Book
You can't be serious / by Kal Penn.
"Kal Penn's unlikely career arc has taken him from nerdy American kid from an immigrant family in the New York suburb of Montclair, New Jersey, to world-famous actor, to White House staffer under President Obama, and back to actor again. Now, in You Can't Be Serious, he reflects on the most ridiculous, offensive, and rewarding moments that have stood out during his journey. With intelligence, humor, and charm on every page, Penn explores what it means to be the embodiment of the American Dream, as the child of immigrant parents who came to this country with very little, and who never expected to see their son get his big break by sliding off an oiled-up naked woman in a raunchy Ryan Reynolds movie. He also pulls back the curtain on racism in Hollywood and the constant reminders that he would never fit in. And of course, he reveals how, after twenty-five years fighting for success in Hollywood, he made the terrifying but rewarding decision to walk away from it all for a career in politics. Above all, You Can't Be Serious shows that everyone can have more than one life story. Penn bravely demonstrates by example that no matter who you are and where you come from, you have many more choices than those presented to you. It's a story about struggle, triumph, and learning how to keep your head up. And okay, yes, it's also about whether Kal really smoked weed in the White House with the former First Lady-because let's be honest, that's what you really want to know"-- Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781982171384 (hardcover)
- Physical Description: viii, 367 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (chiefly colour) ; 24 cm
- Edition: First Gallery Books hardcover edition.
- Publisher: New York : Gallery Books, 2021.
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Penn, Kal, 1977- Actors > United States > Biography. East Indian Americans > Biography. |
| Genre: | Biographies. Autobiographies. |
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeshore Branch | 792.028092 Penn | 31681010256410 | NONFIC | Available | - |
- Baker & Taylor
"Kal Penn's unlikely career arc has taken him from nerdy American kid from an immigrant family in the New York suburb of Montclair, New Jersey, to world-famous actor, to White House staffer under President Obama, and back to actor again. Now, in You Can't Be Serious, he reflects on the most ridiculous, offensive, and rewarding moments that have stood out during his journey. With intelligence, humor, and charm on every page, Penn explores what it means to be the embodiment of the American Dream, as the child of immigrant parents who came to this country with very little, and who never expected to see their son get his big break by sliding off an oiled-up naked woman in a raunchy Ryan Reynolds movie. He also pulls back the curtain on racism in Hollywood and the constant reminders that he would never fit in. And of course, he reveals how, after twenty-five years fighting for success in Hollywood, he made the terrifying but rewarding decision to walk away from it all for a career in politics. Above all, You Can't Be Serious shows that everyone can have more than one life story. Penn bravely demonstrates by example that no matter who you are and where you come from, you have many more choices than those presented to you. It's a story about struggle, triumph, and learning how to keep your head up. And okay, yes, it's also about whether Kal really smoked weed in the White House with the former First Lady-because let's be honest, that's what you really want to know"-- - Baker & Taylor
In this series of funny, consequential, awkward and ridiculous stories from the actor and White House aideâs idiosyncratic life, he reflects on the most exasperating and rewarding moments of his journey so far, showing that everyone can have more than one life story. 125,000 first printing. Illustrations. - Simon and Schuster
NATIONAL BESTSELLER
The star of the Harold and Kumar franchise, House, and Designated Survivor recounts why he rejected the advice of his aunties and guidance counselors and, instead of becoming a doctor or âsomething practical,â embarked on a surprising journey that has included confronting racism in Hollywood, meeting his future husband, and working in the Obama administration, in this entertaining and refreshingly candid memoir.
You Canât Be Serious is a series of funny, consequential, awkward, and ridiculous stories from Kal Pennâs idiosyncratic life. Itâs about being the grandson of Gandhian freedom fighters, and the son of immigrant parents: people who came to this country with very little and went very farâand whose vision of the American dream probably never included their son sliding off an oiled-up naked woman in the raunchy Ryan Reynolds movie Van Wilderâ¦or getting a phone call from Air Force One as Kal flew with the countryâs first Black president.
With intelligence, humor, and charm on every page, Kal reflects on the most exasperating and rewarding moments from his journey so far. He pulls back the curtain on the nuances of opportunity and racism in the entertainment industry and recounts how he built allies, found encouragement, and dealt with early reminders that he might never fit in. He describes his initially unpromising first date with his now-fiancé Josh, involving an 18-pack of Coors Light and an afternoon of watching NASCAR. And of course, he reveals how, after a decade and a half of fighting for and enjoying successes in Hollywood, he made the terrifying but rewarding decision to take a sabbatical from a fulfilling acting career for an opportunity to serve his country as an Obama White House aide.
Above all, You Canât Be Serious shows that everyone can have more than one life story. Kal demonstrates by example that no matter who you are and where you come from, you have many more choices than those presented to you. Itâs a story about struggle, triumph, and learning how to keep your head up. And okay, yes, itâs also about how he accidentally (and very stupidly) accepted an invitation to take the entire White House Office of Public Engagement to a strip clubâbecause, letâs be honest, thatâs the kind of stuff you really want to hear about.
