Billy Joel, who has been trying to quit smoking, turned down a cigarette from House Speaker John Boehner on a recent trip to Washington, but he admitted he couldn't turn down the same invitation from President Barack Obama, a source told The Hill.
Joel was the nation's capital last week to receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at the DAR Constitution Hall,
according to The Hill, which said one of its source told about Joel spilling the beans about Boehner and Obama.
"Our tipster says that Joel recalled the Speaker, well-known for his nicotine habit, opened up a drawer, then 'pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered me one. And I said, 'No thanks, I quit,'" wrote The Hill.
Joel showed up a photo Boehner posted on Instagram on Nov. 19 in his office in Capitol Hill.
According to the source, the singer added that Obama made him the identical offer, which he actually accepted after some thought, according to The Hill.
"I was at the White House recently, and President Obama did the same thing," the source quoted Joel. "(Obama asked) I'm going out on the North Portico to have a smoke. Do you want to come with me?"
Joel told the source, according to The Hill, that even though he had not smoked in years, he couldn't turn down having a smoke with the president of the United States at the White House. The source told The Hill he confirmed Joel's visit last December when the singer was an honoree at the Kennedy Center.
Joel told the
New York Daily News on Tuesday, though, that he never shared a cigarette with Obama.
"The Obama part of the story is completely untrue," Joel said. "Nothing like that ever happened. I think their 'spy' had a few too many cocktails at that bar."
A source close to Obama also tried to extinguish the story as well,
according to the Business Insider.
"This is ludicrous. When it comes to his promise to kick the smoking habit, the President has been keeping the faith," the source said.
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