Former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs and businessman Donny Deutsch compared Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to the child beauty pageant contestant who stars in a show on TLC.

The Republican senator “is the Honey Boo Boo of Washington,” Gibbs echoed Deutsch’s comment Thursday on Morning Joe. “Let’s be clear: That series keeps coming on TV because a lot of people in America watch it.”

Last week Cruz fake filibustered a bill for more than 21 hours in opposition to Obamacare–a stunt host Joe Scarborough said was “just phony.”

Americans will remember the current government shutdown as Cruz’s filibuster, Scarborough said.

Watch more on Morning Joe.