Trump, however, still had his own small team of celebrity supporters.
While less of a -- as Dana Bash plainly put it -- "shit show" compared to the last presidential debate, last night's stand off between President Donald Trump and Vice President Joe Biden still had everyone talking on social media as it aired.
Moderated by NBC News' Kristen Welker, the debate covered six topics: Fighting COVID-19, American Families, Race in America, Climate Change, National Security and Leadership.
Trump was certainly more measured than his previous performance, but still gave Hollywood's liberal population plenty to talk about throughout the evening. Of course, there were also still a smaller -- but equally vocal -- contingent of conservative stars who had POTUS' back all night.
Below are the most viral moments of the evening.
New York Is a "Ghost Town"
During the conversation about the president's reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump said the economy was taking a hit because of some of the stricter shutdowns.
"If you go and look at what has happened to New York, it's a ghost town," said Trump. "Take a look at what's happening to New York. It's dying."
That, naturally, didn't sit well with many high profile New Yorkers, including Mayor Bill de Blasio.
.@realDonaldTrump, New Yorkers are bringing our city back stronger than ever. It’s nothing short of heroic. The only “ghost town “ will be Mar-a-Lago after you’re forced into retirement on Election Day.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) October 23, 2020 @NYCMayor
He thinks New York is a ghost town because every time he’s here all he hears is “Booo” #Debates2020
— Full Frontal (@FullFrontalSamB) October 23, 2020 @FullFrontalSamB
Parking on the street is still fricken hard in the ghost town just fyi.
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) October 23, 2020 @soledadobrien
NEW YORK CITY IS NOT A DAMN GHOSTTOWN
— Antoni Porowski (@antoni) October 23, 2020 @antoni
New York is not your wonderful city. New Yorkers hate you.
— Joy Behar (@JoyVBehar) October 23, 2020 @JoyVBehar
— Debra Messing✍🏻 (@DebraMessing) October 23, 2020 @DebraMessing
Currently in NYC. Not ghost town. hi.
— Andy Cohen (@Andy) October 23, 2020 @Andy
New York isn't a ghost town, you clown
— Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) October 23, 2020 @PadmaLakshmi
And it's not your city
NEW YORK IS NOT YOUR CITY, DONALD.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 23, 2020 @GeorgeTakei
New York is not a ghost town but Trump's failures are going to haunt our country forever. #TrumpMeltdown #TrumpIsNotAmerica #TrumpLied220KDied
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 23, 2020 @Alyssa_Milano
Kids In Immigration Detention Centers Are "So Well Taken Care Of"
As the two tackled the topic of immigration, a recent report claiming the Trump administration can't locate the parents of more than 500 children separated from their families after being detained at the border became a talking point.
Trump said his people were "trying very hard" to reunite the kids with their parents, before claiming the children were "so well taken care of" in detention centers. Biden, meanwhile, said the situation "makes us a laughing stock" and "violates every notion of who we are as a nation."
"The kids in cages are so well taken care of. Except that we can’t find their parents."
— Touré (@Toure) October 23, 2020 @Toure
Tomi, this is fucking cruel. Even for you.
— MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) October 23, 2020 @MarenMorris
“They’re well taken care of!!!!!” Go to hell. You’d have NOTHING without your parents money and your dad STILL hated you!!!
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) October 23, 2020 @billyeichner
Trump can’t relate to parents who actually want to see their kids.
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) October 23, 2020 @billyeichner
Donald Trump thinks kids locked in cages and separated from their families is “treated well”
— Jay Ellis (@JayREllis) October 23, 2020 @JayREllis
They have lost their parents! How can they be well taken care of? They are in fucking prisons, they are not "WELL TAKEN CARE OF". It's an atrocity. It's sick and it's a sin. #Debates2020
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) October 23, 2020 @MarkRuffalo
"Oh God"
The portion of the evening dealing with race relations in America was one of the most talked about of the evening, after the president once again said he's done the most for Black Americans since Abraham Lincoln.
