Kal Penn in da House, M.D.

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As those of you who are fans of House M.D. know already, Kal Penn will be joining the series as a regular next season. This is positive news all around – more screen time for the Penn brother from another mother, which is great because even though he can headline and sell a movie, young actors need all the exposure and steady acting gigs they can get. And this should be good for audiences, because his character seems like a real pataka, and Mr. Modi has no problems keeping viewers amused when you give him material like this:

Bend over and laugh

… [Penn’s character] caught House’s attention in the episode by resuscitating a patient and suggesting that they get her drunk to better diagnose her rare neurological condition. “… [The character] is a fan of trying random methods of exploration and life saving, and isn’t afraid to break the rules a little bit,” [Link]

Lastly, this should be good for brownz all around because we’re finally getting another desi doctor on TV to match the high number of desi doctors in the real world:

By mid-1997 it is estimated perhaps 4% (22,000) of the entire nation’s medical doctors are South Asian immigrants from India or of South Asian descent. It has been claimed that many inner city public hospitals simply could not function if South Asian medical personnel were unavailable as they can constitute as high as 40% of the staff physicians and 50% of the nurses. In Ohio, one out of six physicians is South Asian and several other states approach that ratio. [Link]

Except that I don’t think his character is desi. I haven’t seen the show, so I don’t know for sure, but his character’s name is Lawrence Kutner which doesn’t sound desi to me. In fact, there were two desi actors in the “try out for House’s team” episode — Kal Penn and Meera Simhan — and their characters were named “Lawrence” and “Jody.” Neither one had a clearly desi name, both were probably cast for a character of unspecified race.

I’ve got nothing against race blind casting – Kal Penn has had a lot of roles where he wasn’t identifiably desi, and I think that’s good. There simply aren’t enough roles written for brown characters today, and there’s no reason for brown actors to restrict themselves unnecessarily.

I’m simply bemused at the fact that producers and advertisers believe (and probably rightly so) that white audiences want to see shows that are whiter than America actually is. This is why Friends depicted a Manhattan whiter than Boise, because suburban viewers in their racially homogenous cocoons aren’t ready to wake up and smell the chai and realize that the ER in ER is probably at least 20% brown, if not more.

87 thoughts on “Kal Penn in da House, M.D.”

  2. this is a complicated topic, but

    This is why Friends depicted a Manhattan whiter than Boise, because suburban viewers in their racially homogenous cocoons aren’t ready to wake up and smell the chai and realize that the ER in ER is probably at least 20% brown, if not more

    speaking someone who grew up in marginally mormon america (not far from boise) as an adolescent i can tell you that the ER is one of the few places that these people imagine brown (south asian) people to be. that, and mini-marts and motels. and possibly as college faculty (a lot of small town brownz are faculty brats, like me). as for friends and seinfeld, both shows had no colored people, but they did have many jews. 2 out of 6 of the friends were identified jews. as for seinfeld, let’s not go there. so it sure as hell didn’t reflect america, where 1 out of 50 people are jews. also, people in most of america routinely overestimate the number of blacks and jews in this nation (i.e., more than 12.5% and 2.5% respectively) for what it’s worth.

    additionally, re: E.R., there was a period when there were many blacks on that show. i believe at one point there were two black residents and two attendings, all of them major characters. i don’t keep track of it anymore, but it’s more complicated than america needing a white show (though there is plenty of that to go around, it just isn’t necessarily sliced & diced in the simple portions which you’re suggesting).

  3. I cant take him seriously. Every time I come across this chap I am reminded of a) Kala Pani
    b) Kalla Penn ( mallu for Girl Thief)

    Senthil from Heroes on the other hand …..

  4. Just a comment on how statistics are misused.

    To observe that 40-50% percent of the medical personel in Urban and inner city hospitals are South Asian and to then conclude or hypothesize that the hospitals could not function without the infusion of South Asian personel is a logical fallacy, as it assumes the positions would go unfilled.

    What would happen is that wages would rise in those hospitals to attract US born persons to fill the vacancies.

    American businesses use the importation of labor to suppress domestic wages. That’s the whole story.

    As I read through posts here at Sepia Mutiny I detect Desi racism. Am I correct? Most of you here are racists, yes?

    Why is it “good” to see more South Asians on US television? Is racism not based on seeing ones own genetic group as more desirable, more “good” than another? Is what is good for one group, also good for another? Yes, of course, but then if non-racsim or objectivity were possible, then a person would not care about the skin color or genetic grouping of another person. The idea would simply not present itself into consciousness.

