catfish him and trap and then get proof and then put them on blast. No, that's pretty crazy. You know, I gotta tell you, by the way, I am not a professional. Kelly Ripa is a professional. Kelly Ripa has a doctorate in mammalogy. But I gotta say, I think this is the problem. I think the most hurtful thing of this story is that your daughter didn't tell you that her boyfriend cheated on her.

[Caller 1]

Exactly.

[Jerry O'Connell]

It's such a bummer. I would be mad at my kids. I'd be like, you gotta tell me this. And this is why I'd say it. I'd be like, girls, I've been through this. Well, I mean, I haven't. Nobody's ever cheated on me. Come on, let's be real. But I would say, like, hey, girls, if you're going through something, your mother and I have a lifetime of experience. A lifetime. There's been a lot of potholes on this road of life for me, and these are things that I want to impart on you, like, take my advice of what not to do and where not to go. So that's the bummer. Like, I think if I was to give advice here, like, I would say to my kid, I'd say, hey, and by the way, your son, too. Guys, come to us. I'm not. This is a judgment free zone. This is like crunch fitness. There's no judgment here.

[Kelly Ripa]

No, there's a bigger point. The point of the story is that she was spying on the emails, so there's no safe way to bring it up. Am I correct, Alison?

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah, correct.

[Caller 1]

And it felt like a huge breach of trust, right? And I would watch unfold every night, and eventually, you know, it's all past now, and she eventually did tell me.

[Caller 2]

But what.

[Caller 1]

You know, what I went through, like, that's what made me so sad, that I felt like I went through it harder than she did because I lived it in silence before she was able to tell me, and I was breaching the trust.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, well, you were. I mean, you were just being a curious parent, a proactive parent. I mean, it's parenting Jan has done. Jan has spied on her sons who've grown up to be lovely, so they come out of it fine. But I understand, because, Alison, when you told me that story, I wanted to say, what is his name? And give me his address, and let's go, you know, let's go drag him out of the house. We'll get Jerry. Jerry can be here in five and a half hours.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah. No, it's is funny. This is. It is when. When someone wrongs your children. Isn't it funny how. How it really is, like, people wrong my friends, people wrong me, people wrong my spouse. I'm like, all right, well, you know, just avoid those people. But when somebody wrongs your children, it really is the most upsetting. It's amazing how personally we take it, you know?

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Jan]

Jersey Kelly comes out.

[Kelly Ripa]

Jersey Kelly came, right, Allison? I'm still like. I'm like. I'm still sort of levitating Right now because I want to ruin. I want to ruin this kid's day like I want to. Your daughter was too special for him, and I'm sure that. That she's on the other side of it. And thanks for calling. We really appreciate it.

[Jan]

All right, we've got. We've got another caller.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, who's this?

[Jan]

Nina from Michigan.

[Kelly Ripa]

Nina from Michigan. Nina from Michigan. Hi, you're on with Jerry and Kelly.

[Albert]

Can you hear me?

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, we can hear you. Hi.

[Albert]

Okay, so, yeah, I'm from Michigan. Huge fan. Kelly, I've been to your show probably, I don't know, five, six times and watched your life. Huge fan of All My Children, of course.

[Kelly Ripa]

Thanks.

[Albert]

And, Jerry, I love your stuff, too, as well.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Albert]

I have three kids. Well, we have three kids, I should say. My husband and myself.

[Jerry O'Connell]

They're.

[Albert]

They're older now, but two boys and a girl. We've been married 27 years. Raising kids has been interesting. Lots of patience, understanding. Communication is key for us, pretty much. I mean, they're grown adults now, and they're living on their own, and they're living pretty well, and I thought we taught them well. And.

[Kelly Ripa]

Did you ever have a moment, though? Was there ever a moment where, you know, they tried to get away with some shit, shall we say? Like, did they try to pull one over? Was there. Was there drinking at the prom? Was there, you know, were they up to no good? Was there ever a moment where any one of them was up to no good?

