NY Daily News

L.A. Friends of Bill — And an Enemy

ill Clinton still has some friends in Hollywood — but James Woods isn't one of them.

Before the ex-President heads off Monday to India (where he'll visit earthquake-stricken villages due to receive American corporate aid), Clinton will stop in L.A. to pick up a Spirit of Life Award. Michelle Pfeiffer and her husband, David E. Kelley, are overseeing the event, known as the Family Celebration. Among those expected to salute Clinton as an advocate for children are Whoopi Goldberg, Sly Stallone and Calista Flockhart and other "Ally McBeal" cast members. Set to perform are Marc Anthony, Rod Stewart, Faith Hill and 'N Sync.

But you can bet Woods won't be there. Pardongate has brought the actor's long-simmering hatred for Clinton to a full boil.

"He is just utter, utter, scum," the actor says of our former commander-in-chief.

Woods believes that, in granting clemency to fugitive financier Marc Rich and others with connections, the Clintons "acted absolutely true to form. ... They are the most sociopathic, destructive people who have ever set foot in the White House. We will look back on these eight years as the most corrupt and debilitating abuse of power in the history of the presidency."

Woods' status as a moral prophet may be blemished by his checkered romantic life (though he denies an ex-wife's claim that he physically abused her).

That aside, Clinton spokeswoman Julia Payne says, "The American people, who enjoyed eight great years of peace, progress and prosperity, would disagree with Mr. Woods. There is a group that will always hate President Clinton, but I don't think that hatred accomplishes anything."

And what does Woods think of our current President?

"It's hard to tell," says Woods. "He's just someone who's doing business as usual. He's doing everything he said he was going to do, and if you agree with his agenda, he's fulfilling it."

-- Anonymous, March 28, 2001