Jerry O’Connell sums up the Dem dilemma perfectly — even if he did have to get beaten up for it

I never took Jerry O’Connell for a political guy, but while on Bill Maher’s “Club Random Podcast” this week, he inadvertently summed up the Democratic party’s current dilemma of being lost in the wilderness.

How? By simply describing the wild scene that unfolded in his house on the night of the 2024 Presidential Election.

On the podcast the pair spoke candidly about everything from the “Stand By Me” star’s relationship with slain director Rob Reiner to landing his wife, actress and model Rebecca Romijn.

The father-of-two told the story of his 17-year-old twin daughters, Dolly and Charlie, watching “Full House” as little girls and developing crushes on John Stamos’ character, Uncle Jesse.

He then recalled breaking the delicate news that their mother was once married to the same Uncle Jesse.

The episode was filled with quality tales from a good sport.

But nothing seemed to make O’Connell as uncomfortable as talking about politics in his household — a more dangerous pastime, apparently.

He said that he and his family were convinced Kamala Harris was going to win. And in the aftermath of defeat, a stunned O’Connell offered some constructive criticism of the campaign mounted by the Dems.

“I said something along the lines of, ‘There was no planning. This is what they get. There should have been a primary.’ I was just spit-balling ideas.

“It was a shock. My wife and daughters, without saying anything, became physical with me. They were filled with rage!” he said.

Look, I’ve seen family members resort to violence over the Mets and the Yankees, which I get. Totally reasonable.

But never politics — and it was quite telling.

What O’Connell described was the impenetrable echo chamber in which many Dems and coastal elites have been living — along with their aversion to receiving insight that doesn’t affirm their worldview.

It further proves that the newly launched California Post is filling a real gap on the West Coast, and providing a dose of common sense reality to LaLa Land.

But it also shows that many on the left have been reluctant to understand the people and the issues that exist outside their cozy bubble. Clearly, even if they did venture out, they’d be loath to listen to differing perspectives. It’s created a stifling atmosphere that squashes any sensible objections, leading left leaning normies to put their heads in the sand — simply to get along.

That type of incurious attitude — and lack of introspection — severely weakened them as a party.

I’m not here to pick on O’Connell because, who doesn’t love that guy? (Except maybe his wife and daughters on election night.)

Despite him living in the tony city of Calabasas — where he joked that he nods to the Kardashians when he encounters them in town parking lots — O’Connell is like many solid people in this country. He’s trying to raise good kids and have a happy life.

The “Jerry Maguire” star is also refreshingly earnest in a cynical world. Lovable as he may be, he didn’t know much about the rest of the country. And that’s fine.

Except the Dems decided to build their last presidential campaign around celebrity appearances and concerts, which was a massive fail.

O’Connell even crowed about the energy at a Harris rally when Megan Thee Stallion performed. He was sold on the can’t lose vibes. And Maher laughed, noting that Harris didn’t even win one swing state. She swayed no one.

Meanwhile, the right is in a full-on civil war battle, vociferously split on the Iran conflict. It’s not perfect, but it shows that there is room for healthy debate on this side.

For his candor, O’Connell took flack online from the left and of course the right, which mocked him for being a battered beta male. Perhaps the harshest punishment came on the home front.

The Post described the incident as such: “Maher makes fun of guest for attending Kamala Harris rally and being a donor.”

On X, he made light of the backlash writing, “Okay, ‘Club Random’ was my last podcast. Can’t do anything right. X is mad at me. My family is mad at me. Even NY Post is having a laugh. Only podcast I will ever do again is [Barstool Sports’] ‘Pardon My Take…’ “

Dems can take a page from O’Connell by adopting some of his lighthearted humor. And for the actor: May I suggest some anger management classes as a family gift?