[Albert]

Not really. We did have them come to our house after prom because we have a hot tub, a large hot tub. There was no drinking allowed.

[Kelly Ripa]

No drinking allowed. Okay, good.

[Albert]

No drinking allowed. No, we couldn't. We didn't approve of that. Yeah, you know, they're. They're really good kids. I don't want to brag, but there's moments that they fight against each other and they break something and they hide it and that kind of stuff. Stupid nothing.

[Jerry O'Connell]

It sounds.

[Albert]

That we know of.

[Jerry O'Connell]

It sounds pretty. It sounds pretty easy. Like, it sounds like you should maybe write a book.

[Kelly Ripa]

Nina needs to write.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Talking about my kids being on drugs and drunk and coming home and hiding booze and tampon tubes. Tampon podcast packages.

[Kelly Ripa]

Nina, have you heard of the tampon. The tampon smuggling of the alcohol.

[Albert]

I've also heard of them soaking their tampons in vodka and sticking it in the no in areas.

[Kelly Ripa]

No.

[Jan]

No way.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Okay. That I haven't heard of. This is turning into. That's a different channel on SiriusXM. That is.

[Kelly Ripa]

Wow.

[Jerry O'Connell]

By the way, Andy is, like, pumping his fist right now. Finally got to it. This is getting too crazy. I didn't mean any of that. I meant they put the test tubes in there. Nina, you sound like an incredible parent. We should all be.

[Kelly Ripa]

So we hope that you write a book, Nina. We really call you up the air.

[Jerry O'Connell]

And give some advice. My delinquent children. Thank you, Nina.

[Kelly Ripa]

Thanks, Nina. Thanks for the call.

[Jan]

Okay, we have Agatha in Florida.

[Kelly Ripa]

Agatha in Florida? Yeah.

[Jan]

There's a comment about raising teens.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, Agatha in Florida and your comment about raising teens. Hi.

[Caller 2]

Hi. How are you?

[Kelly Ripa]

How are you? Say hi to Jerry o' Clock.

[Jerry O'Connell]

You are the first Agatha I have ever. I have ever taught. I mean, I've obviously read Agatha. Agatha Christie. Yeah, but you were the first Agatha. Is there a short Aggie. What is. What's a nickname for Agatha?

[Caller 2]

Yes, you hit it right on the head. People called me that. Now, in the second part of my life, I've decided to go by Agatha, my daughter suggestion. But before we comment on being a parent, I do want to say, Kelly, I love your show. Love you and Mark. I live in Florida. But we did go to see you in Palm Springs. And guess who was your guest that day?

[Kelly Ripa]

Was it Jerry o' Connell and Rebecca?

[Jerry O'Connell]

Full circle. I could get.

[Kelly Ripa]

I did not realize we have been through so much together.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah, all of us.

[Caller 2]

Well, Kelly, since we're talking off camera, I was. You happened to be on the golf cart riding by between shows. We were on the second, airing on Sunday, and my daughter had taken me to my first drag show out there the day before, and I had this beautiful fan because it was so hot that day. And I was, you know, waving me and everybody else, and you said, love your fans.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, my gosh. I remember that. So nuts. I remember you, Agatha.

[Jerry O'Connell]

That's wild.

[Kelly Ripa]

I do, because I was surprised more people did not have fans. And yours stood out in a really great way.

[Caller 2]

Yes, it was large and I was sharing the wealth. I was fanning a lot of people around me until they told me, you gotta put your fan down when the show started.

[Kelly Ripa]

Listen to anything our print producers tell you during a show, especially when it's 200 degrees.

[Jerry O'Connell]

How was the drag show?

[Caller 2]

Well, it was my first. It was fun. I have an adult daughter who lives in la. And so it was me and my daughter. I said, oh, they're gonna be in Tong's ring. Should we go? And she's like, sure. So we went. I flew out there and we went. And it was a lot of fun. I have to say. And I have to say she is a huge Andy Cohen Bravo fan. So we're all full circle here.