"I think I have great relationships with all people. I am the least racist person in this room," he said, while Biden poked fun at the Lincoln mention, saying "Abraham Lincoln over here is one of the most racist presidents we've had in modern history."
"You made a reference to Abraham Lincoln, where did that come in?" asked Trump, as Biden pointed out that he, in fact, had. As the back and forth continued, Biden eventually couldn't hide his exasperation, letting out an "Oh God" that went viral.
Anyway, vote the racist idiot out of office. Save 2020
— John Legend (@johnlegend) October 23, 2020 @johnlegend
Anyone who says they are the “least racist person” is ALWAYS lying.
— William Jackson Harper (@dubjackharper) October 23, 2020 @dubjackharper
When Abraham Lincoln was mentioned I floated away like the old man in Up.
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) October 23, 2020 @billyeichner
“I am the least racist person in the room” - Donald Trump
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) October 23, 2020 @joshgad
Where were you on 10/22/20 when irony officially died?
Trump: “I am the least racist in this room.”
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 23, 2020 @GeorgeTakei
Room: “Hahahahahaha”
Donald Trump just told a woman of color, who he has repeatedly attacked, that he is the “least racist person in the room”.
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) October 23, 2020 @ananavarro
And she is such a consummate professional, she didn’t burst out laughing.
“Oh, God.” — everyone in America with a brain.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 23, 2020 @GeorgeTakei
That “oh god”, I felt that.
— Natasha Rothwell (@natasharothwell) October 23, 2020 @natasharothwell
Oh God.
— Bradley Whitford (@BradleyWhitford) October 23, 2020 @BradleyWhitford
If a person says they’re the smartest person in the room, I immediately know they’re the dumbest person in the room. The same went for Trump last night when he said he was the “least racist” person in the room.
— Jack Quaid (@JackQuaid92) October 23, 2020 @JackQuaid92
"I Know More About Wind Than You Do"
As the conversation changed to climate change, Trump made sweeping statements about wanting "the cleanest air" and "crystal clean water," before criticizing Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's -- or, as he put it, "AOC plus three" -- plan to tackle the issue.
As Biden pushed for a shift to solar and wind energy, Trump said, "I know more about wind than you do. It's extremely expensive. It kills all the birds." POTUS also reiterated his claim that Biden's plan would require buildings to replace existing windows with smaller ones for energy efficiency.
AOC herself was one of the first to react.
It’s actually AOC plus 115 because that’s how many House and Senate members have cosponsored the most ambitious climate legislation in American history.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 23, 2020 @AOC
(AOC + 3) > 45
— Zach Braff (@zachbraff) October 23, 2020 @zachbraff
Birds right now. pic.twitter.com/dLnTv9kvlq
— Zach Braff (@zachbraff) October 23, 2020 @zachbraff
How much is wind going for these days? #Debates2020
— kate moennig (@katemoennig) October 23, 2020 @katemoennig
“I know more about wind than you do.” The first true thing Trump said all night.
— Paul Feig (@paulfeig) October 23, 2020 @paulfeig
WIND KILLS ALL THE BIRDS. TREES EAT SQUIRRELS. #Debates2020
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 23, 2020 @pattonoswalt
Trump tonight looks like a drunk comic who is workshopping a tight 90 he developed on QAnon chat rooms.
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) October 23, 2020 @joshgad
Did he just say wind hurts the birds?
— Alex Newell (@thealexnewell) October 23, 2020 @thealexnewell
Other Noteworthy Tweets
Stars were vocal on Twitter all night long, as they tweeted about Trump's refusal to release his taxes, his claims Biden has been hiding in a "basement" throughout the pandemic, his overall tone and demeanor and his lack of specifics in regards to a replacement for Obamacare.
.@joeBiden cares about American lives and their livelihoods. Trump doesn't care if we live or die. Therein lies the fundamental difference between Biden and Trump. #Debate2020 #TrumpLied220KDied #HealthcareVoter
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 23, 2020 @Alyssa_Milano
None of this gets any less surreal. Or less sad.
