Bloody Disgusting Jeff Otto was on hand at the San Diego Comic-Con for the special screening of the “too hot for Comic-Con” footage from Alex Aja’s Piranha 3D, which is now online here on Bloody-Disgusting for you to enjoy. If you’ve seen the viral videos promoting Piraha, it’s hardly a secret that Jerry O’Connell’s character in the flick is based on GIRLS GONE WILD guru Joe Francis. You can check out our exclusive chat with O’Connell inside.
After showing the `Too Hot for Comic-Con’ footage in San Diego, O’Connell sat with press to discuss the role. “Man, what a fun role,” says O’Connell. “I remember opening the script and right when I got to the description of who this guy was, I thought, `This is such a funny, modern take.’ I think it’s indicative of the entire story and script.”

In O’Connell’s younger days, he admits to partaking in some of Francis’ legendary Hollywood parties. But since becoming a family man, he has a slightly different perspective. “I have met him a couple of times and been to some of his parties,” O’Connell tells press with a bit of hesitancy, “but, you know, that was a different time in my life.”

“What really turned me around,” continues O’Connell, “is not only did I have children, I had twin girls. Just the idea that they end up on one of those videos lifting their shirts for an open bar is enough to make me bust a vein in my head. It’s just so frightening. You know, this is the United States and I’m not about censorship, but if you’re the father of girls, it just instills a level of fear that I can’t even describe in words. It’s a genetic level of fear. Mind you, I had my daughters when I made this film and I used that to inspire me. I kind of wanted to make this guy as hateful as possible.”

If you’ve already seen the footage from Comic-Con, you know what happens to O’Connell’s character Derrick Jones. If you haven’t seen it, infer what you will from the below. “My character does have very personal interaction with a piranha,” says O’Connell with a laugh. “I do want to say, afterwards, if you don’t want to spoil it for anyone, that water, the Colorado River, forms this manmade Lake Havasu. That’s very, very cold water in there so you probably aren’t seeing me in my best light.”

When asked what his wife, Rebecca Romijn, thinks of his PIRANHA exploits amongst the scantily clad young girls, O’Connell immediately strikes back. “Rebecca was familiar with it,” says the actor with a wry grin. “She’s an actress. Come on! Go rent FEMME FATALE. She can’t tell me what to do!”

PIRANHA 3D opens nationwide August 20th, 2010.