Jerry O'Connell Chat

Jerry O'Connell Chat at People.com on April 18, 1996

PEOPLE: Hi, folks.... 'Tis TIME!!!!

PEOPLE: Hi everyone. I'm Patrizia DiLucchio--and on behalf of PEOPLE Magazine, I'd like to welcome you all here tonight. Before I introduce our special guest-- JERRY O'CONNELL--I'd like to remind everyone that this is a moderated conference -- and it's being conducted simultaneously on Compuserve AND the world wide web! If you're on Compuserve and have a question for our guest, submit it to the question queue either by selecting the question icon or by typing /question. If you're on Pathfinder, submit your question via a private send to the Moderator. Tonight's guest, JERRY O'CONNELL, plays Quinn Mallory on Fox TV's "Sliders"--presently in the critical Friday 8 PM pre-"X-Files" time slot. The show, an adventure series that chronicles the travels of four characters who "slide" to parallel dimensions of...San Francisco, California (!) is *enormously* popular on the Internet--I counted over 60 Sliders-related web pages on a recent Alta Vista search as well as two Sliders newsgroups. In addition to his work on "Sliders", O'Connell's best-known credit is probably his role as the chubby Verne in the Rob Reiner classic, "Stand By Me". In April, O'Connell begins work on "Jerry McGuire" where he'll play a star quarterback being wooed by the 20 million dollar man, Tom Cruise. Welcome Jerry!

JERRY O'CONNELL: Hey everybody

PEOPLE: I'm going to ask you all a favor... Please.

JERRY O'CONNELL: We'er going to have some fun tonight

NO PRIVATE MESSAGES. JERRY O'CONNELL: i am ready for any questions

Question for you--what is it about "Sliders" that makes it such a hit on the Net?

JERRY O'CONNELL: I think the fact that it is sci-fi and that there are so many details that many people can discuss and sort out the web has helped me understand some of the things that we have done by the way ]i am a web head

One of us! Kool...

JERRY O'CONNELL: i try to go to the sliders site to answer

PEOPLE: Jerry when you're ready

JERRY O'CONNELL: as many questions as possible

for the next question, lemme know... % Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: [73214,2131] Theo Thourson Many people have said that "Sliders" has a great premise, but the writing hasn't lived up to expectations. The "What if. . . " idea hasn't been fully appriciat ed. What is your opinion on this matter?

JERRY O'CONNELL: ok the premise of sliders makes for limitless episode ideas we try to come up with the carziest worlds we can and... I have to admit i like some worlds more than othersa My favorite world is where 98% of men were wiped out

PEOPLE: I'llk bet!

JERRY O'CONNELL: with a virus and the rest were used for breeding purposes

PEOPLE: GREAT RATIO... % Question from DAYTONA BEACH, FL: [74237,2337] Fox Mulder What is to come for the Sliders?

JERRY O'CONNELL: hopefully a third season and we have a comic book that is new and i am writing the next issue PEOPLE: Any chance for a Sliders movie?? JERRY O'CONNELL: not that i have heard

% Question from TORONTO, ON: [103707,2015] Michael Where is the show taped?

JERRY O'CONNELL: Vancouver gorgeous town it has the best skiing possible PEOPLE: Will there be a new Slider regular? She went through the time wormhole with you. A blonde. Sliders isn't in any danger with the network, is it? I know it's on a three-week hiatus right now... I recall reading that you, Jerry, were pretty good in the athletic program at yo ur college. Correct?

JERRY O'CONNELL: she was only in the prison world second, no Sliders will be back in a couple of weeks last, I was captain of the saber team at NYU for fencing and made it to the NCAA's in my junior year PEOPLE: Any plans for a swashbuckling movie? Or will Quinn and the crew end up in a medieval San Francisco? Where you can show off yr fencing skills...

JERRY O'CONNELL: I would love one of those because I am a fencer i would like to show my stuff post it on the web and l;et the producers see

PEOPLE: All right everyone! You know what to do now...

% Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: [72630,1463] megan What was the name of the TV show you starred in sometime in the late '80's (i think) where you were a kid who could fly with an odd scientist friend? (leave it to me to ask the most irrelivent question possible)

JERRY O'CONNELL: my Secret Identity and only you and my mom know that

% Question from PITTSBURGH, PA: [76322,2043] Ronee Do you see sliders revisiting a world every so often to build characters and rel ationships?

JERRY O'CONNELL: The writers have not done that yet but there are aa lot of characters i would love to see come back personally

For instance...?

% Question from TORONTO, ON: [103707,2015] Michael Are you scheduled to visit Toronto, Canada?

JERRY O'CONNELL: No but i lived there for three years, learned how to play hockey and had a good time, go Jays

From the INTERNET: Any Slider crossover plans with other shows?

(Ack! Station identification!) And for those of you joining us late... our guest tonight is JERRY O'CONNELL: from "Sliders"! Go ahead, Internet... The dreaded Net lag at work here... The Internet % Sending... Would be happy to ask again:

PEOPLE: That would make it a third time! From the INTERNET: Any Slider crossover plans with other shows?

