Kal Penn, White House Liaison
Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Politics
While watching Harold and Kumar make their way to White Castle, or more aptly, break out of Guantanamo Bay, did you ever think: "Gee, that Kumar should become a White House aide?" Entertainment Weekly (read below before hitting the link) just talked with the star about a twist in his role on House, and in doing so, learned that President Barack Obama wants a little Kal Penn in his crew.Penn had helped with Obama's campaign, and expressed an interest to work in the White House. This desire got him hired as an Associate Director in the Office of Public Liaison. As Penn says: "They do outreach with the American public and with different organizations. They're basically the front door of the White House. They take out all of the red tape that falls between the general public and the White House. It's similar to what I was doing on the campaign."
Now this isn't some side gig to appease his political interests while he brings in the cash as an actor -- for now he's out of the acting biz to take this on full-time, and is taking a drastic pay cut as a result -- similar aides earned between $41,000 and $91,000 last year.
Do you think this will lead to Mayor, Governor, Senator, and even President Penn? Or are you too busy mourning his departure from showbiz?
*Do not go to that link if you're a House fan, but haven't seen the most recent episode. However, at least EW put up a spoiler warning. Sites across the net and throwing the twist everywhere, even in headlines, so if you're itching to read more, you've been warned!










Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-08-2009 @ 4:37PM
Eric said...
I am a big House fan and Monday night episode was a real shocker. But i thought it was handled well. I went threw a similar situation with a close friend a couple months ago. Lets just say the episode brought it all back. It was tough to get threw at times but it was handled with respect and was very realistic oh what happens when "That" happens.
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4-08-2009 @ 4:45PM
glyn said...
I guess that's harold and kumar 3 cancelled then...
Maybe a ZOMBIE NPH spin off could fill the gap...
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4-08-2009 @ 5:55PM
Travis Tidmore said...
Yeah, EW's Spoiler warning works real well when the title is "'House' exclusive: The shocking story behind last night's big ____(Word deleted for Spoiler-phobs by me, not EW)" and the picture next to is Kal Penn and House. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't ____ House so it's clear who _____.
They might have well said "'House' exclusive: The shocking story behind Kal Penn's Big ____ Scene"
Not exactly a spoiler warning.
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4-08-2009 @ 7:11PM
Cajun_Mike said...
Has Obama's incompetent staff vetted Kal Penn or will he be another lackey who owes back taxes? Wake me up in November of 2012 when this nightmare is over. Hopefully it won't be too late to undo all the damage this unqualified disaster of an elected official has brought upon this nation.
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4-09-2009 @ 12:24PM
Mary said...
After 8 years of tyranny, it's nice to have a guy in the White House with personality, empathy, a BRAIN and can correctly pronounce words.
4-10-2009 @ 11:55PM
Sandi from Michigan said...
"…all the damage this unqualified disaster of an elected official has brought upon this nation?"...Are you being ironic? Or are you sadly and unintentionally obtuse?
4-09-2009 @ 10:56AM
Tizzle said...
White Castle + House = White House
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4-09-2009 @ 12:12PM
vicky said...
I remember my first time of shock during a CIA murder. When the killed the car of guys.
It was shocking because i realized the government was killing people, even people whom were not even charged with crimes. That was not only just shocking for me but for other people whom thought the trend of government murder and exicutions as well as violating sovergnty of countries was totally against international law.
Amnesty International issued a press release saying, "If this was the deliberate killing of suspects in lieu of arrest, in circumstances in which they did not pose an immediate threat, the killings would be extra-judicial executions in violation of international human rights law." The organization warned that "the prohibition against the arbitrary deprivation of life cannot be derogated from in any circumstances, even in a time of national emergency."
Could the Yemen strike be interpreted by other nations and even non-state groups as a justification of their own preemptive attacks on perceived adversaries? Silliman thinks so: “We are basically opening up and crafting a new tool and tactic which is not [only] for the United States to use. . . . We may be putting our leadership at risk.” Assassination of a U.S. Secretary of State or another cabinet official cannot be ruled out. Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh expressed similar concerns: “Even terrorists must be treated according to international law. Otherwise, a nation can start executing those whom they consider terrorists.” Silliman mused, “if we does this outside the traditional combat area in Afghanistan . . . could we not do it in Germany, Ottawa, or even Cincinnati?”
These concerns were quickly silenced with the agressive war in Iraq and regard to human rights and international law went out the door. Also the Swedish Foriegn minister was assinated maybe as well by the CIA.
So anyways, this maybe an old point but i can see people in florida from the Law school teacher, to that reporter at howards party and others don't see things the same way as the international community does.
Both the reporter and the law school teacher said that it did not matter if those guys were murdered because they were hanging around terrorists. Which was a point how does anyone know that? There was no due process.
In regards to forced homosexual sex and tourchure which also the US practices in... This is much less of a crime then murder... Therefore, i believe then this type of people would have the same line of reasoning...
That the Muslims deserved to be forced to perform philatio and tourchured because according to the US government they were hanging around with terrorist.
When what we saw in the documentary the soldiers said many of these guys in guantanamo were bakers and mechanics and just regular guys because the USA was just picking up males and putting them in the prison.
I am not surprised at Richard's response because it is similar to the others. Muslims are not seen by American's as humans therefore they don't consider that they have rights or deserve respect or human dignity.
It could not be anymore apparent.
By making a comedy out of other people's suffering then hiring the guy who did that to represent usa is really just a slap in the face for muslims and i am sure the usa government did that on purpose, to antagonize the muslim community.
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5-04-2009 @ 2:48AM
BiasViewer said...
A combination of the two! Here's my take: http://biasviewer.com/2009/04/08/kudos-to-this-guy/
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4-27-2009 @ 4:12AM
BiasViewer said...
A combination of the two! Or this: http://biasviewer.com/2009/04/08/kudos-to-this-guy/
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