An outspoken advocate of âresponsible gun ownership,â Matthew McConaughey shot down The Viewâs Joy Behar when she pushed a question on Texas and anti-gun laws.
Only moments after giving the co-host a foot rub, she asked the 54-year-old sex symbol about his position on guns, prompting him to make a very pointed statement.
The May 2022 shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas struck quite literally close to home for the 54-year-old actor Matthew McConaughey, who is a native of the city.
After the incident, where 19 students and two teachers were killed by an 18-year-old former student at Robb Elementary School, McConaughey joined a briefing at the White House, pleading with Americans to ârenegotiate our wants from our needs.â
âWe need responsible ownership, we need background checks. We need to raise the minimum to purchase an AR 15 rifle to 21. We need a waiting period for those rifles. We need red flag laws and consequences for those who abuse them, these are reasonable, practical, tactical regulations,â he said.
The Oscar-winning actor adds, âResponsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals.â
McConaughey and his wife, Camila Alves, have since launched the Greenlights Grant Initiative, which, according to the website, âcreates safer school environments and ensure the well-being of our children.â
Not âalright, alright, alrightâ
In the fall of 2023, McConaughey appeared on The View, promoting his childrenâs book âJust Because.â
Fielding questions from the panelists, while also giving co-host Joy Behar foot massage, the Texas native talked about the book and his three kids.
Then, Sunny Hostin flipped the script and praised McConaughey for being âso outspoken against violence, and gun violence in particular.â
âIn 2021, you considered a run for governor of the state of Texas before deciding to focus on your family. Do you think political office is in your future?â Hostin asked the man, who two years before considered running for governor in his home state.
The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past star replied, âIf itâs where I would deem myself most useful, yes. Right now, I want to be most useful as a father.â
Afterwards, Behar circled back to the subject and seemed to hit a nerve with the star of Dallas Buyers Club. In the now-viral video, the conversation got intense.
Further pushing the conversation about politics and guns, Behar asked: âDo you think you could get elected in Texas being anti-gun?â
Repeating her question before he responded, McConaughey said, âOne thing about me and politics, to give you a direct statement right there, is me playing a game.â Next, still sounding like a perfect gentleman, he shook his finger at her and added, âIâm not interested in playing.â
âOk, donât do it,â Behar said.
After the break, Hostin tried to make peace: âI did want to say that Iâve done a lot of research in terms of your advocacy, and I donât know that youâre anti-gun, I think youâre pro-gun responsibility and legislation.â