Kumar without Harold goes to the White Cast...er House

[katmai]

'House' opens way to job with Obama White House

BY Michael Saul
DAILY NEWS POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

Updated Tuesday, April 7th 2009, 12:34 PM

DeCrow/AP

From 'House' to the White House: Actor Kal Penn has scored a gig inside the Obama administration.


New Jersey-born actor Kal Penn, who played a stoner Guantanamo Bay escapee in the movies and a doctor on TV's "House," has scored a job in the White House. Way to go, dude!

Penn, 31, will become associate director in the White House Office of Public Liaison, administration officials confirmed Tuesday. The Indian-American film star will be an emissary to the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities, along with arts and entertainment groups.

Penn campaigned extensively throughout the country for President Obama last year and was a hit on college campuses.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Penn explained why he decided to leave "House." His character inexplicably committed suicide in an episode that aired Monday night.

"I was incredibly honored a couple of months ago to get the opportunity to go work in the White House," Penn explained. "I got to know the President and some of the staff during the campaign and had expressed interest in working there."

Penn described the office as the "front door" of the White House, saying he'll be responsible for doing outreach with the American public.

"They take out all of the red tape that falls between the general public and the White House," he said. "It's similar to what I was doing on the campaign."

Penn gained fame as the co-star of the raucous and profane "Harold and Kumar" stoner comedies that have become a cult favorite with fans worldwide. The first installment, "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle," followed the misadventures of two New Jersey guys with a pot-stoked craving for their favorite burgers.

He famously smoked weed with a fictional President Bush in the sequel, "Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay,"

Penn also starred in Mira Nair's 'The Namesake,' and played a terrorist in a recurring role on "24."

Penn acknowledged that ditching Hollywood for Washington comes with a massive pay cut.

"There's not a lot of financial reward in these jobs," he said. "But, obviously, the opportunity to serve in a capacity like this is an incredible honor."
As it turns out, Penn will not be working in the White House, per se. His office will be in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, located next to the West Wing and housing most of the White House staff.

Penn, born in Montclair, New Jersey, said he's long been interested in both the arts and public service. His grandparents marched with Gandhi in the Indian independence movement, "and that was always in the back of my head."

A UCLA graduate, Penn has been taking courses in international security at Stanford University.

On the campaign trail, Kumar helped get actor friend Brendan Rough, aka Superman in "Superman Returns," to stump for Obama. On occasion, they campaigned together.

Asked if he's giving up acting, Penn replied, "Not necessarily."

"Who's to say where any path leads?" he said. "I still have a passion for it. But for the time being, I won't be acting."

[Neil]

What a retard.

[Phillip V]

What a retard.

Don't be racist.

[Grey Fox]

Will he have to use his real name?

[Neil]

What a retard.

Don't be racist.

Which is better:  Being a moderately succesful actor, or being a PR guy for the worst administration in American history?

[The Nickname Who Was Thursday]

Which is better:  Being a moderately succesful actor, or being a PR guy for the worst administration in American history?

The first is clearly better for people aspiring to a political career. :gipper:

[katmai]

What a retard.

Don't be racist.

Which is better:  Being a moderately succesful actor, or being a PR guy for the worst administration in American history?

He's working in this WH, not the Bush one, duh. Man i weep for the Albertan education system and apparently news reporting as well.

[Razgovory]

What a retard.

Don't be racist.

Which is better:  Being a moderately succesful actor, or being a PR guy for the worst administration in American history?

He's working in this WH, not the Bush one, duh. Man i weep for the Albertan education system and apparently news reporting as well.

I like Neil's trolling on this.  It's fun because it's hard to tell the difference between Neil's trolling and Hans' honesty.

[Neil]

What a retard.

Don't be racist.

Which is better:  Being a moderately succesful actor, or being a PR guy for the worst administration in American history?

He's working in this WH, not the Bush one, duh. Man i weep for the Albertan education system and apparently news reporting as well.

Don't make me destroy you.

[Caliga]

Nice proofreading in this article.  Brandon Rough?

[Ed Anger]

As long as I don't have to suffer through another Harold And Kumar movie, then I approve.

Alos, if this means more 13 time on House (hopefully without the black growth attached to her in the storyline), then I double plus approve. I'd bend 13 over a sofa arm and pound away. I'd smile at her first though.

[Caliga]

As long as I don't have to suffer through another Harold And Kumar movie, then I approve.

Did someone force you to watch them at gunpoint or something?

[Ed Anger]

As long as I don't have to suffer through another Harold And Kumar movie, then I approve.

Did someone force you to watch them at gunpoint or something?

Yes. I am still allowed to hate shitty stoner movies?

[KRonn]

So, is this good or bad? And I never heard of this actor or the show he did. I guess I can't get reception for it in the cave I live in.   

[Grey Fox]

So, is this good or bad? And I never heard of this actor or the show he did. I guess I can't get reception for it in the cave I live in.   

I'm not happy about it. His character on House was one my favorite & now he made them kill him.