PEOPLE: (It's a charm!) I think the question got thru, thanx! :-)

JERRY O'CONNELL: no, although I would love to slide into baywatch !!!

LOL... % Question from VANCOUVER, BC: [76026,476] Tara McInnis Why haven't there been more encounters with other sliders? And what happened aft er Quinn got shot last season? I heard it was just "undone"...?

JERRY O'CONNELL: there will be encounters with Sldiers in a really cool upcoming episode in the first episode of this season there is an answer to how Quinn survived a gunshot wound to the shoulder i am personally glad he survived since I got to come back % Question from CYU: [102327,2365] Dana Krawchuk Are you similar to your character," Quinn Mallory"?

JERRY O'CONNELL: no Quinn is a physics geniuss and i have trouble adding and subtracting that was much of my appeal for my character math and science was never my thing % Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: [73214,2131] Theo Thourson Do you have any plans to write or direct any episodes of Sliders?

JERRY O'CONNELL: i hope ms.archis from the tenth grade can see how much i have improved Not in the future but I just wrote an issue of the sliders comic book which you can get at your local comic store

PEOPLE: Are you going to the ComCon in San Diego this July?

JERRY O'CONNELL: from Acclaim Comics

PEOPLE: Jerry, you going to be at ComCon??

JERRY O'CONNELL: I haven't planned yet but The big comics convention in San Diego... I am going to a science fiction coonvention this weekend in Denver

PEOPLE: Great!

% Question from CZK: [104057,1505] David A. Raine Do you still keep in touch with your castmates from "Stand by me"?

JERRY O'CONNELL: you can call 1800-733-8735 for more info all people in the denver area should take note

* Back to the question:

% Question from CZK: [104057,1505] David A. Raine Do you still keep in touch with your castmates from "Stand by me"?

JERRY O'CONNELL: I see them from time to time but it is tough to stay in touch because they live in hollywood and I live in New York

% Question from DAYTONA BEACH, FL: [74237,2337] Fox Mulder What do you do in your free time (other than fencing). P.S. I remember the show "my secret identity"

JERRY O'CONNELL: I am pretty athletic so i do a lot of water sports and basketball i love to run and recently i have been writing a lot since i graduated from NYU film last may

% Question from EAL: [73370,2454] Jeffrey Clinard Do you know if they plan any more Slider novels?

JERRY O'CONNELL: I am twenty-two they just released one and i don't know of anymore

% Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: [104137,2734] Lisa Breen You are a wonderful role model to the younger generation. Was it difficult going from a child actor to an adult actor?

JERRY O'CONNELL: I never really thought about it so, it was never difficult for me I graduated from college last may and realized I had better get a job and acting was always the fun thing to do.

Question from ERIE, PA: [72507,3112] Kevin In that show My Secret Identy, how did the character lose some of his powers and aquire new ones? If I remember correctly, at the beginning the character was i nvincible and towards the end he was it. How did that happen?

PEOPLE: I assume that Kevin means... at the end he wasn';t...

JERRY O'CONNELL: Artistic license and the magic of television

PEOPLE: Of course!

% Question from OXNARD, CA: [104124,12] Skylar When did your romantic relationship with "Wade" come about, and what is your ful l name?

JERRY O'CONNELL: the romantic relationship with wade has always been there Sabrina LLoyd and I have fun playing the sexual tension between us Jeremiah O'Connell is my full name

PEOPLE: On this note... several people have submitted questions... saying what a total babe magnet you are... and then have gotten shy! And withdrawn them. So I will ask what all the women here want to know... Got a girlfriend?? :-)

JERRY O'CONNELL: That's the story of my life I do NOT PEOPLE: (gasps from the collective 'Net audience!)

JERRY O'CONNELL: living on the road is very tough to hold a meaningful relationship

PEOPLE: There you have it ladies... There's still hope!

JERRY O'CONNELL: but my letter writing skills get better everyday thanks to the internet

% Question from DAYTONA BEACH, FL: [74237,2337] Fox Mulder How did you first get in to acting?

JERRY O'CONNELL: Growing up in New York I was always involved in off braodway theater and drama classes after school there happened to be a cattle call audition for a little film Stand By Me call it luck or fate I landed the role of Vern Tesssion (the little fat kid)

JERRY O'CONNELL: and the film was a success that was my big break

PEOPLE: Successful and very well made...

% Question from EAT: [103200,1045] Rose Marie Do you have any plans to make an on-screen movie? My sister and I are fans of yours, we would like to know if you have a fan mail address, and are you going to make any personal appearences soon? =)

JERRY O'CONNELL: I have a film coming out this July called Joes Apartment based ona n MTV short called Joes Apartment I am currently shooting a film with Tom Cruise scheduled to come out this Christmas Jerry McGuire no i do not have a fan club but my mom and friends are very prooud

PEOPLE: For those of you who came in late...

