His name is Jonathan Goldsmith and while he may not actually be The Most Interesting Man In The World he's not far from it. Jonathan, otherwise known as 'The Dos Equis Guy' has led a pretty incredible life. While he's no longer actively making the beer commercials that made him a very wealthy star, he's still acting like it. And part of this lifestyle includes becoming friends with one of the most famous and accomplished people on the planet... President Barack Obama.
While some criticize presidents who have famous or wealthy friends, the fact of the matter is... they all have and do. Every one. No exceptions. And one of President Obama's is The Most Interesting Man In The World. Here's the truth about their friendship...
How Jonathan Goldsmith Became The Type Of Person That Attracted The President
Former President Barack Obama has had relationships with many famous people, including Kevin Hart who he has hired via his production company. But there was a time that Jonathan Goldsmith was anything but famous.
In fact, he was very, very poor and down on his luck.
In a remarkable rags-to-riches story, Jonathan went from living in a camper to being The Most Interesting Man In The World.
Jonathan had a fairly successful career in Hollywood as an actor, but branched out and started a $150 million marketing company, according to Esquire. But eventually his business venture went belly up and left him practically homeless. This was until he went to an audition that saved his life.
Dos Equis wanted to create a suave, debonair character who was described as "Hemmingway-esque" but they had no idea what they could get until Jonathan came into the audition room and basically created the character on the spot.
And now, he's one of the most recognizable and beloved commercial stars worth about $8 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
How The Most Interesting Man In The World Met The President
What's clear is that Jonathan Goldsmith wants to keep up the appearance that he is truly he Dos Equis guy. In other words, he wants everyone to think that he really is The Most Interesting Man In The World. And that means a guy who can hang out with Presidents.
To at least half of America, President Barack Obama is exceptionally cool. Even those who didn't agree with every one of his politics would probably concede that the Former President gives off the 'cool vibes'. Not unlike Former President George W. Bush, Obama is the type of guy you'd like to have a beer with... even if you'd like to debate policies. He just seems approachable like that.
Therefore, those who get to hang out with him get their 'cool points' boosted. Recently, Meghan Markle was trolled for wanting to get her in with the President. Unfortunately for her, she didn't get her way.
Even someone like Seinfeld's co-creator Larry David seems just SO MUCH more fascinating due to the fact that he golfs with Obama.
Well, Jonathan Goldsmith is much the same. But Jonathan is dissimilar from Larry David as he doesn't downplay the fact that he's golfed with the Former President. In fact, he wrote it in his memoir... probably just to remind us that his life is somewhat similar to that of his now-iconic commercial character.
According to Hello Giggles, Jonathan shared in his memoir the precise moment he first met the then-president. It was at a 2011 fundraiser in Vermont and it was just the beginning of what would become a legitimate friendship between the two...
"The first time I met President Obama, I was part of a welcoming committee in the state of Vermont, where I now live. He was just starting his second run for the presidency, and we were invited to be in a greeting line of about 200 people," Jonathan Goldsmith told Politico Magazine while promoting his memoir which features stories of his interactions with Obama.
From Jonathan's perspective, the two really hit it off that evening as a brief meeting turned into a long conversation that got him invited to Obama's 50th birthday party. Actually, it was a surprise for the Former President who was thrilled to see Jonathan again.
"Just as in Vermont, he seemed genuinely interested in me. He talked about the campaign and how much he really liked it," Jonathan explained. "And I felt so comfortable with him that I called him Barack. Somehow calling him Mr. President didn’t seem right. Later, we smoked a cigar with some of the other guys. He told me I could use his personal pool."
While the two haven't spent much time together in recent years, mostly due to the pandemic, there's a clear affinity between the two of them. And given just how cool Jonathan and former President Barack Obama are, it's really no surprise that they like to hit the golf course, light up some stoggies, and have a laugh together.