Tiger Woods received a phone call from Barack Obama offering him support as he tries to rebuild his life, it is claimed.

Obama, himself a keen golfer, is said to have contacted the 34-year-old Woods following his astonishing TV public apology last month for “irresponsible and selfish” behaviour.

Former president Bill Clinton, himself no stranger to humiliating and public exposure over his extramarital affairs, is also thought to have called to offer his support.

Woods’ 14-minute statement, which was broadcast around the world and seen by millions, was his first public appearance since being linked to 12 mistresses.

His wife Elin Nordegren, 30, did not attend the public confession in front of a hand-picked audience of 40 at the Professional Golfers’ Association in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Woods confessed to cheating on his wife and admitted he was undergoing treatment for sex addiction.

According to golf writer Jamie Diaz, Obama and Clinton both then rang Woods.

Writing in Golf Digest magazine, Diaz claimed Clinton’s own experience in dealing with the storms over his infidelities were said to be “particularly instructive”.

Meanwhile, President Obama is in “excellent health” and “fit for duty,” the White House physician announced yesterday after the 48-year-old commander-in-chief’s first checkup since he took office.

Navy Captain Jeffrey Kuhlman said after the 90-minute examination he saw nothing that would prevent Obama fulfilling his term as president, but he added he had urged Obama to continue trying to stop smoking.

Woods’ mother Tida, who is quoted in the article, is thought to be the source of the information about Obama’s call.

Tida revealed that shortly before the golf star’s 34th birthday she accompanied her son to visit a Buddhist monk.

“I tell him, ‘Tiger, right now you are in a dark hole, and I know it’s hard, but you can do it’,” Tida is quoted as saying.

“You know Mum is strong, and you have my blood. You are strong, too. You made a big mistake, but now you know the cost. So you are going to be much better and stronger, a good husband and a good father. Just go to work like you do.”

— Daily Mail

JLO spoofs RiRi

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery…

So let’s hope Rihanna saw the funny side when Jennifer Lopez impersonated her on Saturday Night Live.

Wearing a short blonde cropped wig styled like Rihanna and a military-style jacket, Lopez sang in the same style as the Bajan star in a spoof of the We Are The World single.

Lopez’s costume looked remarkably like the costume sported by Rihanna out and about in New York last June.

The Latina singer, 40, sang: “There comes a time – er – when we heed a certain call – eh – when the world must come together as one.”

— Daily Mail

Forget Poker, GaGa is Lobster Face!

We’re all used to seeing Lady GaGa stepping out in something out-of-this-world.

But Saturday night she took inspiration from the bottom of the ocean, as she arrived at her after-show party with a diamond-encrusted lobster on her head.

Let’s just hope she wasn’t planning on ordering the seafood.

Even poultry didn’t fare too well with the Bad Romance star who also showed up at the London restaurant with what appeared to be a chicken’s leg on her arm.

Funnily enough, the singer was in good company — including that of royalty — in her choice of headwear, with the sparkly lobster being one of Phillip Treacy’s creations, a favourite milliner of The Queen and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

The Poker Face (or should that now be Lobster Face?) star clung on to two burly security guards as she made her way through the media throng into her party at Kensington restaurant Mr Chows.

— Daily Mail