Iconic actor and director Clint Eastwood — with 82 years in the rearview mirror — said he couldn’t care less about critics of his panned Republican convention speech.
“There is something about the aging process that makes you give a crap less,” the beloved curmudgeon told “Good Morning America” today, in his first televised interview since giving a famed speech at last month’s GOP gathering in Tampa.
Eastwood, famous for chastising an empty chair meant to represent President Obama, said he winged the whole schtick with no prepared remarks.
“They’re [other speakers at the convention] all looking at Teleprompters and stuff and I say I don’t want to do that,” said Eastwood, who is promoting his father-daughter baseball flick “Trouble with the Curve.”
“I didn’t have my glasses with me, so I would have probably not been able to read it anyway.”
Then a stagehand asked if Eastwood wanted a chair, and his creative juices went to work.
“I kind of thought I’d do this as sort of an oddball thing,” Eastwood said. “Anyway, everybody seemed to have a good time with it. That’s all that matters.”
Polls have showed more Americans remembered Eastwood’s kooky performance than GOP candidate Mitt Romney’s acceptance speed, which the followed the “Dirty Harry” presentation.
“I didn’t try to upstage anybody,” the Hollywood legend said.“You’re supposed to love it or hate it. I’m just expressing my feelings.”