Wish I could have been a fly on the wall at this awards dinner. Way to go, Mr. Eastwood. Make our day!
Eastwood stunned a New York filmmaking audience with his comments, the New York Daily News' Lloyd Grove reported today in his must-read column.
"Michael Moore and I actually have a lot in common - we both appreciate living in a country where there's free expression," Eastwood was quoted as telling the National Board of Review awards dinner in New York Tuesday night.
With a cold glare Eastwood took notice of Moore sitting in the audience and said bluntly and without a smile: "But, Michael, if you ever show up at my front door with a camera - I'll kill you."
The Daily News reports the audience erupted in laughter, and Eastwood grinned. "I mean it," Eastwood said again.
One of the few Republicans in Hollywood, Eastwood had once served as Mayor of Carmel, Calif.
Eastwood made his comments while accepting the Special Filmmaking Achievement prize for "Million Dollar Baby."
Moore was said to be in the rear of the audience when Eastwood made his biting remarks.
Moore also won the group's "Freedom of Expression" award for his Bush-bashing "Fahrenheit 9/11."
Apparently, Moore has not taken kindly to death threats in the past.
The News notes that last year "Moore was outraged when CNN anchor Bill Hemmer suggested during an interview that some folks might want to see him dead."
"Can you think of any other interview in the history of television where a politician or a movie director was asked about people wanting to see him dead?" Moore was quoted as saying.
Moore may have lightened up a bit. His agent told the News: "Michael laughed along with everyone else, and took Mr. Eastwood's comments in the lighthearted spirit in which they were given."
~NewsMax