Academy Award winning Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood has finally spoken out about his widely-panned performance at the Republican National Convention. Eastwood infamously pretended to be lecturing an imaginary President Obama in a chair seated to his left, and even went so far as the pretend that the president was hurling vulgar language his way.
In his first interview since the speech, Eastwood said he has no regrets and admitted that the “empty chair” routine originated backstage in the green room moments before he delivered his address.
“There was a stool there, and some fella kept asking me if I wanted to sit down,” he told his local newspaper Carmel Pine Cone. “When I saw the stool sitting there, it gave me the idea. I’ll just put the stool out there and I’ll talk to Mr. Obama and ask him why he didn’t keep all of the promises he made to everybody.”
In this same interview Eastwood said he didn’t plan his remarks or collaborate with the Romney campaign on his speech.
“They vet most of the people, but I told them, ‘You can’t do that with me, because I don’t know what I’m going to say,’” Eastwood said.
Yet, he says the GOP ticket was very pleased when they greeted him afterwards.
“[Romney and Ryan] were very enthusiastic, and we were all laughing,” said Eastwood.
And the acclaimed filmmaker isn’t done lashing out at the president. He calls Obama “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.”