Apparently the First Lady’s famous White House herb and vegetable garden wasn’t the type of natural pick-me-up he was looking for.
Kal Penn, star of the “Harold & Kumar” movies, will leave his job in the Obama administration to appear in a new Christmas-themed flick as his signature stoner character, Entertainment Weekly reported Friday, citing the actor’s representatives.
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The movie is set to begin filming in June with a release next year during the holiday season. Penn quit his previous gig, a recurring role on the hospital drama “House M.D.” to become White House director of public engagement last year.
Though the White House has been tight lipped on the departure, Obama economic advisor Austan Goolsbee suggested to ABC News that money may have been a factor.
“I’m hurt and offended that you didn’t ask whether the million dollar Hollywood contracts were calling for me,” Goolsbee said. “I have not accepted any such contract at this point.”