Jerry O'Connell has broken his silence on his 2004 breakup with Giuliana Rancic, acknowledging the unflattering description the television personality included in her 2015 memoir, "Going Off Script." Speaking on Kelly Ripa's "Let's Talk Off Camera" podcast, O'Connell admitted he does not recall his exact wording during the split but did not dispute Rancic's account.
Rancic's memoir described O'Connell ending their relationship by saying, "Nope, sorry, homegirl. Things change, but you take care, OK?" O'Connell told Ripa he "can't deny that I said that," adding that while it doesn't sound like something he would say, "it made for a good quote" in her book.
He applauded Rancic, whom he dated between 2003 and 2004, for her descriptive writing. O'Connell, 52, labeled himself a "terrible boyfriend" during their relationship. He explained that the breakup occurred while another woman was inside his condominium, and Rancic was attempting to gain entry.
"I did not know you were coming. You can't come here unannounced," O'Connell recounted telling Rancic at the time. He noted that the relationship was already in trouble and that the lack of a key for Rancic indicated a lack of exclusivity. He stated he wanted to avoid confrontation, which is why he did not want her to enter his residence unexpectedly.
During the podcast, Ripa also brought up Rancic's claim that O'Connell had cheated with Geri Halliwell. O'Connell praised Rancic's description of this infidelity, in which she compared his emotional response to that of a customer service representative informing someone their bags had missed a flight.
O'Connell also briefly touched on a single date he had with Sarah Michelle Gellar, recalling that she ended their encounter, stating he was "a drunk" and she wanted "to get away." He acknowledged Gellar's husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., and his martial arts background, expressing no desire for conflict with the couple.