Barbra Streisand says she inadvertently caused a furry “security crisis” at the White House, after bringing her dog to an awards ceremony there.
The “Yentl” star was one of several artists to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from then-President Obama in 2015.
It was only after the ceremony, Streisand wrote in her memoir published Tuesday and called “My Name is Barbra,” that she learned her precious pup Sammie had triggered a four-legged security snafu that nearly caused her to be in the doghouse with the Secret Service.
“[Publicist] Ken Sunshine, who was also there for the ceremony, told me that a Secret Service agent had come to the Oval Office and informed the president that Barbra Streisand was bringing a dog into the White House and asked what they should do,” the 81-year-old Academy Award winner wrote in her book.
“Apparently no one brings a dog to the White House, but I didn’t know that,” Streisand said.
“Sammie goes everywhere with me…even to the ballet or the theater, because she’s such a good little girl. She never barks. She’s just happy to be with us,” the performer said of her “beloved” Coton de Tulear, which died in 2017.
Streisand’s canine companion was tucked in a carrier bag when she arrived at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. for the event, she said.
“We had no idea that we were breaking the rules, and I still wouldn’t know if Kenny hadn’t told me, because everyone was impeccably polite.”
“And President Obama, as always, remained cool in the crisis,” Streisand said, before describing an act of doggie diplomacy from the commander in chief.
“As Kenny said, [Obama] looked the Secret Service agent in the eye and made his decision: “Whatever Barbra wants, Barbra gets.”