Obama nominates Penn for a second stint with the administration.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: One of the most recognizable Indian faces in American pop culture, Kal Penn, has received yet another appointment from President Barack Obama, this time to the Committee on the Arts and Humanities.
The appointment is the second for Penn, who was appointed by Obama as the Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement back in 2009. He has occupied that position off-and-on ever since, leaving temporarily for periods of time to pursue acting jobs.
Obama also nominated four others to the Committee on the Arts and Humanities, in addition to Penn: Janet Keller, Kerry James Marshall, Andrew Weinstein, and John Young. Keller is the founder of political consultancy firm Keller Consultants, Marshall is a renowned painter and professor at the University of Illinois, Weinstein is the managing partner at the Weinstein Law Firm, and Young is a stage actor and singer with numerous Broadway credits to his name.
The Committee on the Arts and Humanities already includes luminaries such as Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland), world famous cello maestro Yo-Yo Ma, Academy Award-nominated actor Edward Norton (Fight Club), and TV stars Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City) and Kerry Washington (Scandal).
The 36-year old Penn – born Kalpen Singh Modi in Montclair, New Jersey – is perhaps best known for his television and film work. He has had prominent roles on hit TV shows such as FOX’s “House” and “24,” and CBS’s “How I Met Your Mother.” In the film world, he is likely best known as part of the lead duo in the “Harold and Kumar” trilogy of films, which released between the years 2004 and 2011.
He also played the lead role in Mira Nair’s 2007 adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri’s award-winning novel, The Namesake. The film earned Penn rave reviews and marked a career milestone for him, showcasing his range as an actor capable of more than just comedies.
In 2007, Penn began actively campaigning on behalf of then-Senator Barack Obama’s presidential bid. As a result of his support of Obama’s campaign, he was appointed to his post at the White House Office of Public Engagement. He also played a significant role during Obama’s 2012 re-election run, being appointed as the campaign’s co-chair. He also co-hosted the official coverage of the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Outside of the entertainment and political spheres, Penn has also involved himself in the academic realm. He took a job as a guest lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania in 2008, teaching an Asian American Studies course entitled “Images of Asian Americans in the Media,” which is actually an issue addressed by the first “Harold and Kumar” film. He is also currently pursuing a certification in international security at Stanford University, having already double-majored in film and sociology during his undergraduate career at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com