    This preference for one’s own race is based on the idea that should things get desparate, one will side with or rescue those who most resemble oneself. In times when resources are plentiful and things are peaceful, it is easy to pretend that one is not a racist. But even the slightest preference for one’s own race belies the hidden potential for racism when times get tough.

    I am one of the few people in the world who does not have a same race preference. Most people are racist, on the surface or deep down, and think I am stupid or foolish for not having same race preference – how will I choose sides should contingencies force the choosing of sides?

    This will probably be my last post here. Bunch of racists, the lot of you.

  6. Dramas, such as ER, Law and Order, Cold Case – tend to be multi-ethnic in casting. But black characters probably get a disproportionate number of roles versus, say, Latinos. Two of the best dramas – Homicide and The Wire, had almost a half-black cast and were set in unfashionable Baltimore.

    Comedies tend to be homogenous – Cheers was for Irish Catholics, Seinfeld for Jews, Friends were kinda Jewish, Everybody Loves Raymond for Italian Catholics, Martin and Bernie Mac for black viewers.

    I’d say in numerical terms – Latinos probably have the worst representation on TV. Since George Lopez’s show got canceled, there are almost no major Latino characters on TV.

  7. The medical TV shows never get it right. Where are the nurses harassing the doctors with their JHACO approved forms addressing if your dying patient has received his flu vaccination within the past year?

    Scrubs is the most realistic medical show on TV.

    I once saw House order an open lung biopsy….at the bedside!!!!

    Don’t get me started on Grey’s Anatomy. Surgery interns showing up after sunrise and after their upper levels have already arrived at the hospital. Surgeons taking care of medicine patients. A neurosurgeon spending his entire day on one patient…..ugggh.

  9. American businesses use the importation of labor to suppress domestic wages. That’s the whole story.

    no, they use the importation of labor to get around the american medical association’s constriction of supply.

    1) they allow in just enough medical students to prevent a major shortage, but not enough to depress wages too much 2) they also make sure that licensing laws prevent cheaper alternatives from being utilized by patients

    so foreign docs were a way to get around this problem.

  10. I’m almost afraid to admit I’ve even watched this show, but GREEK has another brown actor with a non-desi name. Her character’s name is Rebecca Logan and her dad is a senator. So I believe this is another case of blind-casting. I’m not sure how I feel about that in the Hospital/MD shows because I believe it’s unrealistic because so there are so many South Asian doctors. But in the case of the GREEK show, I think it’s great, because obviously they picked her because she was the best actress for the job. Unless they got the idea from John McCain and she is adopted, I don’t know for sure, I’ve only seen a few episodes.

  11. 5 · Rob H What would happen is that wages would rise in those hospitals to attract US born persons to fill the vacancies. American businesses use the importation of labor to suppress domestic wages. That’s the whole story.

    Sure, fair enough, though there might be other consequeces, system-wide.

    As I read through posts here at Sepia Mutiny I detect Desi racism. Am I correct? Most of you here are racists, yes

    Well, no, not if you define racism as meaning the gov’t should keep down certain groups, but,ok, yes, if you mean I have some personal preferences–I try not to let them rule me, but they are there in terms of, say, dating.

  13. Razib – many of the black doctors will, I imagine, work in inner city hospitals rather than rural ones, especially if they need to pay off loans via some service. So you would expect hospitals like the one in ER to be less white than that, and more black, latino and asian.

    Also, since older doctors tend to private practice and younger ones to hospitals, you would have to adjust again. Given that there was insitutionalized discrimination against black doctors for decades (as recently as our parents’ generation), then minority doctors are more likely to be found amongst the younger segment.

    Again, a show like ER should have way fewer white doctors than it does.

  14. I recall House making a comment about Kal Penn’s character being a former foster kid. Although, come to think of it, that doesn’t explain the name either. He is sort of amusing though.

  15. Two of the best dramas – Homicide and The Wire, had almost a half-black cast and were set in unfashionable Baltimore.

    Re: The Wire having a large black cast – well, it kind of has to, given the story line. It’d be an entirely different show if the cast were mostly white, because then, by necessity, it would have to be about a very different part of Baltimore. I don’t think that applies to medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy, House, and ER, though, because their story lines do not intrinsically require that the cast have any specific ethnic/racial/cultural makeup – including one that’s majority white. So what I’m saying is you can’t really compare the cast makeups of The Wire and ER. The Wire’s focus dictates its cast makeup. ER’s, technically, doesn’t. (Though, realistically, as others have pointed out, it should.) (Aside: The Wire is so incredibly excellent.)

