It's a little late for April Fools jokes so I think this is on the level. Kal Penn of Harold and Kumar fame has decided to give up acting and will instead take up a position working in the office of public liaison at the White House.
From Variety
"I was incredibly honored a couple of months ago to get the opportunity to go work in the White House. I got to know the President and some of the staff during the campaign and had expressed interest in working there, so I'm going to be the associate director in the White House office of public liaison. 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."
Of all the actors who went out on the trail for Obama, Penn may have been the most dogged, working the phones in Iowa, traveling across states by bus and volunteering on the floor of the Democratic National Convention. Obama was wary of getting too wrapped up in Hollywood glitter, but he did give shout outs to Penn at campaign rallies.
Penn said on a conference call with reporters this morning that he talked about the job briefly with Obama. "We discussed it briefly. I was trying to find the right fit and see if I could be helpful and be of service." He added that he also consulted with former campaign staffers that he worked with who are now serving in the administration."
I have enjoyed Penn in every role I see him in (particularly the medical wunderkind in House) and wish him all the luck in the world with this new endeavor. It is a pity we now won't see the rumored third movie in the Harold and Kumar series (at least not for the foreseeable future) which I find silly but enjoyable. What do you guys think about this change of career?
Source:
Variety
April 28, 2009, 10:17:06 PM
