| Jerome Whittaker | ||
 | ||
Portrayed by: | ||
First appearance: | ||
Last appearance: | ||
| Also Known As: Jerry, Crazy Jerry, Crazy J, Freaky Jerry, Jerry Sr., Stay-at-home Jerome, Uncle Jerry | ||
Occupation: Driving instructor | ||
Residence: White Plains, New York | ||
Romances: Loretta Stinson, Cheryl Whittaker (wife) | ||
| Gallery of Jerome Whittaker images (8) | ||
Jerome Whittaker is Barney's biological father.
Show Outline[]
As a child, Barney believed Jerome to be his "Uncle Jerry" with whom he would occasionally spend time. That was until July 23, 1981. On a trip to the New York Museum of Natural History, young Barney stole a rib from a dinosaur exhibit and used it to knock down the giant model of a blue whale suspended from the ceiling. "Uncle Jerry" picked up Barney from security signing forms indicating that he was actually Barney's father. This was the last time Barney saw Whittaker as Barney's mother was so upset that he let Barney commit such an act of vandalism that he stopped coming to visit. (Natural History)
Throughout his life, Barney believed his father to be Bob Barker although he didn't tell his friends about the belief until he was accepted as contestant on Barker's show, "The Price is Right". (Showdown) However, Barney didn't confront Barker and years later, when his brother, James met his own father, Barney admitted that he knew Barker was not his real father. That evening, he confronted Loretta about the lie. Loretta explained that she always wanted to be enough of a parent for her children, which is why she didn't tell them who their fathers were. She offered to tell Barney about his father but, realizing how great a mother he had, Barney tore up the proffered paper with his father's name. (Cleaning House)
However, months later, attending an event at the museum, Barney learned the truth about "Uncle Jerry" thanks to the form he signed in 1981 and was shocked to discover this. However, he told Robin that he wasn't going to act on the information and asked her not to share it. (Natural History)
Finally, after Marshall lost his own father, Barney realized the time had come and he was ready, so he called his mother asking for his contact information. (Last Words) Still, it would take time for Barney to get in contact with Whittaker. He later confides to Zoey's cousin Honey that he sent Jerome a letter and offered his phone number, but he never heard back from Jerome. (Oh Honey)
Jerome then finally made an appearance, showing up at Barney's front door and revealed he got Barney's letter. The two then spend the night at MacLaren's. In the following day, Barney stated that his meeting with his father was awesome, that they both ordered the same drink, that he is funny, he manages tours, and that he is a huge time player. The gang warns Barney not to get his hopes up as Jerome might have only told Barney what he wanted to hear. Although later, Jerome comes and asks the gang about Barney since he won't answer his calls. It is then revealed that Jerome is only a driving instructor and has a family.
The gang then holds an intervention for Barney, with Marshall convincing Barney to go meet his father since he still has one, while Marshall's dad passed away not long ago. Barney then has dinner with Jerome's family. At the dinner, Barney constantly mocks Jerome's son, J.J., to prove that he is a better son, to the point of insulting J.J.'s name. Jerome then reveals to Barney that J.J. stands for "Jerome Junior". After hearing this, Barney gets out of the house and tries to take down J.J.'s basketball hoop, claiming that J.J. had a real father and a real family so the hoop should at least be Barney's. Jerome asks Barney what is wrong, with Barney replying in anger that Jerome is just a "lame suburban dad". Jerome then asks why does that make him so mad, and Barney replies that if he was going to be some lame suburban dad why couldn't he have been that for him. Jerome then apologizes and tells Barney he would do anything to make it up to him. Barney then ignores him and continues to try to take down the hoop. Jerome then helps Barney by giving him a screwdriver and telling him how to unscrew the hoop. Jerome tells his son that when he got the letter, it made him feel guilt about how he just left Barney and wishes to be in his life if he will have him. Barney simply takes the hoop and leaves, in a manner like Jerome left him. (Legendaddy)
Jerome later made an appearance again, where he calls Barney to ask him to join him and his other son on a fishing trip. Barney tried to reject him but Jerome again pleads to him by bringing up old times when Barney was a child. Barney then asked him to go into a bar with him for a drink and so that Jerome can be "Crazy Jerry", an apparently drunk version of him. Jerry then proceeds to drink since Barney forced him to and becomes "Crazy Jerry". After they both spend the night getting drunk and roaming in the streets, they both are caught by the police because Jerome puked on a police officer's car. Jerome then reveals that he actually tricked Barney into thinking he was doing some crazy stuff while it was really Barney's doing since he was drunk and Jerome wasn't. Barney and Jerome then escape by taking off their handcuffs. Jerome, a driving instructor, asks a student of his to give them a ride back home so Jerome can go fishing with J.J. In the car, Barney asks Jerome how he managed to become such a good guy when he was such a wild playboy. Barney also reveals that he feels it might be too late for him to be someone good like Jerome. Jerome doesn't reveal his secret, stating that "a magician never reveals his greatest trick", but he tells Barney that he just has to wait for the right woman.
After they arrive at Jerome's house, Jerome gets out of the car and greets Cheryl and J.J., and Barney decides to join Jerome and J.J. on the fishing trip. (Hopeless)
Jerome and his wife arrive for Barney and Robin's wedding, and at first Barney and Robin worry that it will be awkward when Jerome and Loretta meet again, but to their relief the two have a nice reunion. Barney, however, gets excited upon seeing this and is determined to get them back together, despite the fact that Jerome has a wife and children. Barney has Ranjit drive Cheryl away to a supposed meeting with Jerome. Later Barney traps Jerome and Loretta in an elevator, and drops down champagne and dinner in hopes of rekindling their romance. Jerome and Loretta, however, do not get back together and it is revealed that Loretta is actually dating Sam, James' father.
Later, Jerome worries about his missing wife and finds an apparent suicide note, which is clearly written by Barney. Jerome eventually finds Ranjit and Cheryl, jumping onto the hood of the limo and demanding his wife be freed. Mom and Dad
Family[]
- Spouse: Cheryl Whittaker
- Sons(s): Jerome "J.J." Whittaker, Jr., Barney Stinson
- Daughter(s): Carly Whittaker
- Grandchild(ren): Ellie Stinson
Episode Appearances[]
- Legendaddy
- Hopeless
- Disaster Averted (off-screen)
- Mom and Dad
- The End of the Aisle
Notes and Trivia[]
- He was similar to Barney Stinson when he was younger, both share the similarities of being a magician.
- When he was younger, he was a serial womanizer and a playboy like Barney.
External Links[]
- John Lithgow at the Internet Movie Database
- John Lithgow at the English Wikipedia