[Kelly Ripa]

This is so full circle. You know, I. I've. I've gotta say really quick that. Oh God, it's gone. What? I was about to say something about ag. Oh.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Oh.

[Kelly Ripa]

You're from Florida though, right?

[Caller 2]

Yes.

[Kelly Ripa]

And. And you're an adult.

[Caller 2]

I'm very much an adult.

[Kelly Ripa]

So all adult women from Florida. I have to ask the question. Did you ever date my husband Mark?

[Caller 2]

I don't listen live. I live like two hours from.

[Kelly Ripa]

Well, that didn't. That didn't stop him. Two hour border.

[Caller 2]

He is my. My daughter say he is my type because my husband looks. I mean, an older, less fit version of Mark.

[Jerry O'Connell]

The world is less fit. Everyone's.

[Kelly Ripa]

Sounds like a dream.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Everyone's less fit.

[Caller 2]

Anyway, so. But yeah, we're on a huge fan and I do hope to go see you in New York. My daughter, my older. The other daughter lives there and I'm like, we have to.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Hey, any parenting advice for a guy who's got teenage daughters who keep coming home drunk?

[Caller 2]

Yeah, yeah. My. We have two girls and one was very. They were different. They were opposite personalities, but neither one of them really drank a lot in high school. But my older daughter had friends that did. And I never allowed alcohol around, but I tried to keep an open conversation with all of them. So a couple of times her friends did get drunk a couple of times and they came over here instead of going home because they thought they would get into it.

[Jerry O'Connell]

They thought it was a safe space. Right, right.

[Caller 2]

It was a safe space. But you know, I would tell. Sometimes teenagers need to hear it from somebody else rather than their parents. I think I could talk to my daughter's friends, but talking to my own daughter was harder.

[Kelly Ripa]

Did you ever inform the mom like, like the mom of the girl that was at your house?

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah. Did you ever snitch? Snitch. The word is snitch, Kelly. Snitch.

[Caller 2]

I just. Well, one time I did because she was very. I did, I did. But the other times, Agatha, I told her, I'm gonna have to tell your mother. I didn't lie.

[Kelly Ripa]

Right.

[Jerry O'Connell]

You gotta do it. You had to do it. Thank you, Agatha. We really appreciate you.

[Kelly Ripa]

See you.

[Jerry O'Connell]

See you next time. Next time. Kelly and Mark have my wife and I over.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Bring the fan.

[Jan]

Okay, guys, we have Krisha in Dallas. She has a 13 year old daughter.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay. Krisha. Hi. You're on with Jerry and Kelly.

[Caller 3]

Oh my gosh, you guys. How are you doing? Kelly, you saw me yesterday at your show.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Oh, Krishna.

[Kelly Ripa]

Krisha, from the sign about Albert.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yes. Krisha, I love you so much.

[Caller 3]

I can't believe I'm on your. On here now that is. Maybe I'm a little too obsessed. I think I need to dial in on the. On the fandom, maybe.

[Kelly Ripa]

No, we love it.

[Jerry O'Connell]

You sound pretty normal.

[Kelly Ripa]

You looked very normal too. You were like. And by normal, I mean you were like, very chic and well put together, even though you were waving a paper bag that. That had Albert's phrases.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Krisha, don't you. Thank you for giving the food talk a safe space on let's talk off camera.

[Jan]

Oh, my God.

[Kelly Ripa]

Krisha, tell us about your teenage daughter. Is she still. She's a 13 year old. She's still like young enough where it hasn't really hit the fan yet. Has.

[Caller 3]

Hasn't really hit the fan yet. What I mentioned to the screener and today actually has her all star cheerleader tryout. I know you had wrestler and I think maybe Lola played lacrosse. Is that right?

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, I mean, Lola was. Lola was in every. I think sports keeps kids a little bit like busy. When you get your kids involved in sports and my kids were in a multitude of sports, it really does keep their world a lot smaller than when it comes to like dating. I think it sort of puts the brakes on that they don't have that kind of idle time. I do think that, like, that there's a reason, Jerry, that your girls who are, I know, into sports also are just starting to bring boys around at the age of 16. You know what I mean? Because a lot of kids have had boyfriends for years and years. I know that cheer cheerleading is like. Is a wild commitment time wise, don't you think?

