Peter Orszag was not always the handsome, double-timing nerd Casanova we know, envy, and lust after. As recently as his appointment to Obama's cabinet, P.O. was sporting a hideous toupée—or was he?

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25 Nov. 2008: Orszag attends Obama's press conference announcing The Incredible Orszagasm's appointment as director of the Office of Management and Budget. He sports what Powerline characterizes as "the worst toupée in public life," a coonskin cap of a fibrous scalp covering, which D.C. photographers document from multiple angles. But is it a toupée, or is it a bowl cut? What kind of grown man has a bowl cut, anyway?

06 Jan. 2009: Orszag smolders for the camera at a meeting with Obama's transition team. His hair's texture is distinctly rug-like, but perhaps Orszag, who is of Hungarian-American descent, has a naturally coarse coiffure? For there is no discernible dividing line between the coif up top and down the sides, and the hairlines at his temples appear natural.

26 Feb. 2009: Orszag delivers a copy of the President's Fiscal Year 2010 Budget to Senators Kent Conrad (D-ND) and John Spratt (D-SC), depicted here marveling, "What a strapping young lad. So polite and charming!" Orszag's coif is well-blended here, which was almost enough to convince me to drop the toupée thing entirely, until...

20 Apr. 2009: IT RETURNS. At Obama's first White House cabinet meeting, Orszag turned to the side to mug for the press—revealing a palpable break between the luxurious mane at the top of his head and the thinner, greyer hair below. This is definitely a wig. I think?

Peter Orszag's toupée is like his sex appeal: Inscrutable, confusing, likely to polarize even the most civilized of groups. A request for comment yielded no immediate response.