What’s in a name? Per PEOPLE, longtime actor and TV show host Jerry O’Connell finally revealed his real name while dropping by Live with Kelly and Mark for a special Mother’s Day episode. O’Connell was interviewed by hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos alongside his mother, Linda O’Connell.
During the May 8 episode, Ripa told The Talk alum that she “heard through the grapevine” that she had been addressing him by the wrong moniker. That’s when O’Connell shared that his real name is actually Michael Jeremiah Witkowski O’Connell.
Mom Linda explained that “his grandfather is Jeremiah, and our favorite cousin is Jerry DeScipio,” but according to O’Connell, he’s “always Jerry.” As for where Witkowski came from, O’Connell informed the crowd that it’s his mother’s maiden name. Consuelos asked O’Connell if his parents ever used his full name when he was in trouble, to which the latter replied, “No, I was always a Jerry.” O’Connell told the hosts that he doesn’t see himself as a “Michael.”
Since this was a Mother’s Day episode, the conversation pivoted to O’Connell’s behavior as a child.
“He did get in a little bit of trouble in school because all of his teachers — especially one who stands out — said ‘he talks too much and he never sits still and he’s always raising his hand and he never stops talking.’ So I said, ‘You don’t realize, you’re trying to stifle the very things we’re trying to encourage in this boy.’ So she shut up!” Linda said.
O’Connell described himself as “hyperactive” and said that he was “very active, very energetic, and always in trouble.” “I don’t know if they use that [hyperactive] anymore, and I’m sorry if anyone’s offended by that,” he added.
On the acting front, O’Connell is best known for starring in Rob Reiner‘s beloved 1986 coming-of-age film, Stand by Me. He was a co-host on The Talk from July 2021 to December 2024. He’s also carved out quite the voice acting resume, starring as Commander Jack Ransom in Paramount+’s Star Trek: Lower Decks.
This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on May 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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