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah.

[Caller 3]

Mega commitment. I mean, before we even plan summer vacations or anything, you know, we have to check the. Check the.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Check the schedule. Yeah.

[Caller 3]

Not gonna miss. And it's kind of sickening to even say that. I hate to admit that we're drinking the Kool aid too, but you know, you. Once you're in it, but kind of it's better or don't be in it, you know. So. Yeah, a huge.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah, it is fun. You know, I actually do notice something too about my daughters is that they. They. The dudes that they bring around are athletes and pretty busy as well, you know, so they hang out. They hang out with people who also have busy schedules. And I like that. You are so right, Kelly. It's that idle time that makes there's A. There's an adage idle time makes for devil's playthrough. Druggie teens. Yeah, something like that.

[Jan]

But Krisha, were you saying that she's got cheer tryouts but she failed a test?

[Caller 1]

Yes.

[Caller 3]

Had a hard day because she poorly on a test. And so that was kind of. My question is how do you parent them? How do you tell them it's up to you to study? I can only remind you so many times, but without, you know, I don't know, I don't want to. I don't want to be super negative. I don't want to drive a wedge between. It's hard to find that balance of the lesson or, you know, lecturing them but doing it gently enough where they still trust you and you still have these open minds of communication with your teenager.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah. I think that the best thing to stress in when. When it comes to studying and, and time management, it's like school always is first and then like the sports and the athletics and all of that. That's like, that's the privilege for doing well in school and for. For us. And don't get me wrong, we had days. I. There are days I would run and try to bash my head into a wall just to make. Just to make it better for myself. But I think that we would always stress the time management. Like, and I think it's a lot harder for kids now because there are so many different forms of social media. Like there was just Facebook when my kids were 13 years old and they had to have it because that's how the teachers would put assignments on the class Facebook page. That's how. That's that. I mean, I'm talking early social media, so my kids didn't have distraction like kids have now. But I would really stress the time management, the amount of time she spends, say looking at her. I'm assuming she has a phone. But say, you know, if you put that time in the schoolwork instead of the phone, then we wouldn't be in this position and make it like a we issue. So it's not just on her. Like, you make it more of a, you know, I'm in this with you so she doesn't feel ganged up on or, you know, can't turn to you.

[Jerry O'Connell]

I got my kids to do something pretty simple because I can't take their phone away. I can't control their. So their screen time. I don't know how to do it. I mean, I think also it's like, it's like any other thing that's a temptation out there. It's out there. So you can't just hide the booze around the house because from an alcoholic because they're going to figure out a way to get it. But I did get my kids to turn their notifications off completely. Man. I had my kids phones in my pockets one night at dinner. I was like, girls, give me your phones. And these things in my pocket were like. And I thought there was like, I thought a nuclear war was happening. I was like, girls, what? Tell me what's happening. And they were like, oh, nothing. Sophia and Mia are fighting. And I was like, what? Girls, you. You got to turn these notifications off. So that sort of keeps them from always sort of looking over at their phones. But I do have a daughter who's currently failing algebra 2, so we're fortunate enough to have the money to get her a tutor.

[Kelly Ripa]

So first of all, algebra 2. And she knows, like, we all know she's never going to use algebra 2 in life ever. By the way, spoiler alert, parents driving your kids home right now. You know and I know and your kids know that they will Never use Algebra 2. There.

[Jerry O'Connell]

I use the Pythagorean theorem.

[Kelly Ripa]

You can't even pronounce the word.

[Jerry O'Connell]

I hope I don't.

[Kelly Ripa]

Thank you for calling. And I hope, I hope your daughter with everything cheerleading, and I hope she gets to make up her test. Yay.

[Caller 3]

Thank you, guys.

[Jerry O'Connell]

I really love you, Krisha. Hope dinner's great tonight.

