This Week's Sign: Kumar Goes to White House (no smoke)
Entertainment weekly (followed by AP, Huffington Post and CNN) reports that Kal Penn has left "House" to become an associate director in the office of public liason for the Obama White House. Late-night comedy wisecracks will no doubt be heard throughout the week to come.
Seriously, this is very cool for Mr. Penn. who spoke with EW's Michael Ausiello about his career change: ". . . from the time I was a kid, I really enjoyed that balance between the arts and public service. I went to a performing arts high school, but I still took a bunch of those dorky political science classes. It's probably because of the value system my grandparents instilled in me. They marched with Gandhi in the Indian independence movement, and that was always in the back of my head."
This doesn't appear to be a passing fad, or a publicity stunt. Penn was active in Obama's campaign, but unlike the vast population of celebrity bigmouths, he seems also to have done his share of grunt-work, including being a floor-whip at the denver convention.
This is a fun story, but as a potential Sign of the Coming ApocalypseTM I fear it may be disqualified on the grounds that, while a little strange, it's not actually bad or scarey. Other wonders of the daily news include the Vermont Legislature's overwhelming veto-override affirming same-sex marriage, and the Washington, DC council resolution to recognize other states' same-sex marriages as marriage. (The stipulation that other states' same-sex unions should be recognized as marriage rather than as domestic partnerships under DC law will require the approval of United States Congress, which could potentially make this issue a Very Big DealTM.
Perhaps this is a better apoca-watch candidate, for while I hail it as excellent news, surely someone, somewhere (Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh) will read it as a sign of the coming End of Days.
Happy Easter, everyone.
Seriously, this is very cool for Mr. Penn. who spoke with EW's Michael Ausiello about his career change: ". . . from the time I was a kid, I really enjoyed that balance between the arts and public service. I went to a performing arts high school, but I still took a bunch of those dorky political science classes. It's probably because of the value system my grandparents instilled in me. They marched with Gandhi in the Indian independence movement, and that was always in the back of my head."
This doesn't appear to be a passing fad, or a publicity stunt. Penn was active in Obama's campaign, but unlike the vast population of celebrity bigmouths, he seems also to have done his share of grunt-work, including being a floor-whip at the denver convention.
This is a fun story, but as a potential Sign of the Coming ApocalypseTM I fear it may be disqualified on the grounds that, while a little strange, it's not actually bad or scarey. Other wonders of the daily news include the Vermont Legislature's overwhelming veto-override affirming same-sex marriage, and the Washington, DC council resolution to recognize other states' same-sex marriages as marriage. (The stipulation that other states' same-sex unions should be recognized as marriage rather than as domestic partnerships under DC law will require the approval of United States Congress, which could potentially make this issue a Very Big DealTM.
Perhaps this is a better apoca-watch candidate, for while I hail it as excellent news, surely someone, somewhere (Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh) will read it as a sign of the coming End of Days.
Happy Easter, everyone.