From a hit TV show named House to the real-life White House in a matter of months. Sounds crazy, right?Not for prominent Indian American actor Kal Penn, who on Monday night took a giant step towards a full-time political career, when his much beloved character Dr Lawrence Kutner was killed off, via suicide, from Fox's hit medical drama House.Penn, of Harold and Kumar go to White Castle fame, has become increasingly politically aware and vocal, campaigning for then US Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama [Images] throughout 2007 and 2008. Not only did he provide a fresh, recognisable face to the Obama Express, he also used social media tools like blogging and Twitter to help energise America's youth vote.Evidently, his loyalty to the now-US President has been rewarded, as Penn was recently offered the position of Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Liason. And while the pay ain't great, the prestige is; which is why Penn is jumping at the opportunity. So, unlike most killed-off sitcom characters, Penn's leaving the immensely popular House of his own volition. In a sit-down with EW, he explained his departure: 'I was incredibly honoured a couple of months ago to get the opportunity to go work in the White House. I got to know the President and some of the staff during the campaign and had expressed interest in working there, so I'm going to be the associate director in the White House office of public liaison. They do outreach with the American public and with different organisations. They're basically the front door of the White House. They take out all of the red tape that falls between the general public and the White House. It's similar to what I was doing on the campaign.'Asked if he's retiring from acting, Penn replied evasively. 'Not necessarily. Who's to say where any path leads? I still have a passion for it. But for the time being, I won't be acting,' he said.
