Barack Obama, Al Green courted by 'American Idol' producer for 'Let's Stay Together' duet

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At an Apollo Theater fundraiser in Harlem earlier this month, President Barack Obama gave a brief sample of his singing ability when he did a rendition of the classic R&B song “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green. Since then, the clip has become a viral video sensation and the president has been informally invited to sing on American Idol.

The producer of the highly-rated singing competition, Nigel Lythgoe, invited the president to sing on on the show Tuesday via Twitter. Lythgoe tweeted: ”@barackobama we loved your vocal performance so much we’d love to invite you on to #AmericanIdol this Season for a duet with Al Green.”

WATCH OBAMA SINGING ‘LET’S GET TOGETHER’ HERE:
[MSNBCMSN video=”http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640″ w=”592″ h=”346″ launch_id=”46069815″ id=”msnbc1a7df7″]

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Could this be a joke or a desperate move to boost the show’s sagging ratings? This season of American Idol has underperformed in terms of viewership compared to years past and with the rise of The X-Factor and The Voice, some have argued that Idol needs to shake things up.

The YouTube clip of Obama crooning has already reached over four million views. If the public is that eager to hear the president sing, then arguably they would tune in to watch him perform on a live reality TV show as well.

Lythgoe isn’t as impressed with other major politicians’ attempts to carry a tune. Mitt Romney recently delivered a less-than-pretty version of “America the Beautiful” at a rally in Florida which has been roundly ridiculed. Lythgoe tweeted about Romney’s performance, “If it were an election based on vocal talent @barackobama would beat Romney hands down.”