CHEVY CHASE - CHASE MAKES CONTROVERSIAL POLITICAL RANT

Funnyman CHEVY CHASE has been accused of "abusing his position" as master of ceremonies at Tuesday's (14DEC04) PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY'S DEFENDER OF DEMOCRACY (PAW) awards, by airing his political grievances.

The CADDYSHACK star shocked the liberal organisation at the ceremony in Washington DC's Kennedy Center, by launching a scathing attack against the American government, in which he branded US President GEORGE W BUSH "a dumb f**k" adding "and we still couldn't beat him with a bore like JOHN KERRY", Bush's Democrat rival in November's (04) elections.

PAW founder NORMAN LEAR tells website PAGESIX.COM, "I thought it was utterly untoward, obviously unexpected and unscripted and all that stuff.

"It was Chevy Chase. He'll live with it, I won't. He was abusing his position with such inappropriate and offensive comments."