Some Democrats are distancing themselves from Chevy Chase's crude Bush-bashing in Washington, the Los Angeles Times said Friday.

ADVERTISEMENT

The paper reported that "even certified Hollywood liberals were reeling" after the former "Saturday Night Live" star attacked President Bush with a foul-mouthed tirade at the Kennedy Center. Chase was the host for an awards ceremony sponsored by People for the American Way.

Reports from the event said Chase closed the show with a rant against Bush that included the expletive Vice President Dick Cheney directed at U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., earlier this year on the Senate floor.

"Chevy Chase's improvised remarks caught everyone off guard, and were inappropriate and offensive," said People for the American Way President Ralph Neas. "It was not what I would have said, and certainly not the language People for the American Way would ever use in discussing any president of the United States."

The group honored actor Alec Baldwin and actress Susan Sarandon with Defender of Democracy Awards at the Tuesday night event.