If you want a photo of yourself with Barack Obama and don't have any connections, just travel to
Indonesia and ask Ilham Anas if he'll pose with you. He's getting many such requests, so you may have to stand in line -- but it probably won't cost you much. And imagine how envious your friends will be when they see a photo of the president with his arm around you.
Yes, Anas is an Obama lookalike and he's from the same country as Obama's step-father, where Obama spent a few years of his childhood.
'When Obama won, my colleagues played a practical joke on me -- they made me wear a suit, a tie, and took pictures of me posing as Obama,' Mr Anas said.
'The pictures spread very quickly on the Internet. It was phenomenal. Then TV stations and an advertising agency got in touch with me.'
The similarity from certain angles has led to plenty of attention including a starring role in a TV advert for pharmaceuticals in the Philippines.
'I never thought I would be a star in a commercial, then this happened. It's very fortunate,' Mr Anas said.
'I was in the airport in Malaysia and a man approached me and asked: "Are you Obama?" I was very surprised when he asked to take a picture together and bought me a meal.' [Link]
So there you go -- it will only cost you a meal to impress your friends.
Friend: "Wow, is that Barack Obama with you?"
You: "Who else could it be?"
Friend: "Well, it looks like him, except ..."
You: "Except what?"
Friend: "His ears are too small. Aren't Obama's ears as big as Bush's?"
You: "You've been looking at too many cartoons. Don't you know that cartoonists exaggerate features?"
Friend: "No, I've also seen photos of Obama."
You: "Those must have been old photos."
Friend: "So what?"
You (whispering): "Well, don't tell anyone, but I think he's had plastic surgery. His ears seemed rather small to me too."
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