[Kelly Ripa]

All right, we have to take another commercial break. Jerry, will you stick around a little longer? Jerry's gonna stick around. He's gonna figure out.

[Jan]

He's gonna look it up.

[Kelly Ripa]

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[Jerry O'Connell]

Mmm.

[Kelly Ripa]

Keep that in. You know, Albert, I was browsing Quince's website because I'm already starting to think about what to wear to this year's sausage festival. Jan, they have the cutest suede clogged mules that are a third of the price of what I've seen in the stores everywhere. We've got to get those asap. We got to get a pair for Audrey. She's the queen of clogs. As temperatures climb, you know it's easy to fall into the same old routine. Familiar tanks, worn in shorts, the usual lineup. My threadbare leggings. Quince offers an effortless upgrade. Elevated, easy pieces that instantly refine the everyday uniform without the extra effort. The best part, everything with quints is priced 50 to 80% less than what you find at similar brands. Treat your closet to a little summer glow. Up with quints. Go to quince.comoff camera for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com off camera to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.comoffcamera we are back with Jerry O' Connell. Jerry. Jerry, I just feel like you are one of one. You are just the greatest.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

The best. He's sort of an authority on everything.

[Jerry O'Connell]

There we go. Yeah. Well, no, I mean, the topic here was raising teenage children, and I have two 16 year olds. I would say I'm an expert. I'm an. Listen, I mean, I'm in the shit right now. I'm in it. I'm in the trenches. I'm in the thick of it.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Oh, I will say this. I know I've been speaking very negatively about my daughters. One of them did go out to dinner with me last night, just her and I, and that was sweet. That was nice.

[Kelly Ripa]

I have to say, I think your daughters are exceptional people. And I think that part of the reason it's okay to, like, pick on them is because they're so great. Like, if they were actually, you know, in danger. If they were. If they were.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah. No, I mean, I just think it's interesting to. I mean. I mean, when you're going through something, it's good to tell friends about it. I mean, Kelly, I call you all the time and say, you know, what do you do? I'll never forget when you told me, when they get the phones, you'll watch their grades drop Two grades, like, immediately. And it's funny, my wife and I think about that a lot, so I think it's good to. That's why the show is good.

[Kelly Ripa]

It's.

[Jerry O'Connell]

It opens conversations, gets people talking.

[Kelly Ripa]

Parenting wise. There's never a scenario that could be conjured up that would surprise me or shock me or that I haven't experienced personally. Like, barring, like, barring, like a murder of some kind. You know what I mean? Like everything else, I'm like, oh, yes, I've been through that.

[Caller 2]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

Don't you think? Yeah.

[Jan]

Well, I come to you all the time because you've been through it.

[Kelly Ripa]

But I'm here to say, like they do, if you put the work in, as we all do, they do come out of it on the other side like normal people. I think I'm still waiting for one.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Oh, come on.

[Kelly Ripa]

Kidding.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Except for. Except for Nina from Michigan.

[Kelly Ripa]

We have a lot of calls. Okay.

[Jan]

Okay. Nicole from North Carolina has two polar opposite daughters.

[Kelly Ripa]

Okay, Nicole, North Carolina, you are on with Jerry and Kelly. Tell us about your polar opposite daughters.

[Caller 4]

Hi, Jerry and Kelly. Kelly, been watching you since the days of Regis. Love you to death.

[Kelly Ripa]

Thanks, Nicole.

[Caller 4]

Jerry, I met you outside of BravoCon back when BravoCon was wild and unsecured and you had just come in and my sister and I attacked you at.

[Kelly Ripa]

The door like that.

[Jerry O'Connell]

I've been. I'm sure I can.

[Kelly Ripa]

Did you physically like you. Did you sexually harass him?

[Caller 4]

He was like my screensaver forever. And I even got him in a little book from.

[Jerry O'Connell]

All right, there we go.

