Montclair Native Kal Penn To Plug New Memoir At Virtual Event With John Cho

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Montclair native Kal Penn will be giving a nod to his hometown at a virtual event run by Watchung Booksellers. And his “Harold and Kumar” co-star John Cho will be making the rounds with him.

Penn is widely known for his co-starring roles in the “Harold and Kumar” franchise alongside Cho. But among other jobs, he also served as a political consultant for former president Barack Obama, an experience that made it into his new memoir, “You Can’t Be Serious.”

Penn will be discussing the book at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5. Tickets to the virtual event are $28 to $35, and include a hardcover copy of the book with a signed bookplate. Learn more here.

The event is being held in partnership with Literati Bookstore, Oblong Books, Politics & Prose and RJ Julia.

According to the event website:

“In this refreshingly candid memoir, Kal Penn recounts why he rejected the advice of his aunties and guidance counselors and, instead of becoming a doctor or ‘something practical,’ embarked on a surprising journey that has included acting, writing, working as a farmhand, teaching Ivy League University courses, and smoking fake weed with a fake President of the United States, before serving the country and advising a real one. ‘You Can't 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. It's a story about struggle, triumph, and learning how to keep your head up. And okay, yes, it's also about how he accidentally (and very stupidly) accepted an invitation to take the entire White House Office of Public Engagement to a strip club--because, let's be honest, that's the kind of stuff you really want to hear about.”

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