Actor Kal Penn joining Obama administration in Valerie Jarrett's shop

[sabra]

Source: Chicago SunTimes

WASHINGTON--Actor Kal Penn, who stumped around the country for the Obama presidential campaign, is going to leave Hollywood to work in the Obama White House, EW.Com is reporting. The White House confirmed to the Chicago Sun-Times that Penn is joining the Obama administration.

UPDATE 11:20 p.m. eastern
Penn will be working with the Asian-American and arts communities, said Shin Inouye, a White House spokesman. (Penn's parents are Indian-America.) His start date is not set. (end update)

Penn told EW: "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."

Read more: http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/04/actor_kal_penn_...

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Actor Kal Penn worked as a floor whip during the 2008 Democratic National Convention. (AP Photo)

[KnaveRupe]

1. SPOILER ALERT!

That is clearly why FOX killed him off on House!

If you work for Democrats, Rupert Murdoch will kill you.

[BlackX-068]

11. The Best Reply Ever...

And why I have coffee on my keyboard right now.

[Dappleganger]

14. That made us so angry!

He's one of the best characters on the show.

[Deep13]

2. Go Kumar!

Does this mean he's trading in White Castle for White House?

[Ian David]

3. So, this is why they killed him off on House?

I bet Dr. House never guessed THAT.

[Kindigger]

8. The House message board

Last night people thought Penn had REALLY died!

[Ian David]

9. I thought House viewers would be smarter than that.

Oh, wait.

The show leads-in to "24".

[Thor_MN]

15. I can see how people could have been confused, they ran a suicide psa dovetailed into the end

of the program. Had it ran as a separate spot, it would have been more clear, but it was right at the place where they would put a "This show is dedicated to the memory of ..." Since he was not in the show except as a pair of legs on the floor, this is something they could have done had something really happened to him.

I wondered why they killed him off, and knew that it had to be that he was moving on to something else. I doubted it would be Harold and Kumar 3 or Van Wilder 3. Really didn't expect he would be headed for the White House!

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Yeah baby!

Kal will be great! Yip Yip!

[onehandle]

5. Wow! He's a good guy who's getting a Hell of a paycut. nt

[Kerrytravelers]

6. Ok, now I feel better. I was horrified by House last night!

Penn is our favorite "lacky."

[KT2000]

10. Me too

that was horrible last night. He was the one who would dispose of House's neuroses so succinctly so they could get on with business.
Saw him on Larry King and he has such passion for politics this is a good move. Just glad he wasn't fired from the show.

[sarcasmo]

7. No more Harold and Kumar movies, bummer, but Good for Kal .

[Lisa0825]

12. I am so happy for him!

I love his work, but I thought it was too cool to see him on the campaign, and this will be a great experience for him!

[Kerrytravelers]

13. We saw Penn speak and introduce Obama at an event in Los Angeles in December of 2007.

He was the whole reason we stated watching House. In fact, we're so hooked, we bought the series on DVD- and we've never even considered buying a tv show on DVD.

Good luck to Penn!

[FVZA_Colonel]

16. As happy as I am for him, it kind of sucks that we'll probably have to wait so long

for the next Harold and Kumar movie.