Is it any coincidence that Rudy Giuliani has announced not one, but two Hollywood endorsements in the last 24 hours? As Fred Thompson prepares to kick-off his campaign tour today in Iowa, Camp Rudy says the former New York City mayor has picked up support from actors Robert Duvall and Ron Silver. Now we aren’t going to rag on Duvall one bit. He’s an Academy Award winner, starred in"The Godfather " I and II--two of your Gaggler’s favorite films (and Rudy’s too, we hear)--and even looks a little bit like Giuliani, we must say. Ron Silver, Rudy’s other Hollywood get, is, well, eh--unless you think"Oh God! You Devil!" was an unappreciated gem of 1980s comedy gold, and in that case, our bad.

The news here is that Rudy, in a very politics-isn’t-much-different-from-high-school way, is talking up endorsements from two guys who have worked with Hollywood Fred--though there’s no mention of this in the campaign’s press releases, of course. Duvall starred with Thompson in “Days of Thunder,” while Silver lists several episodes of “Law & Order” to his credit. It’s almost certain that Duvall or Silver, should they hit the cable TV shows in support of their man Rudy, will surely be asked about Thompson’s acting (and political) abilities. What will they say? Who knows, but it’s likely only a matter of time before Rudy’s campaign touts the checks they’ve gotten from other Hollywood notables, like Kelsey Grammar and Adam Sandler. Of course, that’s nothing compared to Sam Brownback’s recent Hollywood get: an endorsement from Stephen Baldwin, Alec’s brother and star of “Bio-Dome.” How will Thompson ever top that? Two words: Pauly Shore.