[Caller 4]

Anyway, you know, at first blush, when Jerry said that he didn't punish his girls, I was like, wow, that's pretty loose. But then I started thinking, you know what? You. You gotta let go because they're gonna go through it. I had a daughter, she's running a tech company now. She went through it. They're gonna do it no matter what you do.

[Jerry O'Connell]

You know, I gotta say, in terms of the punishment thing, and thank you for this call. It's. It's very interesting. I am unable to administer punishment. I did hide my daughter's phone for one day. I forget what my daughter did. It was something egregious and I just took it. I took it for a day. I was like, no phone for a day. But that's really the only punishment I administered. I don't know what to say is like, I think what I would prefer to do is make them realize where they went wrong. And I mean, I'm kind of kidding here, but make them feel Shame about what they did. I mean, I mean, that's the lesson, you know, to feel badly about something.

[Kelly Ripa]

We were big punishers. We. We punished. I mean, I don't know really did any good. I mean, we would take away things that. Like. Like I remember one year we took Halloween away from one of our kids because.

[Jerry O'Connell]

So what does that entail? Like, they can't go out.

[Kelly Ripa]

No. Yeah. No. Going out for trick or treating.

[Jerry O'Connell]

That's intense, Kelly. Wow.

[Kelly Ripa]

And. And the other parents were stunned. They never thought. Thought we'd follow through, but. But it had to happen. I mean, so guess what? When the other. When the other kids see you take Halloween away from one kid, they are like, it corrects everyone's behavior.

[Jan]

We took away Luke's phone when we were punishing him once, and he was like, but I need a phone to communicate with you. And we got him a flip phone.

[Kelly Ripa]

No.

[Jan]

And that was embarrassing.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh my gosh.

[Jan]

To not have a phone is bad, but to have a flip phone.

[Kelly Ripa]

Flip phone.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Really save on the data usage as well there.

[Kelly Ripa]

That's incredible. A flip phone. Why didn't I think of that?

[Jan]

Okay, we've got a call online for. It's Robbie from Kentucky and.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Hey, Robbie.

[Kelly Ripa]

Robbie from Kentucky, you're on with Jerry and Kelly. Robbie, Robbie, Robbie. Yeah, we can hear you. We can hear you now. Hi.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Oh, Robbie, get to the good part of the house. Get to the good part of the house quick. Robbie, run or we're gonna drop this. Come on, it's a live show. Oh, there you are.

[Kelly Ripa]

There you are.

[Jerry O'Connell]

There we go. Hey, Robbie, can you hear me now? Robbie, we can hear you now. Robbie, you are live. Go. Action.

[Albert]

Well, hello.

[Caller 2]

Thanks for having me. So I have this 15 year old boy in my house, okay?

[Jerry O'Connell]

Boy.

[Caller 2]

And so. And he's the only one because I'm an old mom with a young son. You know how that is? Maybe. Like, I remember, I like when you told the story this morning. Like you're walking past the teacher's lounge and you could smell the smoke.

[Jerry O'Connell]

I'm that old.

[Kelly Ripa]

Yeah, I get it. Your. Your teachers. Teachers smoking old. Yep.

[Caller 3]

Yes.

[Caller 2]

Teacher smoking old. When you could see them on the playground smoking. So my question is, it's really some advice because we only have one child and I feel like that's his name now. Everybody knows. But anyway, he feel like everyone we, like, maybe put too much on him because we are so blessed. He is so. He's really such a good kid. But how would you stop that?

[Kelly Ripa]

So, I mean, I guess we just.

[Caller 2]

Focus on But I feel bad because all the focus goes to him.

[Kelly Ripa]

You know, I will say this. I have said that. This. I've said this to anyone that will listen. A woman I work with has one daughter. And I always say that the hardest number of children to raise is one. One is the hardest number because all of their energy is fixated on you as parents. And all of your energy is then put into this one child. Having said that, it's. It's so beneficial to have your parents undivided attention. But he's a good kid at 15. I'm just telling you, boys go through it a little bit later than girls. And he's gonna start. He'll, like, probably start testing the boundaries. And I just want you to know that it does. They do. They go. All kids go through it. They all go through something. And he will become a normal person again. But it'll take a couple of years. I'm just saying 15 is still. I would say that's still a pretty good age for boys, wouldn't you say, Jan?

