It’s hard to know what to think about this bizarre Gene Hackman story. It seems that the great actor walloped one Bruce Becker, a homeless man, after he called the star’s wife an obscene word that rhymes with “stunt”.

After Hackman refused to give him change, Becker followed the couple down the street shouting “Gene, you are just another Clint Eastwood, you are nothing but an empty chair!” (He seems to have got that sketch at the Republican Convention backwards, but never mind.)

Becker says he was hit around 10 to 12 times. Hackman claims he gave the fellow just one fairly inconsequential slap. It later transpired that Hackman had helped Becker out with money and clothes on previous occasions.

It’s wrong to thump anybody, particularly somebody who lives on the street. But it’s hard not to admire Hackman’s chutzpah. He’s 82, you know! No charges have been filed.