Kumar (Without Harold) Goes to the White House

I feel absolutely safe about this guy representing me.

The year 2009 looks to be a signature year for the Harold & Kumar alumni. John Cho, affectionately known as Harold, will take on the role of Sulu in the upcoming Star Trek reimagining. Neil Patrick Harris, equally affectionately known as "NPH," is kicking ass on How I Met Your Mother, and, I'm calling it here and now, Harris will trump that jack-ass Jeremy Piven to win this year's Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

And there comes news today of Kal Penn, the star of movies like Epic Movie, Bachelor Party Vegas, Van Wilder, and Van Wilder 2: Rise of the Taj, taking up a role in the White House. Of course, the writers of his now-former show House had to "off" him in a very tragic manner. You know, Kurt Cobain-style. (Let this be a PSA on suicide: don't kill yourself that violently. You do want to look good for the ladies at your open casket funeral.)

Now, we're not talking about a new dramatic TV series or comedy about the White House, Oval Office, or East Wing, for that matter. But Penn, who plays our favorite Indian stoner Kumar, will be a something to the Obama administration and the Asian and Pacific Islander community...or something. No, really.

*sigh* Entertainment Weekly gots this:

White House spokesman Shin Inouye said Tuesday that the actor who has 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 and entertainment groups.

So I think that's cool. Kal Penn is a versatile character actor. Unfortunately, the only character he can play in this movie industry age is "generic Indian-American." But that's Hollywood's way of thinking that diversity exists. They more than remade up for it with Slumdog Millionaire. I haven't seen that movie yet but I imagine it's more like this.