Matthew McConaughey’s ‘The View’ Appearance Was an Unhinged Spectacle

By Emma Chance | TV | September 14, 2023 |

Matthew McConaughey is on a press tour to promote his latest venture into the literary world, a children’s book titled Just Because. During his appearance on The View, though, the conversation veered into some very adult territory.

It started when he was talking about being in Novak Djokovic’s box at the men’s US Open final, explaining their friendship and calling him a “warrior.”

“Isn’t he an anti-vaxxer?” Joy Behar interjected. “He’s an anti-vaxxer?” McConaughey responded, looking resigned. “I believe so, just saying,” she said, throwing up her hands.

“Way to bring it down, Joy,” another host said, and the conversation moved on.

But Joy wasn’t done.

A clip was then shown of when McConaughey was on the show in 2006 and gave Behar a foot massage.

“A highlight of my life,” Behar said. “It just so happens I got a pedicure this week,” she said when the clip ended, presenting her bare foot to McConaughey, who started rubbing without hesitation. “This is my dad’s trick,” he said, explaining that his father used to give his and his brother’s dates foot rubs. A family tradition; that’s nice.

After talking about the book he was there to promote, which apparently came to him in a dream (he dreams in “rhythm” in case you were wondering), the conversation turned to the issue of gun violence. Sunny Hostin praised him for being “so outspoken against violence, and gun violence in particular,” referencing the speech he gave after the Robb Elementary School shooting last year, which took place in his hometown. He used the opportunity to speak about his Greenlights Grants Initiative, which “helps with the grant writing process” to raise money for gun violence safety training and prevention measures in schools. Hostin then reminded him of how he considered a run for governor of Texas in 2021, calling him someone “who really seems to appeal to both sides of the aisle.”

“Do you think political office is in your future?” she asked. He answered that if he could be useful, maybe, but right now he’s most useful as a father.

“Do you think you could get elected in Texas being anti-gun?” Behar asked, and everyone fell silent. McConaughey then repeated the question to himself as if trying to understand it.

“One thing about me and politics is … to give you a direct statement right there is me playing a game that I’m not interested in playing,” he responded, pointing at Behar, eliciting applause from the audience. “OK, don’t do it,” Behar said.

Whoopi then sent it to the commercial, and when they returned they unveiled McConaughey’s new wax figure. But first, Hostin felt compelled to add, “I’ve done a lot of research in terms of your advocacy, and I don’t know that you’re anti-gun, I think you’re pro-gun responsibility and legislation.”

“Facts,” McConaughey responded, putting the issue to bed.

Listen, Joy Behar’s job is to ask probing questions, and Matthew McConaughey’s job is to say weird things that only kind of make sense. That’s his schtick and we love him for it. So, I’m choosing to believe that he falls on the right side of the issue here, but just didn’t want to get into it. Fine. But I also hope that he never runs for office. Stick to incomprehensible books, and life coaching, Matt.