Christina Applegate reveals the 'funny' habit that eases her MS pain

Edward Segarra, USA TODAYTue, February 24, 2026 at 10:27 PM UTC

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Christina Applegate is putting her sense of humor to work.

During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Tuesday, Feb. 24, the Emmy-winning actress and sitcom icon, who's been battling multiple sclerosis, shared the playful habit that helps her cope with the condition's chronic pain.

Applegate told host Jimmy Kimmel that she gave nicknames to her various body parts so that she can speak to her body when it's experiencing flare-ups.

"They're pretty funny," Applegate, 54, said. "And, by the way, this is not, like, derogatory to any of the people that I'm saying it about because one of them is very famous."

The "Married... with Children" alum then proceeded to give Kimmel a rundown of her body's nicknames, beginning with her right and left hands, named "Barbara" and "Stan," respectively.

"Barbara is married to Stanley," Applegate said, but "Barbara's gay. She has, like, a friend that she lives with. ... He does [know], but he loves her."

Meanwhile, Applegate's left knee is named "Tootie," an homage to "The Facts of Life" character played by Kim Fields. Applegate said her right knee is named "Meghan," inspired by the British royal Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

Christina Applegate speaks onstage during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Jan. 15, 2024.

"I think she's probably going to be mad about that," Applegate quipped of Meghan. "But it's really not a bad thing. It's really like, 'Can you just please help me, Meghan!'"

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Applegate was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (aka MS) in 2021, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the central nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord and a host of nerves.

Although Applegate's nicknaming system didn't come from any medical advice, the actress said the practice has proven to be effective. "It actually does [help]," she said. "Because it's a brain disorder, so it kind of stops it. It's weird!"

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Christina Applegate reveals what gets her out of bed amid MS battle

In an interview with People magazine published Tuesday, Applegate shared that she spends the majority of her days in bed due to the chronic pain of her MS condition.

However, the "Dead to Me" star said she makes an exception for driving her daughter, 15-year-old Sadie, to school and other activities.

"I want to take her; it's my favorite thing to do. It's the only time we have together by ourselves," Applegate told the outlet. "I tell myself, 'Just get her there safely and get home so you can get back into bed.' And that's what I do."

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More Christina Applegate news: Actress says MS symptoms landed her in hospital over 30 times

Applegate, who's set to detail her life and health journey in the new memoir "You with the Sad Eyes," said she's not holding back in her candor.

"My life isn't wrapped up with a bow," Applegate said. "People's lives, sorry for lack of a better term, ... suck sometimes. So, I'm being as honest and raw as I possibly can."

Contributing: Daryl Austin and Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Christina Applegate names body parts after celebs to cope with MS pain

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