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The View

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Maybe Alec Baldwin should put in some more time at the Comedy Cellar. On Wednesday morning, the actor filled in as a guest co-host on The View, but he was anything but helpful. During a discussion about President Trump awarding Rush Limbaugh the Medal of Freedom, Baldwin practically shut down the panel with a bad joke about Louis C.K. “I want to run for President just so I can give the Medal of Freedom to Louis C.K.,” he said. The co-hosts were stunned silent, and Joy Behar eventually had to confirm that he was actually kidding. Woof.

During Wednesday’s first Hot Topic, the co-hosts discussed the many fireworks created by Trump’s State of the Union. In the middle of his speech, Trump surprised Limbaugh, who recently announced his Stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis, and awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the country. “I thought that the Medal of [Freedom] was supposed to go to people who actually give stuff,” said moderator Whoopi Goldberg.

“I’ve decided I want to run for president just so I can give the Medal of Freedom to Louis C.K.,” said Baldwin. “I think that he should get it.”

After an uncomfortable beat, the co-hosts forced out fake laughs. “Thank you, by the way,” said Baldwin, pointing to a producer off-camera as he attempted to diffuse the situation. “The producer got my joke.”

“It’s a joke,” said Goldberg, stepping in to help. But Behar, always one to linger in a bad situation, wouldn’t let it go quite yet. “I don’t know if he meant it or not,” she said. “Did you mean it?”

The panel quickly moved on, but the light-hearted tone from the first segment never recovered. It didn’t help that Baldwin later went on an extended rant about the difference between “official Washington” Republicans and everyday Republicans that entirely missed the mark (Meghan McCain looked visibly pained as she attempted not to chime in). And of course, it wouldn’t be an Alec Baldwin appearance without his Saturday Night Live Trump impression, which he brought out just minutes into the show, despite repeatedly vowing to never do it again. “Only one time, that’s it,” he said.