PUNCHING UP WITH THE PARK PAIR

Steven Gaydos / Variety / November 18, 2002

London as a display of the sweet science of fisticuffs, the Nov. 7 fight at London's Charlotte Street Hotel between Ken Park helmer Larry Clark and the film's U.K. distributor Hamish McAlpine was not one for the ages.

Let's look at the tale of the tape:

In the Yank corner, hailing from Oklahoma, was "Maverick" Larry Clark, 59, with a record of many, many matches, ranging from Vietnam to the card parlors of Tulsa, where a TKO left his opponent with a bullet hole in his arm and earned Clark 19 months in prison.

In the Blighty corner, the hometown hitter was "Bad Boy" Hamish McAlpine, 47, with a record of many film hits via his Metro Tartan distrib outfit. Prior to the Soho punch party, all of his violent episodes were fictional, in pics like Irreversible, Ed Gein and Ted Bundy.

While celebrating the upcoming preem of Ken Park at the London Film Festival, Clark and McAlpine began what became a decidedly non-celebratory chat about politics. According to Clark, Mc-Alpine observed that "9/11 was the best thing that ever happened to America" and that Israeli victims of Palestinian suicide bombers "deserved to die." McAlpine vehemently denies the accusations.

Those sitting ringside won't confirm who said what, but all agree that Clark leapt up, punched McAlpine in the face, knocked over the table and wrapped his hands around McAlpine's neck before they were separated.

As a bout, it was a rout. The London bobbies issued Clark a citation. Since brawls over drinks occur every night in London--as they do in New York, L.A., Paris and any city worthy of the title--what's so important about this one? There are at least three lessons for those in entertainment:

* When you regularly sponsor edgy filmmakers who revel in themes of extreme violence and antisocial behavior, don't be surprised when one jumps up and beats the hell out of you.

* In a week when 400,000 people are marching in Europe against American foreign policy, capitalism and McDonald's, Americans shouldn't be taken aback when their Euro hosts speak in less than hallowed terms about the good ol' U.S.A.

* In showbiz circles, discussing world politics is safe only when you're sitting on a sofa in Coldwater Canyon with Barbra Streisand on one side and Martin Sheen on the other. But expressing opposing views on the Middle East crisis can turn the mellowest of showbiz dinnes into the next Vin Diesel action vehicle.