“I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s Thursday night,” the substitute host says.
The star ofSlidersjust did the ultimate slide sliding into theBig Brotherhosting chair, if only for an evening.
He made it his own and he did awesome!"
‘Big Brother’ substitute host Jerry O’Connell.Sonja Flemming/CBS
When and where did O’Connell get the call to fill in?
What sort of advice did Chen Moonves give him?
How did it feel saying Julies famous “But first…” line?
Jerry O’Connell hosting ‘Big Brother’.Sonja Flemming/CBS
And what made him the most nervous about his one-night stand?
Just take me though the timing and circumstances of that call.
JERRY O’CONNELL:It was frightening.
Quinn Martin and substitute host Jerry O’Connell on ‘Big Brother’ season 26.Sonja Flemming/CBS
I got a call from my agent at 8 a.m. yesterday.
So I was like, “Oh gosh, am I getting dropped by CAA?
Here we go.”
Quinn Martin and Jerry O’Connell on ‘Big Brother’ season 26.Sonja Flemming/CBS
And they said, “Julie Chen Moonves has Covid.
You think you’re able to handle this?”
I had just watched Wednesday night’s episode, and it was crazy.
And he went, “Well, do you want to know?”
And I was like, “Yes, I want to know.
I’m not doing this unless you tell me.”
They said, “Angela got taken down.”
And I was like, “I have to call you back.”
And I hung up and I was like, I cannot believe Angela made it another week.
You mentioned you and Julie communicated before you went on the air.
What did she tell you?
Let me start by saying that I’ve been in this business for get ready for it three decades!
And Julie Chen Moonves is the kindest person I’ve met in my 30-plus years in this industry.
I don’t want to go into too much detail about what we were saying.
You have the relationship with her.
you’re free to ask her, but I will say she’s the kindest person.
I only know as a fan watching the show, it is a very intricate, complicated production.
And I right now its Emmy weekend and I want to kick off the 2025 Emmy campaign forBig Brother.
That show needs to be nominated for an Emmy.
And that is a testament to how good they are.
And, by the way, it’s not just the live show and being on that shiny floor.
It was a humbling experience.
So I am personally kicking off their 2025 Emmy campaign.
What were you most nervous about?
I was most worried aboutBig Brotherfandom.
I want my “But first…” I want my “love one another.”
I want my coffee the exact same way every time.
When I go to a bar I want my drink the exact same way every time.
And I knew I had to be true to Julie Chen Moonves and true to the show.
How did it feel saying Julie’s famous line… “But first…”?
It’s so funny.
When we did the dress rehearsal, when I said But first…
I was laughing and I said, I’m so sorry.
I got excited about that “But first….
I couldn’t believe I was saying it.
And they went, You know what?
If you get excited saying it, that’s okay.
Everyone will understand it.
So that sort of loosened me up a little bit that I could react naturally to it.
And you know what?
I found out at 8 a.m., but it wasn’t announced until 11.
I just was too afraid of saying any information.
I didn’t even tell my wife!
And my buddy Matt wrote, “Dude, I felt like you were saying that to me.”
Speaking of Quinn, what did you make of him throwing in someKangaroo JackandSlidersreferences?
But that was a really good note that they gave me.
That said, I think they made a mistake voting Quinn out last night.
I would’ve broken up that treat trio, personally.
And that makes me think that that trio is going to go far.
I would’ve voted Kimo out of there.
I would’ve broken that trio up.
Sorry, not sorry!
I hope the tears start flowing and I hope Angela wins this whole thing.
The fact that Angela got taken down?
It reminds me ofDr.
And we all know how that went.
I am a hundred percent in on Angela now.
Sorry, not sorry.
I’m guessing they’re doing sort of stamina challenge, right?
I don’t know why they’re not on.
c’mon stop hitting me up.
I’m getting a lot of DMs about “Turn the feeds back on!”
I have nothing to do with that.
Wait, youre not the one controlling the feeds?
I have nothing to do with the live feeds.
just stop DMing me.
By the way, they were DMing my wife!
My wife said to me this morning, “What is this?
What do you have to do with the live feeds?”
I went, “Just ignore it.
They think I have to switch on the live feeds.”
Well, next time they’re down, I’m calling you whether you like it or not.
Hey, can I end this interview with something?
Just remember to love one another.
