Obama finally names who told him to wear tan suit, reveals 'truth' behind row

WASHINGTON, DC: Barack Obama, on Saturday, August 8, finally offered his version of the story behind one of the most mocked wardrobe choices of his presidency, and the answer comes with a very Larry David twist. 

In a new clip from HBO’s 'Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness', Obama jokes that David was the person who convinced him to wear the tan suit that became a political spectacle in 2014.

Obama blames Larry David for tan suit row

The joke appears in the series’ season finale, where Obama revisits the outfit that once generated an extraordinary amount of political commentary.

“People always ask me where the tan suit came from. I think it’s time the truth finally came out,” Obama wrote on social media while sharing the scene.

The clip presents a fictionalized version of how the outfit came about.

In the clip, Barack Obama picks up the tan suit like he’s rediscovering an old relic. “It is a great suit,” he says.

Across from him, Larry David is instantly sold. “Oh boy, oh boy, I think this is the move.”

Obama shrugs and decides to give it a shot, saying, “I’m going to try it out, see how it looks.”

Moments later, he’s back, fully suited up, tie perfectly in place.

There’s a brief pause before he heads out: “Alright, let’s go, I’ve got a press conference to do. You sure about this?”

David doesn’t blink. “Never been more sure about anything in my life.”

David pitches the tan suit to Obama as part of a 'Casual Friday' idea and then gives him his familiar seal of approval: “Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good.”

David even predicts that the choice will have consequences, telling Obama, “People are going to be talking about this for a long, long time.”

Obama's tan suit controversy

Obama wore the tan-colored suit during an August 2014 White House press conference in which he discussed the threat posed by an international extremist organization.

The relatively ordinary clothing choice quickly became a political talking point, with critics arguing that the president had chosen an inappropriate outfit for a serious announcement.

The episode became so memorable that the “tan suit” controversy eventually developed its own place in popular political culture, including a Wikipedia page dedicated to the incident.

More than a decade later, Obama is now using the same controversy as material for a comedy series produced by his own company.

'Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness' is produced with Higher Ground, the production company founded by Barack and Michelle Obama.

Obama had previously appeared in the series through an introduction to its first episode, but the season finale gives him a much more direct role alongside David.