The age of the Internet has consistently redefined who (and what, in some cases) people consider to be sex symbols. One such beneficiary of appreciation in any era is Law & Order: Organized Crime star Christopher Meloni, who’s been heating up social media for a while now in more ways than one. As the NBC drama's recent return for Season 3 has brightened up the 2022 TV schedule, Meloni has taken the time to share how he feels about being as sexualized as ever in his seventh decade.
As you might expect, the 61-year-old actor is loving the positive-minded attention he’s received as of late. Speaking to his delight in an interview with People, Christopher Meloni recognized his good fortune during what he refers to as his “second act, and the once and future Detective Stabler had this to say about his Zaddy era:
It's a gas. It's fun. I don't know, has anyone else been crowned Zaddy? Once it's bestowed upon you, you have to just ride that horse as long as you can.
Mr. Meloni has indeed become a fast and familiar rider of that horse deemed Zaddy-dom. You can see it throughout all sorts of social media posts that show him strutting around the set of Law & Order: Organized Crime, in full suit and tie no less, as well as in some extracurricular thirst traps that the Happy! vet has engaged in, such as that nude Peloton ad that Ryan Reynolds helped put together. Even the Deadpool star knows the public wants as much of Meloni's muscular bod as we can get.
Part of why this whole gig works is that Meloni has the swagger and confident attitude needed to really carry the Zaddy brand. The dude even hits back at critics with the greatest of ease, and isn’t afraid to do so, regardless of the subject matter. The actor's response to claims he has an “oversized ego” says it all, and if his chiseled shape wasn’t enough of a draw, that attitude definitely seals the deal.
To address Christopher Meloni’s previous question about other Zaddies, this title could be correlated to involvement with Dick Wolf’s legendary NBC franchise. As it turns out, Jeff Goldblum is also a proud Zaddy, and he just happens to have also dabbled in this crime-fighting universe, thanks to his two seasons on the now defunct Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Perhaps there’s hope for some retroactive Zaddy crowns, as L&O alum Jesse L. Martin also deserves a spot in that lineup.
Maybe you just need to be a Zaddy, or any equivalent to that title, to hang with the Law & Order crew. Christopher Meloni certainly makes the case for that connection, and you can see him continue to do so on Law & Order: Organized Crime, which airs Thursdays at 10 PM ET on NBC, as part of Law & Order Thursdays. But don’t worry if you miss the broadcast, as a Peacock subscription is all you’ll need to catch Detective Stabler’s zaddyriffic exploits the day after new episodes air.
