Tonight was to have been the second of three presidential debates between incumbent Donald Trump and challenger Biden. When Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19, the debate commission changed the format to a virtual debate.

Trump balked, and the debate was cancelled, with ABC instead inviting Biden for a town hall. NBC then countered by offering Trump his own town hall, with both going down at the same time on competing networks Thursday night.

RELATED: NBC Faces Backlash After Agreeing To Trump Town Hall

Over on NBC, Trump’s town hall did not go well as he struggled to answer questions from a surprisingly tough Savannah Guthrie, who refused to let him get away with evasive non-answers. The moderator asked repeatedly whether he had tested positive for coronavirus on the night of the first debate.

Trump fared no better when Guthrie asked him about his refusal to condemn white supremacy at the last debate. This led her to ask him about the QAnon conspiracy theory, with Trump insisting he knows nothing about it other than “they are very strongly against pedophilia.”

The conversation turned even more contentious when Guthrie asked about his retweet of a completely fact-free conspiracy theory that former president Obama had Navy SEALS killed.

Trump denied any responsibility, insisting he was only retweeting someone else’s opinion and “people can decide for themselves.”

Guthrie fired back: “I don’t get that. You’re the president. You’re not like someone’s crazy uncle who can just retweet whatever.”

That particular line earned a hilarious Twitter comeback from Trump’s niece.

Guthrie also brought up the bombshell New York Times report claiming Trump owes more than $400 million to unknown lenders. When she asked him point-blank to whom he owed that money, Trump once again talked in circles without answering any of her questions.

Celebrity response to Trump’s performance was predictable. Former GOP political consultant Steve Schmidt, one of the founders of the Lincoln Project, described the president as “unhinged,” insisting Trump was “shrinking before our eyes.”

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, who has sparred with Trump on numerous occasions, used the president’s own oft-used “many people are saying” phrase to mock him.

Other celebrities who chimed in via Twitter included John Cusack, “Pod Save America” co-host Jon Favreau, director Rob Reiner, “Will & Grace” star Debra Messing and comedian Chelsea Handler, who joked that “Trump is decomposing in real time.”

Meanwhile, over on ABC Biden took questions from George Stephanopoulos. This town hall was an altogether different experience, with Biden offering lengthy policy-driven answers, even sticking around after the end of the 90 minutes (30 longer than Trump’s) to answer individual questions from citizens.

Among the topics Biden addressed was LGBTQ rights.

Biden also admitted that the Obama administration’s tough stance on drug laws had been a mistake.

Here’s how celebs responded to Biden’s town hall.

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