Obama Confuses U.K. Finance Minister George Osborne With Soul Singer Jeffrey Osborne

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US President Barack Obama repeatedly called British finance minister George Osborne "Jeffrey" at the G8 summit, media reported on Thursday.

The US president said three times that he agreed fully with "Jeffrey" during his presentation on G8 host Britain's plans to crack down on tax avoidance, leaving Osborne red-faced.

Realising his blunder afterwards, Obama joked that he had mistaken Britain's chancellor for the US soul singer Jeffrey Osborne, The Sun and the Financial Times reported.

"I'm sorry, man. I must have confused you with my favourite R and B singer," Obama was quoted as saying.

The chancellor, 42, bears little resemblance to Jeffrey Osborne, a 65-year-old African-American hit singer-songwriter known for his 1982 classic "On the Wings of Love".

Jeffrey Osborne told Sky News television: "I was really delighted actually. I was really not aware that (Obama) was that much of a fan that he would call the chancellor Jeffrey Osborne.

"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'."

The Sun quoted an onlooker at the session as saying: "Osborne looked really put out" by what was a "visually crushing blow".

"The first time Obama did it was bad enough, but then he kept on repeating the error throughout the presentation. It got really cringe-worthy by the end."

George Osborne's real first name is Gideon, but he switched to George after being teased as a teenager.

Also on HuffPost:

Fake Ryan Gosling Prank From Mojo In The Morning Confuses Fans All Over Detroit (VIDEO, PHOTO)

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Ryan Gosling or a fake? Scores of excited fans had trouble telling the difference when the "Mojo in the Morning" radio show crew in Detroit pulled a pretty convincing prank with a lookalike.

"OMG, it's Ryan Gosling!"

Or so thought scores of dreamy-eyed fans who stumbled upon the scruffily handsome, blonde man followed by body guards and a video crew in Detroit Thursday.

Only problem: it was a fake. Ryan Gosling is in Detroit filming his directorial debut, "How to Catch a Monster." But the man who caused swooning, sighing and copious picture taking? That's just your average guy in Gosling's de facto uniform of a hoodie and sunglasses who happens to bear an uncanny resemblance to the Hollywood star.

So who is "Lyin' Ryan?" He's a local tax accountant named Doug ... but given the resemblance, we won't be surprised if he tries to make "Lyin' Ryan" the start to a new career as a body double in a sequel to "The Notebook."

While Doug says he's mistaken for Gosling every single day, he said he's never incited the pandemonium that happened during the "Lyin' Ryan" prank. People were FREAKING OUT:

To be fair, he had a pretty legit looking crew with him.

(Sorry ladies, Doug says he's engaged to a "very beautiful girl.")

Watch the Lyin' Gosling prank above from 95.5 FM's "Mojo in the Morning" show and check out even more photos of fooled fans losing their cool. And, be honest: Would you be fooled?

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