JERRY O'CONNELL: Yes, I will be making a public appearance in Dnever this weekend

PEOPLE: Our guest tonight is JERRY O'CONNELL: , Quinn Mallory on Fox TV's "Sliders". To ask a question... either hit the question icon if you're using CIM or type /question in terminal emulation.

% Question from LOS ANGELES, CA: [72134,1647] Greg Cortese I am a big fan. Tell us about your upcoming role in "Jerry Maguire".

JERRY O'CONNELL: the number one player in the NFL draft Frank Cushman a quaterback the part is a dream come true

% Question from EXTERNAL NETWORK: [73214,2131] Theo Thourson What theatre productions have you appeared in?

JERRY O'CONNELL: although in real life i am usually the tackling dummy I did a play directed by herbert burgoff costarring with Patrick Dempsey at HB studios in New York and other off broadway productions

PEOPLE: I'm going to ask this question for Wendy Zocks...

Time for an Internet question?&127;&127;(12-1,PDiL/PEOPLE) She got shy at the last minut e.

PEOPLE: What kinds of special effects do you use in "Sliders"?

JERRY O'CONNELL: We use computer generated images to blue screen it is a lot of fun for me to work on sliders because i get to see all of the tricks being completed

% Question from TORONTO, ON: [104036,1542] Kristina Were you the guy with the prosthetic leg in Calendar girl? Were you born in Can ada? (tap, tap, tap)

JERRY O'CONNELL: Yes I was the guy with the prosthetic leg in Calendar Girl and I was not born in Canada

All right Internet!

PEOPLE: Two questions from the Internet -- an easy and a toughy: First, this from Sonja Rosa: Jerry, I've noticed that this year you have a scar on you upper lip, how did you get it? And then this one from Stephen Dickson: Jerry, who is your favorite minor charac ter on the show, why, and would you want them to come back in an alternate world ?

JERRY O'CONNELL: I was bitten by a dog when I was eleven

PEOPLE: Ouch!

JERRY O'CONNELL: I had seventy four stitches

PEOPLE: (Yeow!)

PEOPLE: Did you have to go through that rabies series of shots?

JERRY O'CONNELL: luckily not i hear they are very painful a friend of mine who was bitten by a raccoon had to do that and it weasn't fun

PEOPLE: Back to Stephen's question....

JERRY O'CONNELL: Now,

PEOPLE: Who's yr favorite minor character?

JERRY O'CONNELL: There are so many characters from world to world it is tough to name just one

% Question from ORLANDO, FL: [102162,2453] Brian (FL) I'm so happy "Sliders" got the prime slot right before "X-Files"! How did that h appen? Can you tell us more about this movie with Tom Cruise? Tearjerker? Suspense? Act ion flick? Joe's Apartment is the movie about the cockroaches, right?

JERRY O'CONNELL: Yes We were lookiong fo a nice time slot that is why we were off for the amount of time we were and we finally got it The movie with Tom Cruise is comedy written by Cameron Crow (say anything singles) Cameron is also the director it is a great cast and we are having a blast Yes Joe's Apartment is about roaches PEOPLE: :-) PEOPLE: Pack that can of Raid and head off to the box office, folks..

. PEOPLE: Our last question for the night... (And by the way, Jerry, your friend Danielle Forbes sez "hi"! % Question from CZJ: [102421,3515] Erin What do you miss most being an actor? Is it hard living a normal lifestyle? Do you get stopped a lot in public?

JERRY O'CONNELL: The only problem with being an actor is having to wake up early in the morning No, I do not get stopped alot in public I was in the train the other day someone recognized me from standy by me I couldn't believe it I can't even recognize myself from back then I can't even recognize myself Thanks for a great time everybody a good episode of sliders coming up on the 26th

PEOPLE: Jerry--thank YOU! Everyone... The transcript for this conference... will be in the PEOPLE Forum on 4/22!! AND...

JERRY O'CONNELL: also remeber Joes Apartment (the roach movie) this summer Check me out ast the sci-fi convention!

PEOPLE: (By the way, in the People Forum... there are lots of Sliders goodies there right now! Pix... Quicktime clips! Please come by!

JERRY O'CONNELL: more in

EdL: hmm...

GUNDER: That was awesome

MikeSH: ah

RoL: dammit, i missed most of it

crynman: well

AsylumGal: Oh sure now we can type!

Wanda: Way cool!

StarmanJones: How do you participate when the forum is mediated?

EdL: it was okay...

ERPbridge: Compuserve people can be such snobs!

PEOPLE: Pix... Quicktime clips! Please come by!

JERRY O'CONNELL: more info 1800-733-8735

PEOPLE: The GO word is PEOFOR. Thanks for coming... I'm sorry that all of you did not get to have yr questions answered.

JERRY O'CONNELL: Also check out the web site

PEOPLE: There were a LOT of questions. Maybe Jerry will come back again! And you'll get the chance to ask then!

DavidMallory: How did you send questions?

PEOPLE: Good night everyone. You were a great audience.

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