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Actor Kal Penn joins White House team to connect with Asian constituen


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http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090407/...film_kal_penn_1

The White House has hired actor Kal Penn as a liaison between President Barack Obama's administration and Asian constituents.

White House spokesman Shin Inouye said Tuesday that the actor, who had a recurring role on Fox's TV show "House" and has starred in several movies, would join the staff as an associate director in the Office of Public Liaison. His role will be to connect Obama with the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities, as well as arts groups.

In yesterday's episode, Penn's character committed suicide. There was no hint in any of the media about what was coming nor did the news leak out about Penn's decision to join the Obama administration.

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http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090407/...film_kal_penn_1

In yesterday's episode, Penn's character committed suicide. There was no hint in any of the media about what was coming nor did the news leak out about Penn's decision to join the Obama administration.

Actors playing politicians? What a novel idea!

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http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090407/...film_kal_penn_1

In yesterday's episode, Penn's character committed suicide. There was no hint in any of the media about what was coming nor did the news leak out about Penn's decision to join the Obama administration.

Harold and Kumar Go To The White House! :lol:

Sad that Dr Kuttner committed suicide; I am kind of glad I quit watching the show after they turned Thirteen heterosexual.

Kal Penn worked for the Obama Democratic campaign and the Obama Presidential campaign, and was part of some kind of Obama committee on arts and culture. He has also been teaching undergraduate courses in Asian Studies at Penn State university. But I suspect his main qualification is being one of a very small number of Asians with any visibility in American pop culture.

I'm not sure why Obama needs to hire a "liason" to "connect him" with any particular constituency, however. I mean, imagine the reaction if Stephen Harper hired an ethnic actor to help sell him to some ethnic community. It would be a gold mine for Rick Mercer. Not sure what makes the concept less ridiculous when it comes from Obama.

-k

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Stephen Harper could hire Mary Walsh as a special "liason" to "connect" him with Newfoundlanders.

Ignatieff could hire Jann Arden to be his special liason with Albertans and fat-people.

Jack Layton could hire an earthling to try to connect him with earth people. I bet Moon Unit Dion wishes he'd thought of this.

Next week when some Conservative party analyst comes into Harper's office with the latest poll numbers that say women still think he's creepy, Stephen will say "no problem. I've got it covered. I just hired a liason to connect me with women voters. And guess what? She's female!" and out waddles Rita McNeil.

-k

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I had to look this one up. If I understand properly, Kal Penn is a TV actor. Wikipedia states that he studied at UCLA in film and sociology.

Even after reading Kimmy, I still don't quite get this one...

He's just part of the pres's 'communications'/liaison team. No biggie.

Harper's got a raft of them too ...

http://sage-geds.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/cgi-bin...o%3dGC%2cc%3dCA

Edited by tango
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Kal Penn worked for the Obama Democratic campaign and the Obama Presidential campaign, and was part of some kind of Obama committee on arts and culture. He has also been teaching undergraduate courses in Asian Studies at Penn State university. But I suspect his main qualification is being one of a very small number of Asians with any visibility in American pop culture.

He wished to serve the new administration and Obama found him a role where he could do that.

Still, a bit of a shock in what happened to his character on House.

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