Kal Pen... (Spoilers for "House")

[LutherSloan]

You do know that he frequently stumped for Obama during the last election, right? He was on the road almost as much as anyone else in that campaign.

What is his job supposed to be at the WH?

 

[Mallory]

Hollywood liaison.

 

[Sephiroth]

well, I guess this means he has to make stoner movies for another 6 years

 

[Data Holmes]

Penn Quits Acting For The White House

7 April 2009 12:00 PM, PDT

American actor/producer Kal Penn has left hit TV show House to work for U.S. President Barack Obama.

The 31-year-old actor has accepted a position as the associate director in the White House's Office of Public Liaison & Intergovernmental Affairs.

Penn - also known for his role in stoner comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle - was written out of the TV drama in an episode that aired in the U.S. on Monday.

And he's preparing to leave acting behind for good even though the salary for the government job is far less than the money he makes from his career on screen.

He tells Entertainment Weekly, "(The Office of Public Liaison & Intergovernmental Affairs) do outreach with the American public and with different organisations. 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.

"I love what I do as an actor. I couldn't love it more. But probably from the time I was a kid, I really enjoyed that balance between the arts and public service. I thought this might be the right time to go off and do something else.

"There's not a lot of financial reward in these jobs. Obviously, the opportunity to serve in a capacity like this is an incredible honor."

Penn is currently working on a graduate certificate in international security from California's prestigious Stanford University.

He also campaigned for Obama last year as a member of his National Arts Policy Committee.

http://www.imdb.com/news/ns0000002/#ni0736952


Sounds to me like he made some friends on the campaign trail...

 

[Neroon]

well, I guess this means he has to make stoner movies for another 6 years

No, that'd be if he worked in the Clinton White House.

 

[Data Holmes]

well, I guess this means he has to make stoner movies for another 6 years

No, that'd be if he worked in the Clinton White House.

He's covered, he's got a medical condition that requires medical... never mind.

 

[bigdaddy]

"And he's preparing to leave acting behind for good even though the salary for the government job is far less than the money he makes from his career on screen."

He finally realized he can't act so he'll work in the White House where everyone is used to them screwing up.

 

[IndyJones]

The actor must have really pissed off the producers of House for his character to get killed off that way...

eta: google tells me, that apparently it was his decision to leave the show and he got some kind of job in the White House (no joke) - entertainment weakly. That makes the way Kutner died even worse though, it was a cheap shot imo.

That was the point though. It was a shock to the audience as it was to the characters. I wouldn't read more into it than that.

 

[Shurik]

So, the title of the third Harold and Kumar movie will be "Harold and Kumar Going to White House"?

 

[Meredith]

White Castle + House = White House !!!

 

[Bad Bishop]

Penn can always fall back on his acting career when Obama is voted out of the White House in 2012.

 

[Misfit Toy]

Penn can always fall back on his acting career when Obama is voted out of the White House in 2012.

I think you should make a thread about that in TNZ, and stop polluting this one with political posturing.

On topic - I had heard that an actor was going to be leaving House, but I didn't think it would be Penn because he hadn't really had a storyline lately. Count me as one of the surprised viewers.

 

[hyzmarca]

So I'm wondering, how many people above him in the chain of succession does he have to covertly assassinate in order to become President?

 

[Trekker4747]

So I'm wondering, how many people above him in the chain of succession does he have to covertly assassinate in order to become President?

Well, for beginners he's not old enough to be President...

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Now Obama needs to get John Cho as his liaison to NASA and Neil Patrick Harris as Surgeon General.

 

[Ro_Laren]

Penn Quits Acting For The White House

7 April 2009 12:00 PM, PDT

American actor/producer Kal Penn has left hit TV show House to work for U.S. President Barack Obama.

The 31-year-old actor has accepted a position as the associate director in the White House's Office of Public Liaison & Intergovernmental Affairs.

Penn - also known for his role in stoner comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle - was written out of the TV drama in an episode that aired in the U.S. on Monday.

And he's preparing to leave acting behind for good even though the salary for the government job is far less than the money he makes from his career on screen.

He tells Entertainment Weekly, "(The Office of Public Liaison & Intergovernmental Affairs) do outreach with the American public and with different organisations. 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.

"I love what I do as an actor. I couldn't love it more. But probably from the time I was a kid, I really enjoyed that balance between the arts and public service. I thought this might be the right time to go off and do something else.

"There's not a lot of financial reward in these jobs. Obviously, the opportunity to serve in a capacity like this is an incredible honor."

Penn is currently working on a graduate certificate in international security from California's prestigious Stanford University.

He also campaigned for Obama last year as a member of his National Arts Policy Committee.

http://www.imdb.com/news/ns0000002/#ni0736952


Sounds to me like he made some friends on the campaign trail...

My thoughts exactly.

I was really annoyed today 'cause I didn't watch House last night and then read a stupid article on-line that said he committed suicide on Monday's episode!!!

It is sad that Kutner is dead, but honestly I was more sad when Amber died. I wonder if who they will replace Kutner/Kal Penn with.

 

[nx1701g]

I just realized two of Fox's actors are leaving the network in pursuit of politics related assignments.

Kal Penn is leaving House to join the Obama Administration

Spoiler: Another

Brian Austin Green left Terminator to star in CW's The Body Politic.

 

[hyzmarca]

So I'm wondering, how many people above him in the chain of succession does he have to covertly assassinate in order to become President?

Well, for beginners he's not old enough to be President...

His ascension will be a bloodbath, then.

 

[TemporalFlux]

Another article at Yahoo:

http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/house-the-truth-behind-the-shocking-surprise--229

I went to a Marc Scott Zicree panel at DragonCon back in 1998, and he remarked upon television character deaths. He said that the rule of thumb is that starring characters only die when the actor really, really pissed off people and the producers don't want to leave an outlet for him to come back to the show. Couple that nugget of wisdom with the interview above where Penn wasn't given any direction on how to act (as though the producers didn't care how he acted)...well, I would guess that Penn's sudden White House plans didn't go over well with the producers.

 

[Trekker4747]

That's pretty much my thoughts. Any time a TV character dies on a show it's because the actor pissed off the show's creators.

But, really, they weren't doing much with Kutner to begin with. Hell, I hope they get rid of Taub next and "hire" another new docling (this one with a more relebvant specailty to diagnostic medicine) and have the team as the Forman, Thirteen, and new guy.