Kal Penn Leaving "House" For White House (HOUSE SPOILER ALERT)

***WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Monday night's episode of "House." If you don't want to know what happened, stop reading.***

UPDATE: Kal Penn went on the "Today Show" Friday to discuss his departure from "House" and his new job in the Obama administration. Watch:

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Kal Penn is leaving the show "House" to work in the White House (or at least, in the Old Executive Office building next door). The actor, best known for his role in "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," tells Entertainment Weekly :

I understand it was your decision to leave House. True?

KAL PENN: Yes. 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.

Penn's character on "House" committed suicide. Read the rest of the interview here.

Penn urged two undeclared college superdelegates to support Obama in an open letter published on The Huffington Post in May. He was a floor whip at the Democratic National Convention, and starred in a pro-Obama online ad:

Comments

[Jeremy Nguyen]

01:22 AM on 04/21/2009

here is my response to the article! in comic strip form!

http://www.jeremywinslife.com/2009/04/21/kal-penn-goes-to-white-house/

[LollieDotCom]

03:06 AM on 04/11/2009

That's an interesting trifecta. Joaquin, Billy Bob and Kal. All three giving up the great Hollywood career for something more important to them. My heart goes out to Joaquin, because I think his brain chemistry is really messed up. So let's take him out of the comparison.

You know the biggest difference between Kal and Billy Bob? I think it's respect. Kal is a person who treats people, (interviewers are people too by the way) with sincere respect. Billy Bob on the other hand treats at least some people with a complete lack of respect, while being all upset that he's not being treated with ultimate respect.

I have absolute faith that Kal will do very well in his new career. Billy Bob, not so much. Not unless someone opens up an extra big can of South Park on his tail. Then who knows. Maybe he'll do well too. Only time will tell.

[Khirad]

01:13 AM on 04/11/2009

While I enjoyed him as Kumar, it was as Gogol where he shined. I was hoping to see him in more quality Desi films, but it is nice to see an Indian-American like him serving the Obama administration! Shubhkamnae Kal bhai! And seriously, if you haven' see the Namesake, Netflix it already!

[Clovie]

05:38 PM on 04/10/2009

I was so shocked when Kutner committed suicide, and kind of mad because I really liked his character. But, I was thrilled to hear that he left to work in the White House! It's so unheard of for an actor on a hit show to willingly leave for a job in public service. I think it's fantastic.

[sfden50]

03:54 PM on 04/10/2009

Another White House Hottie!
How much more can we take?
Nice............................

[rickyjimmy]

03:53 PM on 04/10/2009

Good on him! Sterling Example for all those other so called 'politically active' members of the holly would if she could community. WALK IT LIKE YOU TALK IT!

[Nicon]

03:40 PM on 04/10/2009

Way to go Kal!

Were not Low!

[mk20051]

07:58 PM on 04/10/2009

Better ruck toemorrow!!! Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle was a hilarious movie!! It is going to be weird watching it thinking that Koomie is in the White House!!

[RonPaulFan]

02:33 PM on 04/10/2009

I actually think this actor does more good for society by appearing on a tv show and in movies. There are so very few minorities on network tv. His parents are from India, which makes him an anomaly on tv and it's great for young kids to see someone that looks like them on the screen. The position he's taking could be filled by anyone, whereas I guarantee you his role in the show will not be filled by a minority, thus the segregated world of entertainment continues.

[ExFatoFides]

01:22 PM on 04/10/2009

If you were on the web site of President Obama's presidential run you might have gotten to see Kal Penn' s involvement in the campaign, speeches he made that were available in video vignettes. He is a very special young man and I look up to him. In the Civil Rights movement many artists put their careers on the line to get involved in civil disobedience and direct action. This bodes well for those like me, in generation X & Y who will put up a good fight for a better future.

[AAnLA]

12:55 PM on 04/10/2009

That tall black guy to the right of Kal when he shakes the president's hand is REALLY CUTE! Do a story on him! lol

[Culturegeek]

12:20 PM on 04/10/2009

Did anyone catch the bit at the end inviting people to share their thoughts about Kutner on an online memorial that they've set up. At first, I thought that the actor must have died, but no; Fox is catering to people who don't know the difference between real and make believe. Well, I suppose that explains O'Reily.

[vesaversa1]

12:11 PM on 04/10/2009

Well that great and congratulation . I just hope now this mean that my kids want have to go through all the red tap to get that government grant .

[Tkevan]

02:45 PM on 04/10/2009

If they have your spelling capabilities, they certainly won't get a scholarship.

[biskitdaddy]

11:53 AM on 04/10/2009

Is this a sequel to "Harold and Kumar escape from Gitmo"?

[WeMustChange]

11:34 AM on 04/10/2009

Please check out an editorial on www.wemustchange.org called "Stolen Election to Economic Crisis."

[liminal67]

11:16 AM on 04/10/2009

Kal's great...

http://pitchbendpost.blogspot.com/

[omgurkidding]

02:24 PM on 04/11/2009

I think Kal made the right choice in accepting a job in the Obama administration. Who wouldn't jump at the chance to be involved in such an historic moment in this country's evolution? But I think he made a poor choice in his mode of exit from "House." There has been an upsurge in suicide among young people, especially where I live (upstate NY) and watching a make-believe one on a TV show was totally unnecessary. The grief and shattered lives that suicide leaves behind, especially when no one sees it coming (and even if after the fact you can figure out that there were signs) is horrible for the survivors. I think there are dozens of ways that "Dr. Kutner" could have left the show. I think suicide was an extremely poor choice.