We know Freddy Krueger. Freddy Krueger is...

We know Freddy Krueger. Freddy Krueger is a friend of ours . . . : President Bush charged Friday that opponent Bill Clinton is “running a Freddy Krueger and he is more interested in scaring people than in dealing with this country’s real problems.”

What a slap in the face at L.A.--and especially Mayor Bradley. As proud Angelenos will recall, the mayor honored the fictional serial killer of the “Nightmare on Elm Street” film series on Friday, Sept. 13, 1991, by proclaiming a “Freddy Krueger Day.”

Star-struck: Bush’s Friday the 11th attack on Krueger was only his latest reference to entertainment figures during the campaign. He has also mentioned “The Simpsons,” “The Waltons,” “Conan the Republican” (Arnold Schwarzenegger), and, in his acceptance speech, “Wheel of Fortune,” George Burns and Elvis (twice).

Other Republicans along the way have invoked “Murphy Brown,” Woody Allen and Jane Fonda.

The only Hollywood type they don’t seem to talk about much is Ronald Reagan.

Just off the Walk of Fame: The Republicans have also used Glendale and Burbank institutions to cudgel the Democrats.

President Bush referred to a Glendale-based chain when he quipped that New York Gov. Mario Cuomo “can’t make up his mind between chocolate and vanilla at Baskin-Robbins.”

And ex-candidate Pat Buchanan took aim at a North Hollywood-based chain when he commented that “Bill Clinton’s foreign-policy experience is pretty much limited to having breakfast once at the International House of Pancakes.”

Old Man Concrete: The L.A. River undoubtedly has been the scene of more TV and movie chases than any other waterway. Car chases, of course. Who can forget Emilio Estevez racing along the majestic pavement in “Repo Man” or wacky weatherman Steve Martin tooling to work on the riverbed in “L.A. Story”?

Dick Worsfold of Culver City points out, however, that in its pre-concrete period, the L.A. River occasionally served a different purpose . He sent along a photo taken in the Studio City area in 1930 near what was then Sennett Studios. Mack Sennett was shooting a two-reel comedy set in Africa.

Where’d the water come from?

Worsfold, who was assistant cameraman on the project, revealed: “Sennett dammed it with sandbags.” Yes, the river was actually playing the part of a real river.

Williamsport in reverse?First, there were the charges that Long Beach’s national champion Little League team lost the world title because its opponent from the Philippines used older players.

Now, John Stout of Bellflower may soon face younger competitors in his bid for an international title. But don’t expect another investigation.

Stout, the state shuffleboard champ, figures to be further along in years at the Clearwater, Fla., event because other countries’ shuffleboard associations don’t require their participants to be at least 55, as the U.S. group does. Stout, by the way, is 80.

miscelAny:

We reported earlier this year that taped Spanish lessons play in restrooms at Santa Monica College. French lessons have recently been added to the bathrooms’ repertoire.