Eastwood was hilarious and people have to be seriously anal to not have noticed.
The fact is, some people ARE seriously anal, and it shows in their faces. They have this pained, pinched appearance to their faces any time something less that complimentary is said about their idol, and it is a traumatic thing to realize that not everybody shares their almost religious zealotry.
That was classic and vintage Eastwood up there on stage, ranking with some of his best “Dirty Harry” or “The Outlaw Josey Wales”.
Clint had that Gatling machine gun up, loaded, aimed, and firing away.