George Clooney has hit back at Hollywood rival Russell Crowe after the "Gladiator" actor publicly slammed stars who appear in commercials.

"I don't use my celebrity (status) to make a living. To me it's kind of sacrilegious - it's a complete contradiction of the (bleep) social contract you have with your audience," the Internet Media Database quoted Crowe as saying.

Speaking to an Australian magazine, the Oscar winner was particularly scathing of Clooney, Harrison Ford and Robert De Niro, who have all plugged products on television outside the US.

Clooney has now hit back, suggesting that Crowe used his standing to promote his rock band "30 Odd Foot Of Grunts".

The "Ocean's Twelve" star took a dig at Crowe: "I'm glad he set us straight. Because Harrison, Bob and I were putting a band together called 'Grunting For 30 Feet' and that would also fall under the heading of 'bad use of celebrity'."