Rick Scuteri/USA TODAY Sports

Actor Will Ferrell played in five separate Cactus League games for 10 different teams earlier this month, raising nearly $1 million for cancer research in the process. Ferrell made an appearance at every position on the field, and said his experience in the batter’s box was “terrifying.”

The spring training stunt was a win-win for everyone involved — Ferrell raised money for a good cause, and 10 MLB teams got fans to pay attention to a relatively meaningless spring game they would have otherwise forgotten about. Surprisingly, Ferrell’s most vocal critic was NFL legend John Madden, who argued that Ferrell disrespected the game of baseball by playing alongside professionals.

During an appearance on Conan, Ferrell agreed with Madden’s assessment.

“I don’t think he got all the pieces of information. First of all, he’s right. Look at me. I’m all about lack of respect. I don’t think the interviewer told him it was all for charity, number one, but I do love that in his mind he just thought I was just like ‘Major League Baseball, I want to play in 10 different games for 10 different teams. I want to do it Thursday! Because I’m a big shot, and make it happen now!’ Like I’m Veruca Salt. So he’s like ‘this Will Ferrell thinks he can just insert himself into big league games.”