Ben Bratt on Jay Leno last Monday night

Actor Benjamin Bratt was on Jay Leno two nights ago, where he discussed both of his children. Our contributor Kirrily summarizes the segment:

Benjamin said names are important to him and his wife, "as they are to everybody", and after making a short list, they were reluctant to share them, "because people always have an opinion." The couple wanted a name that "had real significance, we found out that Mateo means gift from God, kind of sweet." The middle name Bravery was added after a friend told him that his son would "get his ass kicked in junior high" with a name like Mateo.

Ben said although almost three-year old Sophia loves her new brother, "she thinks it’s her own little play thing", he admits there is a bit of jealousy there. Ben says he spends a lot of of his free time making furniture for his daughter, "custom benches and tables and railings and things that help her out with her therapy." (He did not elaborate on his daughter’s problems or why she needs therapy. Does anyone know anything more about this?)

Thank you to CBB readers Sara, Meaghan, Robin, Maria, and our own contributor Kirrily, who all sent me wonderful synopses.

Two of Ben’s sister’s children have traditional Indian names, but Ben wanted a name that was easy to yell when the child was in trouble. When talking about his his two-week old son he calls him an "eating, pooping, peeing machine … like all babies." CBB reader Meaghan reports that he also talked about how they have a bassinet that sits by their bed and plays different kinds of noises, so that when the baby starts fussing, they just push one of the noises and he settles back down…Ben said the water one works the best for Mateo, because it simulates the sounds of the womb, but now Ben has to wear Depends to bed because of the constant water noise!