After making headlines after the release of his memoir ‘You Can’t Be Serious’, the Harold & Kumar star says he is glad that his queerness resonated with many.
Two decades ago, Kalpen became Kal Pen. This choice of stage name leans into the American tendency for monosyllabic names, without sacrificing the Indian origins that bind it. Actor Kalpen Suresh Modi or Kal, who grew up in New Jersey, has a clear vision of his Indian-American identity: “Having strong roots makes me feel more American and interesting.”
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While working – in a brief sabbatical from acting – in the White House Office of Public Engagement under Barack Obama, he kept in his office a portrait of Gandhi received from his grandfather, who was an active participant in the freedom struggle. In this role, he helped organize the first White House celebration of Diwali by a US president in 2009.
In his memoirs, you can’t be serious (Simon & Schuster), Penn, 44, talks about this hyphenated existence, his years in Hollywood, casual racism in the casting room, and his years in the Obama administration, as well as the apparent stereotypes in the roles offered. He is best known for starring in Harold and Kumar The franchise, which rewrote how on-screen representation can be irresponsibly funny and extremely irreverent, and Mira Nair’s namesakeBased on the novel by Jhumpa Lahiri on the slowly frightening US arrival of an immigrant family.
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In a Zoom interview, edited for brevity and clarity, Penn discussed the memoir, for which he wrote it, and what the way forward looks like.
Why a memoir now, when you’ve largely been through your career?
I have written the book keeping two people in mind. One was the 25-year-old version of me, a young Indian-American man trying to enter Hollywood while also interested in social service. Back then there was no podcast, book or film that could guide me. The second group are those who have different passions that they want to pursue in life. See, from aunt-uncle to guidance counselor, everyone told me to do One thing. But now people are accepting the fact that the world is not made up of mutually exclusive choices. You could have a job in Hollywood like working on these ridiculous comedies, and then take a sabbatical to work for the first black president of the United States. As for your question, I look forward to continuing to do more, but I’m excited to share this part of my story for now.
Your relationship with queerness , It’s not something you delve into in your book, and yet you introduce your partner to.
I just wanted to tell my story in the truest way possible. Two things I wanted to share were how I met Josh – we’ve been together for 11 years, engaged for three years – and about my dad. Both are incredibly private people, and I wanted to honor their experiences. Josh and I come from completely different worlds. He grew up in a rural town in Mississippi, and I am the son of Gujarati immigrants who grew up in New Jersey. We didn’t grow up with a lot of money; My father came to America with $12 in his pocket. So, I wanted the story to be about the things that bring us together, being mindful of growing up in a place that is left-wing and open-minded, with a supportive community.
Do you think your queue in the headlines got too much attention after the release of this book? Did delayed, where you play a middle-aged married man with two kids, coming out, it happens because Why this churning?
While writing that chapter about passion, I naively thought it wouldn’t be of much interest. I’m glad it resonated with so many people. They were congratulating me on Twitter for getting engaged. The thing is that I have been engaged to Josh for three years. It just got to know my mother”what re, When are you actually getting married?” It was unexpected [laughs], You just never know what will resonate with people. delayed, I’m very excited. I play a trauma surgeon who has been with his wife for 20 years with two beautiful kids. He goes on a business trip, has a few drinks with a guy he becomes involved with and realizes he needs to let his wife know that he is figuring things out. but as ted lasso or a Rami, This is just set up.
How is your relationship with India?
Growing up in New Jersey – quite a diverse place with a huge Jewish and Italian community – I spoke both English and Gujarati. My Hindi is still ambiguous, but I am working on it. So I just assumed that if you’re American everyone is from somewhere. If you speak more than one language, it just underscores how American you are. Apart from this, summer used to visit grandparents in Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Baroda and Yerevan, Then, as an adult, I keep coming here to pitch shows and work here; One reason I am trying to improve my Hindi.
You create playlists for all of your characters as you write, like for the Dr. Dre playlist. Harold and Kumar, I’m curious, what was yours? namesake Like the playlist?
Gogol’s musical choices are in the book. Jhumpa’s writing is incredible, intimate, and accurate – from her ATM code to the Yale room where she lost her virginity. Part of my research was finding dorms at Yale and just knocking on the door, forgetting for a second that I was a recognizable actor and that was a pretty scary thing.
You spend a lot of time in the book discussing your Obama gig. Was it Obama’s nostalgia during the Trump years?
Anyone with the honor of working in a place like the White House recognizes an incredible opportunity to serve the country and do the right thing. As a mid-level employee, you may find that the work you do is sometimes bureaucratic, sometimes reactive. A lot of the things we did weren’t sexy enough to be accessible to cable news, but it affected a lot of people, making their lives better. It was really inspirational for me.
There is a constant tension with merit in your book. You keep asking whether you deserve what you got or if you were an Indian you got it. What is this restlessness?
I don’t think it’s discomfort. I write about struggle because we love what we do. Hollywood has changed astonishingly over the past decade with streaming. That’s why I talked about the barriers to entry. But you’re right because we talk a lot about imposter syndrome. It’s down to whether or not I deserve to be here, I can’t believe I’m here.
In 2007, when you played a teenage terrorist 24, you said, “I have a huge political problem with the role. It was essentially conjuring up a form of racial profiling… but it was the first time I’ve had a chance to blow things up… a As an actor, why shouldn’t I get that opportunity?” It’s a fascinating dilemma, between wanting to be an actor who does exciting new things and being a brown man in Hollywood who has his fair share of responsibility. Do you still face it?
I’m glad you asked so I could throw New York Magazine under the bus. I certainly didn’t say it that way. I was a little upset that it was written that way. 24 was a good opportunity. But in terms of reality, we didn’t have the kind of domestic fanaticism that has existed since then. There were nuances there. The first time I saw gray people with depth and flaws on screen Mississippi Spice, The family members were not innocent, they were racists. I remember some people didn’t like that portrayal of the Indian community. But what does this mean? The fact that there are flawed, totally fleshy characters? You always want more specifics. Hopefully, with streaming, your question will become irrelevant in the years to come. Viewers are tired of lazy stereotypes.
What are you working on next?
hot mess vacation Releasing in India on Comedy Central, I think on Christmas Eve. This is a Diwali/Christmas diamond theft film that I have co-produced. Then there is Nav Bhatia’s biopic. She [a Canadian businessman and superfan for the Toronto Raptors basketball team] There is an incredible story that I am excited to tell. I have been a fan of ‘The Superfan’ for a while now. I remember watching him at games, thinking on the Jumbotron, “Who’s that uncle on the side of the court? This uncle is amazing. ” there too delayedThe shooting of which starts in February.
you can’t be serious It is priced at ₹699, and is available at all major book stores.
take a tweet hint
Key points from the book, as goes by Kal Penn’s Twitter thread:
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