Arnie gaff sparks controversy

Arnold Schwarzenegger has sparked controversy in California by slamming local lawmakers as "girlie men".

The star - who won the Governorship of the state last October - was speaking at a rally in Ontario when he made the remark, which

prompted Democrats to call him homophobic and sexist.

He told the crowd: "If they don't have the guts to come up here in front of you and say, 'I don't want to represent you, I want to represent those special interests, the unions, the trial lawyers ... if they don't have the guts, I call them girlie men."

State Senator Sheila Kuehl angrily responds: "It uses an image that is associated with gay men in an insulting way, and it was supposed to be an insult.

"That's very troubling that he would use such a homophobic way of trying to put down legislative leadership."