Kal Penn Officially Quits White House Job To Film 'Harold & Kumar' Sequel

Kal Penn officially left the White House's Office of Public Engagement earlier this month, a White House spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.

"In order to fulfill a commitment he made prior to the start of his employ here, Mr. Modi resigned his post on June 1," White House spokesman Shin Inouye told CNN, referring to Penn by his given name, Kalpen Modi, which he used in his official role at the White House. "We deeply appreciate his service and wish him the best in his future endeavors."

Earlier reports suggest that Penn's prior commitment may be a Christmas-themed "Harold and Kumar" sequel, slated to be directed by Todd Strauss Schulson and possibly presented in 3D.

Penn joined the Obama Administration as liaison to the Asian American and arts communities last summer after leaving the cast of the Fox TV show "House." In April, he was robbed at gunpoint in Washington D.C.

Comments

[DailyVsVidz]

01:31 AM on 07/08/2010

Awesome, love to see Kal Penn back for what he do best, comedy! LOL Can't wait for it! :)

[regularguynyc]

12:32 AM on 06/25/2010

He seems to be a pretty smart guy, I wonder if he'll write a movie aout his experience within a failed administration?

[ClaireDeLune]

05:42 PM on 06/26/2010

I doubt he'd be able to get a movie about this Administration financed in Hollywood, not if he intended to show them up in any way, even if for the sake of humor. He does demonstrate a certain intelligence, if not survival skill as he chose to bail on this Administration as it becomes more obvious there is going to be no happy Hollywood ending.

[regularguynyc]

09:43 AM on 06/27/2010

Very True "Fanned"...

[mrmrszero]

11:10 PM on 06/24/2010

I say YEAH! spark one up, So Washington is a cess pool of corruption, maybe he just wants to serve his country by making people laugh. is that so wrong?

[DesertRatzoRizzo]

07:30 PM on 06/24/2010

Kal Penn (full name: Kalpen Suresh Modi) left a lot of money on the table when he decided to leave the immensely popular TV series "House" to take this nothing job in the White House. I hope he gets his TV and movie career back on track (the two "Harold and Kumar" movies already released are OK, but nothing great) and lands another gig as good as the one on "House."

[Turukano]

06:27 PM on 06/24/2010

I am sorry but who leaves a job in the Administration to film a movie.

[7tony8]

09:43 PM on 06/24/2010

Anyone offered a large sum of money and who only has a minescule chance of a successful political career (because they have a shred of decency).

[LittleMittens]

12:38 AM on 06/25/2010

If the administration is not living up to it's own resolve...then it's time to move on. Kal's position was one of support, not policy change. So if the policy has not changed radically enough, then there is nothing new to support, exit gracefully, and let some career politician fill the going nowhere position...

[Torrentlover]

05:46 PM on 06/24/2010

At least making a stoner movie will bring more positive into American's lives than what has been done so far by the administration.

[Jaladeno]

05:54 PM on 06/24/2010

If only McCain and Palin were in there straightening everything out! (sigh...)

[ClaireDeLune]

05:48 PM on 06/26/2010

LOL! Good point, we need more positive thinking like yours!

[ilovecandy]

05:06 PM on 06/24/2010

Harold and Kumar in 3D? Now that is weird.

[HatingTheGame]

01:06 AM on 06/25/2010

Not if you're high.

[Downtown]

04:37 PM on 06/24/2010

The only relevant question is: How will they bring back NPH for the next film?

"I performed an appendectomy at age 14, I think I can handle a few mushrooms!"
NPH in H&K II

[maab76]

03:51 PM on 06/24/2010

He is both intelligent, and hard working. Can't wait to see the movie. He was outstanding on House.

[JimR]

03:33 PM on 06/24/2010

He should have stayed on the other "House." I liked his character.

[Silent Edge]

05:07 PM on 06/24/2010

Bring him back.

[JimR]

05:11 PM on 06/24/2010

That may be a bit difficult. They had his character commit suicide.

Of course, they could always say it was just one of House's hallucinations.

[undsoweiter]

03:07 PM on 06/24/2010

He Palined.

[VoteThemAllOut]

03:05 PM on 06/24/2010

Interesting, someone in the Obama administration who believes in keeping his word.

Not sure if the new movie will be any more laughable than the current administration's performance to date on items/issues like:
- gulf oil spill
- changing/stopping the corruption in DC
- providing transparency in the presidency
- closing GITMO
- bringing the troops home

Just to name a few.

[Knowitall]

03:47 PM on 06/24/2010

What could the gov't have done about the oil spill? This was a disaster waiting to happen for years. A PRIVATE INDUSTRY disaster.

Corruption in DC? Be more specific. A lot of the "corruption" has already left the government or DC, (hundreds of lobbyists have left town & gone back to Wall Street or Texas), some are already in the pen or on the way--Abramoff, Jefferson, Delay, Libby, Cheney, to name just a few.
But good luck with eliminating it completely.

This is the most transparent WH we have ever had, bar none. Sometimes I wish they weren't so open. (I've been around a long time--I was born in DC, have been a political junkie all my life & anyone else whose been here knows it's true.)

GITMO is closing. If the minority wasn't fighting tooth & nail to keep it open, it would have happened by now. But detainees are slowly being processed out under the radar.

The last of the combat soldiers in Iraq will be home this year. Those who have been redeployed to Afghanistan are aware of the July 2011 deadline--which, again, the GOP is fighting tooth & nail. That's what all this McChrystal stuff was about these last few months. He along with many in the Pentagon and the GOP (including McCain) are foresquare against withdrawal.
McChrystal thought troops should plan to be there for another 10 (TEN) years! In other words, a war that would have lasted 20 years. That's basically why he's gone.

[a4plus]

06:23 PM on 06/24/2010

Kool Aid works with you

[Turukano]

06:28 PM on 06/24/2010

Agreed.

[ClaireDeLune]

05:10 PM on 06/26/2010

Glad to see somebody else has an aversion to kool-aid. Of course the list of broken promises and issues in which Obama promised he would resolve during his um, "Hope & Change" campaign could go on & on, but your list hits some of the biggest failures to date. Prepare for the onslaught of the faithful/demented, for the "Fawners" don't take well to having their delusions exposed.

[kinogod]

02:10 PM on 06/24/2010

Bet he's glad to get back to the pipe after that crazy stint.

[kcflood]

01:31 PM on 06/24/2010

I'd rather have a full term with the White House under my belt than another D-list movie about drugs and food. *sigh*

[nhunter]

05:55 PM on 06/24/2010

Which do you think pays better?

[Turukano]

06:29 PM on 06/24/2010

Thats true.

[Dangerous Dan]

01:11 PM on 06/24/2010

Moving on to a more rewarding and fulfilling job.