(Image source: HBO )

BY STEVEN SPARKMAN

Clint Eastwood and his empty chair speech at the Republican National Convention sparked a lot of jokes, but not everyone is so quick to mock. Among the most surprising to come to Eastwood’s defense? Liberal comedian Bill Maher who gave the actor props for his prop.

“As a performer, as a stand-up comedian for 30 years who knows how hard it is to get laughs, excuse me, he went up there, without a net ... he did a bit with just an empty chair and killed.”
 
Maher’s comment on his show Friday night came as a bit of shock, given his outspoken political leanings. A writer for The Examiner called it “a strong compliment for a right-winger from the extreme far left-winger.”

Eastwood and his chair have been the butt of jokes on other late-night comedy shows. But a writer for Breitbart says, politics aside, Maher’s comments about the performance were spot on.

“When Eastwood's appearance first began, I was dying inside. But after a couple of minutes, it all came together … Maher's ‘tightrope without a net’ analogy is perfect. Every time Eastwood looked like he was about to fall, he'd nail his point and his joke.”

But Maher’s comments also got some immediate pushback by one of his guests. The Blaze reports Jason Alexander, Seinfeld’s George Costanza...

“ … disagreed, arguing that any popular celebrity like Eastwood … could walk on a stage and ‘urinate’ on himself for 10-15 minutes and it would get laughs.”

Eastwood and his Invisible Obama bit continue to be one of the most talked about speeches from the Republican National Convention. The Examiner reports the “mystery speaker” for the Democratic National Convention next week has been canceled.