Barack Obama appears for jury duty but court says no thanks

Former US President Barack Obama was summoned for jury duty on Wednesday -- he went -- but the Chicago court dismissed him soon after. 

Obama was the only potential juror to arrive by motorcade, with tight security. 

Several news media and court staff tried to get a picture with him.

"He gorgeous!" one court clerk exclaimed upon spotting the former president, the Chicago Tribune reported. 

Potential juror Kelly Bulik told the newspaper she felt like a "piece of melting butter" as she shook his hand.

"Thanks everybody for serving on the jury. Or, at least being willing to," Obama said. Apparently everybody laughed. 

Also read: A sneak-peek into Obama's presidency

Obama is not the first former US president to be summoned for jury duty, AFP reported. 

George W Bush was also summoned in 2015 but like Obama, he too was dismissed.

Oprah Winfrey though served as a juror on a three-day murder trial ending in a conviction in 2004, again in Chicago. 

Jury duty is not really thought of as something desirable in the US.