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Wax Obama Tours Eiffel Tower

By the Associated Press

Posted Jun 29, 2009 2:33 PM CDT

(AP) – Complete with new gray hairs and two bodyguards, a wax version of President Barack Obama took a trip to the Eiffel Tower today. The hot summer sun threatened to melt the fake president's face, prompting helpers to shade him with an umbrella. The statue then traveled to Paris' Musée Grevin wax museum, where it will stand as part of a heads-of-state display alongside renditions of Nicolas Sarkozy, Angela Merkel, and Vladimir Putin.

Sculptor Eric Saint Chaffray had never seen Obama in person. "The main difficulty is making it without meeting him, from press photos," he said at the statue's unveiling. He evidently did a good job—the resemblance was so uncanny that some tourists stopped for a photo opportunity. "It looks really cool," said one American. "Everyone was joking that he was actually here and that we were gonna take pictures with him."

The life-size wax model of President Barack Obama is shaded from the sun during its presentation near the Eiffel Tower in Paris today.
The life-size wax model of President Barack Obama is shaded from the sun during its presentation near the Eiffel Tower in Paris today.   (AP Photo)
A life-size wax model of President Barack Obama is seen during its presentation near the Eiffel Tower in Paris today.
A life-size wax model of President Barack Obama is seen during its presentation near the Eiffel Tower in Paris today.   (AP Photo)
The hand of a make-up artist, right, is seen putting the final touch to a life-size wax model of President Barack Obama, during its presentation near the Eiffel Tower in Paris today.
The hand of a make-up artist, right, is seen putting the final touch to a life-size wax model of President Barack Obama, during its presentation near the Eiffel Tower in Paris today.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
kokuaguy
Jun 29, 2009 11:03 AM CDT
LOL. Mahalo to SPH (Speciality: Political Humor)
Nxxxx
Jun 29, 2009 9:16 AM CDT
When they did this with Bush, people thought it was actually him.
Doctor-Zaius
Jun 29, 2009 8:03 AM CDT
Isn't this the international version of that prank where some smart-alec swipes your garden gnome and mails you pictures of it in front of famous landmarks?

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