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March 29, 2022

Kal Penn: Prepare & Go Get It

Kal Penn (Harold and Kumar, House, Designated Survivor, author of You Can’t Be Serious) discusses navigating and overcoming stereotypes and racial biases in Hollywood. He considers the feelings of motivation and anxiety that can stem from family expectations, how a lens of positivity can lead to less stress, and ways to overcome apathy about making a societal impact. Mayim and Kal bond over their time at UCLA and working together on The Big Bang Theory. Kal opens up about the cultural phenomenon of the Harold & Kumar franchise, how he became involved in the Obama administration, and being a late bloomer in terms of his sexuality.

Theme Song Written, Produced, and Performed by Ed Robertson. Mixed by Kenny Luong.
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Kal Penn

Actor, Author, Lecturer

kalpenn
Mayim Bialik

Host

@missmayim
Jonathan Cohen

Co-Host

@jonathancohenofficial

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Guest References

Kal Penn's National Bestseller "You Can't Be Serious"
The star of the Harold and Kumar franchise, House, and Designated Survivor recounts why he rejected the advice of his aunties and guidance counselors and, instead of becoming a doctor or “something practical,” embarked on a surprising journey that has included confronting racism in Hollywood, meeting his future husband, and working in the Obama administration, in this entertaining and refreshingly candid memoir.
(Video) Kal Penn on his memoir, "You Can't Be Serious"
How actor Kal Penn, the self-described "skinny Brown kid from New Jersey," became a star in the comedy "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" is as improbable a Hollywood story as was his leaving acting to work in the Obama White House. Correspondent Luke Burbank talks with Penn about confounding the expectations of his South Asian American family, and about Penn's candid new memoir, "You Can't Be Serious."
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Kal Penn Isn't Afraid to Take Chances, on Screen or in Life
In 2009, actor Kal Penn did something unexpected: He left his job as a cast regular on the popular TV show House to take a position in the Obama White House, serving as a junior staffer and liaison to arts communities, young Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
See More