Kal Penn discusses his many lives: writer, producer, former White House staff member, starring actor in "Harold and Kumar," and much more.
Kal Penn is an actor, writer, and producer known for his starring roles in Designated Survivor, House, Mira Nair’s The Namesake, the Harold & Kumar franchise, and the patriotic immigration sitcom Sunnyside which he co-created for NBC.
From 2009 to 2011, Kal took a sabbatical from acting to serve in the Obama/Biden administration as an Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. There, he served as the President’s Liaison to Young Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and the Arts community. Kal worked on a range of issues, including the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the Affordable Care Act, Pell Grants, arts and culture programs, the DREAM Act, and rapid response to the BP Oil Spill and earthquake in Haiti. He was a national co-chair for the Obama/Biden re-election campaign in 2012 and served on the President’s Committee for the Arts and Humanities, focusing on arts education and cultural diplomacy.
He has taught courses at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Los Angeles. Kal’s first book You Can’t Be Serious was released on November 2, 2021 from Simon and Schuster/Gallery Books.
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AGE GROUP: | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | Virtual | Authors & Writing | Arts & Culture |
TAGS: | Illinois Libraries Present | Authors Out Loud |