Spoiler alert!
Spoiler alert!
Spoiler alert!
Kal Penn has left House to go work for that other famous house.
The White House that is!
Kal, who said he’s always aspired to a career in politics, asked to leave the show after working on Obama’s campaign, even though he loves acting.
Approaching executive producers David Shore and Katie Jacobs, Penn expressed his desire far in advance, which allowed the writers to craft his exit in an organic way – with a sudden, inexplicable suicide!
In regards to his new job, Penn said he’ll be “the associate director in the White House office of public liaison. They do outreach with the American public and with different organizations. They’re basically the front door of the White House. They take out all of the red tape that falls between the general public and the White House.”
As far as approaching David and Katie, Kal “remembers David saying, “Are you telling me that you’re unhappy with the show and that you want to leave so you can go off and do a different show?” And I was like, “Not at all. I’m actually saying the exact opposite, which is I’m having an incredible time, but there’s something aching in me to do something completely different and take a break from the acting thing for a while.” And with their blessing, we were able to work it out.”
Kal, however, did not expect the suicide, and found it “incredibly violent and incredibly depressing thing that happens to my character,” but calls his departure “bittersweet.”
We wish him the best in all his endeavors.
You overachiever!
[Image via WENN.]