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George or Jeffrey? Obama mixes up his Osbornes at G8 summit George Osborne turns down ballad duet offer
(about 2 hours later)
US President Barack Obama repeatedly addressed Chancellor George Osborne as Jeffrey during the recent G8 summit. George Osborne has ruled out performing a duet with namesake crooner Jeffrey Osborne, after US President Barack Obama repeatedly got their names mixed up at the G8 summit.
Mr Obama is a fan of soul singer and musician Jeffrey Osborne, who enjoyed success in the 1980s with hits such as On The Wings of Love and Love Power. Mr Obama, a fan of the soul singer whose 1980s hits included On The Wings of Love and Love Power, called the chancellor Jeffrey several times.
The singer said he was "delighted" his name had cropped up and would be happy to perform a duet with his namesake. The real Jeffrey said he was delighted and offered to sing with the Tory MP.
The chancellor joked that the offer was an "unexpected breakthrough". But George Osborne said he would not have done so "if you'd heard me sing".
The chancellor tweeted that Jeffrey Osborne was a "legend" but added: "Jeff, you wouldn't suggest a duet if you'd heard me sing." The opera-loving chancellor is known as more of an aficionado of Wagner's Ring Cycle than heart-rending soft rock.
BBC Radio 4's World at One have imagined what a musical "mash-up" of the two men may sound like, taking their inspiration from the singer's best-known work and the chancellor's Mansion House speech on Wednesday. He was chairing a session on tax transparency at the G8 on Tuesday, when, to his probable bemusement, Mr Obama referred to him three times as Jeffrey.
The chancellor was in Northern Ireland on Tuesday to chair a session on tax transparency attended by world leaders - his first-ever visit to a G8 summit. 'Hook up'
'Legend' According to the Sun and the Financial Times, Mr Obama apologised to the chancellor - who changed his first name by deed poll from Gideon to George as a young man - saying: "I'm sorry, man. I must have confused you with my favourite R&B singer".
According to the Sun and the Financial Times, Mr Obama apologised to the chancellor for calling him Jeffrey three times during the meeting - saying: "I'm sorry, man. I must have confused you with my favourite R&B singer".
Jeffrey Osborne was a member of the band LTD before enjoying a successful solo career.Jeffrey Osborne was a member of the band LTD before enjoying a successful solo career.
He had two top twenty hits in the UK in the 1980s and has sung the US national anthem on several occasions before major basketball, baseball and ice hockey games in recent years. He had two top 20 hits in the UK in the 1980s and has sung the US national anthem on several occasions before major basketball, baseball and ice hockey games in recent years.
He told Sky News that he was "delighted" that his name had cropped up in the leaders' conversation.He told Sky News that he was "delighted" that his name had cropped up in the leaders' conversation.
"I was really not aware that he (Obama) was that much of a fan that he would call the chancellor Jeffrey Osborne.
He added: "Tell the chancellor when I come over I will have to hook up with him and we will do a duet of On The Wings Of Love, or something."He added: "Tell the chancellor when I come over I will have to hook up with him and we will do a duet of On The Wings Of Love, or something."
Clegg 'better looking' In response, the chancellor tweeted that Jeffrey Osborne was a "legend" but added: "Jeff, you wouldn't suggest a duet if you'd heard me sing."
Treasury officials have insisted that Mr Obama did know the chancellor's name, and had called him George when they first met at the two-day event. BBC Radio 4's World at One have imagined what a musical "mash-up" of the two men may sound like, taking their inspiration from the singer's best-known work and the chancellor's Mansion House speech on Wednesday.
Treasury officials have insisted that Mr Obama did know the chancellor's name, and had called him George when they first met at the two-day G8.
But London Mayor Boris Johnson drew attention to the alleged snub during a question and answer session on Twitter. Asked what his favourite karaoke tune was, Mr Johnson replied saying it was "anything by Jeffrey Osborne".But London Mayor Boris Johnson drew attention to the alleged snub during a question and answer session on Twitter. Asked what his favourite karaoke tune was, Mr Johnson replied saying it was "anything by Jeffrey Osborne".
During his weekly Call Clegg radio phone-in on LBC, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told listeners he had not heard the gaffe.During his weekly Call Clegg radio phone-in on LBC, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told listeners he had not heard the gaffe.
Mr Clegg also laughed off President Obama's remarks at the G8 summit that described him as "the better looking half of the coalition".Mr Clegg also laughed off President Obama's remarks at the G8 summit that described him as "the better looking half of the coalition".
"It was a passing comment," Mr Clegg said. "I think any observer looking at the three of us would conclude that the person who looked the coolest was Obama.""It was a passing comment," Mr Clegg said. "I think any observer looking at the three of us would conclude that the person who looked the coolest was Obama."
Asked what David Cameron had made of the remark, Mr Clegg said he doubted the prime minister had heard it as there was "quite a scrum" on the way to a lunch. In Parliament, House of Commons leader Andrew Lansley joked: "I think from the chancellor's point of view it's probably just as well that the President of the United States wasn't referring to him as Ozzy. That would have been worse."
The former lead singer of Black Sabbath is not known to have offered a duet.