[Jan]

Yeah. I mean, and I don't know if you remember this, but a therapist once gave me advice about raising my kids, and it was about being the boundaries of a pool. Like, you have to stay strong, and you have your boundaries, and they will come up and hold on to you, but then the. They'll kick off and they'll. They'll go. Try to swim in the deep end.

[Kelly Ripa]

Choppy water.

[Jan]

They'll get into choppy water and they'll try to do it, but then they'll always come back and hold onto the edge. And if you give them that sturdy edge, they will. They will thrive. They will do very well.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah, well, my daughters are doing cannonballs naked. They're jumping. They're skinny dipping in this pool.

[Kelly Ripa]

Let me ask Robbie. Robbie, when you go, like, do you ever take, like, family vacations and do you allow him to bring, like, a friend or a cousin? You know, we.

[Caller 2]

We used to travel a lot because I used to work an airline.

[Kelly Ripa]

Oh, amazing.

[Caller 2]

So he's been to a lot of places.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Oh, no. Robbie, Robbie, Robbie. You know what? Let me jump in while. While Robbie gets to the better part of the house. But it is really funny. So. So my wife and I have two kids, and they're. They're twins. And, man, when we were going through it, I was like, I don't know if I can do this. I can't believe I was sort of. I was a terrible husband and father. I was like, we have these two little kids. I didn't want this life. I just wanted. I can't believe this. I'm too young for this shit. I really put my wife through it. I'm so sorry, honey. But now that my kids are 16 and I'm looking at this being over quite soon. I wish we had more. I really do. It's a bummer.

[Kelly Ripa]

I get it.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Or I wish we had, like, I'm sorry. I mean, you want us to talk off camera. I wish we had frozen eggs or something. If anyone younger is listening, like, I wish we had Jerry or I wish we had more. Yeah, no, I wish we had. I wish we had more. I wish, I wish it wasn't over because it's about to be over and I'm bummed. I mean, I think my wife and I will stay married.

[Kelly Ripa]

It's never really over. Jerry. They, they. It. Your. Your relationship with them transitions. Like, I so much prefer my relationship with 23 year old Lola than 30 than 16 year old Lola. My. My relationship with 16 year old Lola was like hell. My relationship with 23 year old Lola is a dream. And, and, and I can say that, like with complete conviction. So what I'm telling you is it doesn't, it doesn't end, like, it's not about to be over. It's just about to transition into something exceptional.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah. It's funny, Kelly, I read your book. I read your book and at the end it talks about, like, how you and Mark are entering this new phase because the last kid leaves the house. Like, I am a little worried about how quiet the house gets, like when the kids go, you know.

[Kelly Ripa]

No. Do you know what starts happening when you have to be on a movie set, Rebecca gets to travel with you. When you, when Rebecca has to be on a movie set, you get to go with Rebecca.

[Jerry O'Connell]

Yeah.

[Kelly Ripa]

You no longer have to rush home to make sure the kids are having their needs met and you can sort of prioritize each other. It's not that your kids are no longer your kids. It's that you start to prioritize each other again. Jerry, I hope we brought clarity to the world today with this discussion.

[Jerry O'Connell]

You really did. Kelly, you're a wealth of information. You too, Jan, Albert, you as well. It really is fun. You're the best. Everybody.

[Kelly Ripa]

Thank you so much. We love you so much. Jerry o' Connell, ladies and gentlemen. Hey, and listeners, can't wait to talk off camera with y' all next week. Bye. Bye. Let's talk off camera with Kelly Ripa is a production of Malo Jo Product Productions from Malojo Our team is Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, Albert Bianchini, Jan Chalet, Seth Bronquist, Ross Therian, Devin Schneider, Michael Halperin, Julia Desch and Team Radio Andy Lisa Mantineo, Scott Marlow, Jake Getz.

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