Clint Eastwood is my FRIGGIN' HERO!

Man, oh, man. Finally, someone in Hollywood with the cajones to say this:

Clint Eastwood squinted like Dirty Harry Tuesday night as he took aim at Michael Moore.

"Michael Moore and I actually have a lot in common - we both appreciate living in a country where there's free expression," Eastwood told the star-dotted crowd attending the National Board of Review awards dinner at Tavern on the Green, where Eastwood picked up a Special Filmmaking Achievement prize for "Million Dollar Baby."

Then, the Republican-leaning actor/director advised the lefty filmmaker: "But, Michael, if you ever show up at my front door with a camera - I'll kill you."

The audience erupted in laughter, and Eastwood grinned dangerously. "I mean it," he added, provoking more guffaws.

Sitting well out of range at a table in back, Moore - who received a special "Freedom of Expression" award for his anti-Bush polemic "Fahrenheit 9/11" - chuckled.

Yeah, so maybe it was a joke...but you would've seen me standing up and applauding like a trained seal if I was at that awards dinner.