NEW YORK — Forgive Glenn Beck if he's looking over his shoulders these days.

On Thursday, the Fox News host recalled an encounter he had the night before with James Gandolfini at a Cirque du Soleil show. Beck said he noticed The Sopranos star sitting behind him and decided to say hello during an intermission when he got up to take his young son to the restroom. He started by introducing himself and telling the actor they had a mutual friend, but Gandolfini snapped back and asked, "What is Satan doing here?"

Beck said he didn't shoot back, " Why do you glorify killing, mobsters, whoredom?"

The celebrity feud didn't last long, however. After intermission, Beck said Gandolfini came up to him and said, "I have to apologize. It was wrong of me to do that."

"James, I've heard worse. Don't worry about it," Beck said he replied, obviously missing a golden opportunity to offer a "fahgettaboudit" instead.

The conservative talker said Gandolfini is the first person to come up to him and apologize.

"I thank him for at least being a man of honor," said Beck.