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) October 23, 2020 @DanRather
I volunteer to put Trump in a basement for a year and a half.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 23, 2020 @GeorgeTakei
Wow. Even by Trump standards, this is an embarrassment for him.
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) October 23, 2020 @billyeichner
is it my tv or is he actually that red?
— Andy Cohen (@Andy) October 23, 2020 @Andy
We literally have the stupidest leader of all of the developed nations.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 23, 2020 @jemelehill
I don’t know what sedative cocktail Trumps on tonight but I want it for my dog next time we go to the vet.
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) October 23, 2020 @billmaher
Trump blames Fauci
— John Cusack (@johncusack) October 23, 2020 @johncusack
What an Asshole
Sorry to circle back to this but Joe passing on responding to Trump's nonsense had the same energy as someone in a bar responding to, "You wanna say something to that drunk yelling about the Star Wars prequels?" with a, "Fuck no, let him tire himself out..." #Debates2020
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 23, 2020 @pattonoswalt
When Trump’s audit started I was straight.
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) October 23, 2020 @billyeichner
WHAT IS TRUMP HIDING?
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 23, 2020 @Alyssa_Milano
Everything.
Stop talking and whining and release your Tax Returns! We all have to deal with the IRS. SHOW US! #Debates2020
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) October 23, 2020 @MarkRuffalo
It is amazing how much bullshit can come out of one sitting President’s mouth. Wow.
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) October 23, 2020 @joshgad
Trump explaining his bank account in China sounds exactly like the time Sara tried to explain to my mom why she was rollerblading in the garage at two in the morning while high on acid when we were 16 years old. #Debates2020
— Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) October 23, 2020 @teganandsara
TEN YEARS to come up with a health plan and he just said “we are going to come up with a beautiful plan”.
— Michael Kelly (@michaeljkellyjr) October 23, 2020 @michaeljkellyjr
Are you kidding me???
Biden is straight up kicking Trumps ass. #DebateTonight
Biden’s plan will NOT take away healthcare from anyone! It expands insurance for everyone! Plus protect pre existing conditions. #Debates2020
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) October 23, 2020 @MarkRuffalo
"Trump Absolutely Rolled Over Joe Biden Like a Steamroller"
Of course, not everyone in Hollywood is on Team Biden.
Trump's most ardent celebrity supporters -- namely, Kirstie Alley, Scott Baio and James Woods -- all tweeted along with the debate as well, offering up a very different perspective to the night's biggest moments.
YAAAAAAASSSSSS Go Trump! Great manners .. perfectly PRESIDENTIAL!!! GOOOOOOO TRUMP!!!!
— Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) October 23, 2020 @kirstiealley
Biden is rattled because you can use your next words are gonna be about his crimes and HUNTER.. Hit him with your best shot!
— Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) October 23, 2020 @kirstiealley
Miss moderator you’re doing pretty well but I’m timing all of this and you’re giving Joe way more response time check it out.. but Trump’s still winning
— Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) October 23, 2020 @kirstiealley
GREAT DEBATE!! Good moderator.. GREAT JOB TRUMP!!! Presidential PRESIDENT!!
— Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) October 23, 2020 @kirstiealley
I understand the teacher from Charlie Brown far better than @JoeBiden WTH is he saying?
— Scott Baio (@ScottBaio) October 23, 2020 @ScottBaio
The only reason I’m not commenting on the debate so much, is that I’m still dancing on air. Trump absolutely rolled over Joe Biden like a steamroller.
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) October 23, 2020 @RealJamesWoods
Joe Biden looks like the most tired, defeated, hack politician ever to draw breath in the history of this nation. He makes the word “hello” sound like a talking point. #ByeByeOldJoe
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) October 23, 2020 @RealJamesWoods
Trump’s tone is close to perfect tonight. He reaffirmed how he’s gotten tough on China, stayed out of wars, saved the steel industry, and preserved the economy even during the pandemic.
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) October 23, 2020 @IngrahamAngle
Trump won this debate, handily. Biden wasn’t a force at all. Trump was substantive, on-point, well-tempered. Definitely helped himself, when it mattered most.
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 23, 2020 @megynkelly