BILL CLINTON - CLINTON CORNERS GERE

Former American president BILL CLINTON has put CHICAGO star RICHARD GERE right - after the actor criticised him in public.

The silver-haired politician was unhappy after Gere made a speech at a dinner hosted by his senator wife HILLARY where he slammed the federal government's lack of funding for AIDS research.

At one point Gere turned to Mrs Clinton and remarked, "And there was no help from your husband, Senator, in his eight years in the White House."

So as soon as he got the chance, Clinton set the record straight. He bumped into Gere at a party thrown by VOGUE editor ANNA WINTOUR and took him into the corner for a chat.

A source says, "There were no voices raised and they both seemed pleased at the end of the conversation. They shook hands and patted each other on the back."