Harold and Kumar go to the White House

Well at least Kumar anyway.

Actor Kal Penn - pictured at right with "Unknown Lucha Libre Midget" - recently left the TV show House to go work for President Obama's administration. He 'll be an associate director at the Office of Public Liaison and communicate with arts and entertainment groups on behalf of the President, in addition to Asian and Pacific Islander communities.

Really? This guy? The same dude who made passionate love to a giant bag of weed in the cinematic opus Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle? He's going to communicate on behalf of the White House?

And, since when does President Obama need someone to help him out with the arts and entertainment industry? They already seem to be a locked-in part of his committed electorate.

In interviews, Penn has said he's always been interested in matters of state, which is fine. Were he to join the United Nations as a Goodwill Ambassador, we'd have no problem with that. Bringing awareness to certain global issue, while helping those in need is something he's probably qualified for.

But, in what part of preparing for his role as "Taj" in National Lampoon's Van Wilder, did he study domestic American political policy?

Basically, this is a vanity job. While you weren't going to see Penn on "Inside the Actor's Studio" any time soon, his career was going well. He was on his way to becoming the most successful Indian-American actor in mainstream Hollywood.

Let's just hope he can take this new gig seriously. We'd hate to see his appointment go the way of the IMDB plot description of his new movie, "Under New Management"

Two co-workers send their boss on a sex cruise and then turn the office into party central, causing profits to soar in the process.

On second thought...is this a secret approach to economic renewal?