For years now, Christopher Meloni has been known to faithful TV viewers for his role as Detective Elliot Stabler in the Law & Order universe. However, more recently, due to a viral moment involving his butt, the Internet has gifted Meloni the title of “Zaddy.” As a result, over the last several months, the actor has become the subject of countless memes, and he's even been owning up to those and his new title. But his kids aren't so into it and, amid the situation, they could use our condolences.
In an interview with People, Christopher Meloni discussed his newfound viral stardom and what it feels like to be a sex symbol at 61. The Law & Order: Organized Crime star also discussed how his family feels about it and after you see what he has to say, his young adult kids may just have your sympathy:
My wife, she's lovely, she gets it, Meaning she's like, 'Eh, whatever.’ My kids, on the other hand, invariably once a month, it's 'Really? Really?' Their friends will send them a meme that's come out or whatever, but I think secretly, in their hearts, they get it.
It definitely can’t be easy to have your dad be known as a “Zaddy” and for the topic to be constantly brought up, too. With that, you do have to feel for the Meloni kids in some respect. But then again, as the actor suggests, they probably get it and are surely happy that their dad is getting this kind of sweet and somewhat funny recognition.
Needless to say, Christopher Meloni has fully embraced his Zaddy title. When filming Organized Crime over the summer, the actor made sure to look his best on the streets while sporting his suit and tie -- and he was definitely killing it. Also, I now really want to know what his kids thought of his naked Peloton ad, because I can’t imagine how many of their friends reached out after that commercial debuted. I mean, memes are one thing, but it must be a whole other thing to know that your dad was in the buff during an ad.
Still, the Meloni kids are known to have a sense of humor and, while they may not be so thrilled that their dad has turned into a Zaddy meme, it doesn’t mean they still don’t use some of his perks. Earlier this year, Christopher Meloni shared a funny Father’s Day text from one of the children. Apparently, said kid was at a bar, showed ID, and after they revealed their father was Elliot Stabler, they got drinks on the house. So don't get it twisted, as there's definitely a silver lining or two for the star's offspring.
Aside from reveling in his Zaddy phase though, Christopher Meloni has also been hard at work on Organized Crime and has been posting plenty of photos and pictures from set. He recently shared a fun Law & Order selfie that not only included a photo with the cast but the cool context for it as well. Needless to say, I'm here for Meloni -- when it comes to both his work on the long-running TV franchise and his newly earned title. Let's just hope his children find more ways to enjoy it as much as many of us have.
Don’t miss Zaddy Meloni on Law & Order: Organized Crime, which airs on Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST on NBC! Check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule for info on others shows that you can look forward to in the coming months!
