In his new movie, White House Down, Channing Tatum plays a tough-guy police officer who has to dodge both bullets and punches in an effort to protect the President of the United States from a violent paramilitary group. In real life, though, the Magic Mike star is something of a softie — one who tears up easily and melts at the mention of his wife and daughter. Speaking with Chelsea Handler about his girls on Thursday, June 27, Tatum admitted to being overcome with emotion while watching longtime love Jenna Dewan-Tatum give birth to their first child, baby Everly, earlier this month.
"I probably went to the bathroom four times and had a crying fit," he quipped. "Like, I'm just like, 'I don't know what to do!'"
The proud first-time dad, 33, said he has a lot of respect for his wife — and women, in general — after watching the birthing process. "There is a real reason why God did not give, like, [guys] this ability to have babies," he told the Chelsea Lately host. "Because we would not be able to do it. You guys, I don't know how you do it. It's a real thing. It's like National Geographic animal-style, for real. I don't get it."
One of the scariest parts, he said, was seeing Dewan-Tatum, 32, in pain and not being able to take care of her. "It's like someone's hurting, someone that you love, and you can't do anything about it. You physically cannot help," he explained.
"I'm still not helping — and the baby's out!" he joked. "Men are useless, but we are really useless during this. The baby's gonna come out whether you're there or not."
Earlier this week, at the New York premiere for White House Down, the actor elaborated on his fears about fatherhood. Asked which is more terrifying — protecting the president or being a new dad — Tatum laughed, then said: "Well, I've never protected the president, but I have been a new dad, and I can tell you that being a new dad is pretty terrifying. I'm pretty sure that something about the president makes the stakes a little higher, but to me as a new father, nothing is more important or scary than protecting a daughter."
