US News

FORGET WHITE CASTLE — HEAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE

Who needs White Castle — Kumar’s going to the White House.

Actor Kal Penn, better known as Harold’s partner in the stoner comedy movies, is joining the Obama administration as Associate Director of Office of Public Liaison.

But first, he had to die.

Dr. Lawrence Kuttner, the character he played on the Fox hit “House,” met a gruesome end as a suicide — he was found in a pool on his own blood — to account for his disappearance from the show.

Speaking yesterday of his new role in the west wing, Penn said, “It’s similar in the sense to what I was doing in the campaign — going into communities to talk to people, getting a bunch of different citizens’ views about how their government is working, and make sure their views are brought to the table.”

During Obama’s campaign, Penn, whose parents were born in India, served on his Committee on Arts Policy and focused on outreach to Asian Americans and the arts community.

Penn put in his job application to President Obama himself at one of the inauguration balls.

“Backstage, very briefly, I had mentioned I was looking to work for him, and we talked about what sorts of areas I’d be willing to serve in,” he said.

“I had some follow-up calls from him and some friends on the campaign to see if I’d be a good fit and where.”

He told his fans not to worry about seeing him again on television or movies.

There’s life after politics, he said, promising, “I will return to acting.”