The moment Scottish economist Angus Deaton was announced as the winner of the Nobel prize in economics, everyone did a double take.
Not because it’s an undeserved win – Deaton is best known for his work promoting welfare and reducing poverty – but because some people, for a second, thought perhaps actor and comedian Angus Deayton had won the prize instead.
Had anyone made a joke about Angus Deayton yet?
— Jason Cartwright (@jasoncartwright) October 12, 2015
For a second there I thought Angus Deayton had won the Nobel Prize.
— Rick Eyre (@rickeyre) October 12, 2015
There’s a big difference between the two. Deaton, as well as being a Nobel prizewinner, is the Dwight D Eisenhower professor of economics and international affairs at the Woodrow Wilson school of public and international affairs at Princeton. Deayton, on the other hand, was once the presenter of satirical news show Have I Got News For You, leaving in 2002 amid tabloid allegations about his private life. He has also starred in One Foot in the Grave and Waterloo Road.
But, inevitably, Twitter kept making the same joke about the Deaton/Deayton confusion, especially the latter’s apparent career change.
"No, he's Angus DEAYTON. Different guy." - repeated phrase today
— Eris of Ares 3 (@ErisLovesMovies) October 12, 2015
Angus Deayton's won whaaaaaaat!?
— Richard Walls (@Richard_Walls) October 12, 2015
Some began tweeting an unverified and probably fake Angus Deayton Twitter account offering their congratulations:
.@Angus_Deayton Congratulations on the Nobel Prize, you really nailed your career change! :-)
— Tony Roberts (@bonytony) October 12, 2015
One trickster briefly updated Deayton’s Wikipedia page to say he had won a Nobel prize.
Someone already updated (UK comedian) Angus Deayton's Wiki page to say he won #NobelPrize. He'd be tickled by that pic.twitter.com/jTOYZgX2ud
— Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) October 12, 2015
Except he hasn’t, as people pointed out over and over again.
It's a good day to NOT get Angus Deaton and Angus Deayton mixed up
— James Tauber (@jtauber) October 12, 2015
Had anyone made a joke about Angus Deayton yet?
— Jason Cartwright (@jasoncartwright) October 12, 2015
Some people got tired of the joke pretty quickly.
Dear Twitter, stop with this Angus Deaton/Angus Deayton thing. Was only slightly amusing 1st time. Anyone who is funny has now done the joke
— Garry White (@GarryWhite) October 12, 2015
But in case you are still confused: the man in the middle is Angus Deayton and, no, he did not win the Nobel prize in economics.
To think we were one letter away from the greatest Nobel Prize announcement ever. Cheers Angus Deaton / Deayton. pic.twitter.com/PGXTm5SuIW
— Hicham Yezza (@HichamYezza) October 12, 2015
6pm update: Comedian and author David Baddiel has posted this image of a man receiving some important news. What could it all mean?
The football team I play in returning from Italy today. One of us has just got some confusing news about a prize… pic.twitter.com/VZvt9vxVd2
— David Baddiel (@Baddiel) October 12, 2015
