Hugo Chavez Doesn't Smell Devil, Just Courtney Love

A few years back, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez famously proclaimed from the U.N. General Assembly podium that President Bush was the "devil" and the podium area still smelled like sulfur because W. had been speaking up there. But this time around, Chavez said, "It doesn’t smell of sulfur, anymore. It’s gone. No, it smells of something else. It smells of hope."

The Post adds that Chavez also referred to the 43rd President by saying, “Please don’t anybody throw a shoe at me." And Chavez said of President Obama, "I hope God will protect Obama from the bullets that killed Kennedy. I hope Obama will be able to look and see, genuinely see, what has to be seen and bring about a change."

Last night, Chavez got to rub shoulders with leftie celebrities, at the premiere of Oliver Stone's documentary South of the Border. The director told the LA Times earlier this month that he wanted to change perceptions of Chavez, who is "an extremely dynamic and charismatic figure. He's open and warmhearted and big, and a fascinating character." Apparently Courtney Love thinks so—Movieline says she was really "frisky" when meeting him.