  16. Razib – many of the black doctors will, I imagine, work in inner city hospitals rather than rural ones, especially if they need to pay off loans via some service. So you would expect hospitals like the one in ER to be less white than that, and more black, latino and asian.

    just a note, there are two areas with indian doctors out of proportion to their numbers: inner cities (especially cold ones) and rural areas.

    Also, since older doctors tend to private practice and younger ones to hospitals, you would have to adjust again. Given that there was insitutionalized discrimination against black doctors for decades (as recently as our parents’ generation), then minority doctors are more likely to be found amongst the younger segment.

    how long ago did institutional discrimination end? i think 1970ish (LBJ was the one who started affirmative action). that means that 26 year old medical school graduates. so we’re talking 63ish.

  17. I’m simply bemused at the fact that producers and advertisers believe (and probably rightly so) that white audiences want to see shows that are whiter than America actually is. This is why Friends depicted a Manhattan whiter than Boise, because suburban viewers in their racially homogenous cocoons aren’t ready to wake up and smell the chai and realize that the ER in ER is probably at least 20% brown, if not more.

    I guess the fact that American shows/movies are broadcast all over the world and that might also figure in casting. Hollywood movies with predominantly minority themes or african – american cast don’ have good overseas box office receipts.

  18. This is why Friends depicted a Manhattan whiter than Boise, because suburban viewers in their racially homogenous cocoons aren’t ready to wake up and smell the chai and realize that the ER in ER is probably at least 20% brown, if not more.

    huh, the suburbs aren’t all white. ever been to suburbs on the west coast? and isn’t new jersey mostly suburbs?

    anyway, for many americans their lives are racially homogeneous. it isn’t like the 30% who are not non-hispanic white are equally distributed. i mean, do you guys interact non-randomly with the rest of america? are 1% of your acquaintances south asian?

  19. i mean, do you guys interact non-randomly with the rest of america? are 1% of your acquaintances south asian?

    not on orkut, but it is definitely trending closer to that number on facebook. and isn’t facebook where it’s at? apparently, wall street and commenters on sepia think so.

  20. 19 · razib_the_carvaka i mean, do you guys interact non-randomly with the rest of america? are 1% of your acquaintances south asian?

    Razib,

    My hat is off to you–perfect!!

  22. You know, the excuse has always been that Indians do not fit in because of the material. So I was fine with casting Indians as other characters. But damn, if you cannot have Indian characters in a medical show, where else are you going to find one? Hollywood doesnt seem to have a problem casting indians in taxi driver roles. Even ER took too long to cast an Indian.

  23. i can’t stand kal penn..his nasaly voice bugs the crap out of me… and am i the only one who thinks he’s really not that great of an actor? now he ruins a perfectly good show. great.

  24. Ok, someone has to say it… Why does my boy Kal look washed out?? He’s starting to look like Gupta Uncle…

    (Kal, if you’re reading this, drop me a line! My friend Neena* has a huge crush on you!)

    As for Friends + Seinfeld being heavily Jewish, I think it has more to with the make-up of L.A. boardrooms than anything else. Lots of Jews, e.g. Larry David the creator of Seinfeld.

    *not her real name

  25. As for Friends + Seinfeld being heavily Jewish, I think it has more to with the make-up of L.A. boardrooms than anything else. Lots of Jews, e.g. Larry David the creator of Seinfeld.

    sure, but do note that seinfeld was almost not greenlighted because it was “too jewish.” in some ways it was a trailblazer. in other ways, not so much.

    (i don’t begrudge seinfeld having mostly white ethnic friends. like i said, many brownz around here hand out with other brownz. what i find kind of noticeable is that people walking in the background are usually white too. i mean, the f**king extras?!!?! gotta note that)

  26. Given that there was insitutionalized discrimination against black doctors for decades (as recently as our parents’ generation), then minority doctors are more likely to be found amongst the younger segment. how long ago did institutional discrimination end? i think 1970ish (LBJ was the one who started affirmative action). that means that 26 year old medical school graduates. so we’re talking 63ish.

    I don’t know if you could call it “institutionalized” racism, but Sutter-Alta Bates (in Berkeley/Oakland) has been successfully sued several times, including as recently as last year, for practicing race discrimination in promotion, provision of privileges, and employee reviews. There’s another large health consortium in the East Bay suburbs (east of the Caldecott), which houses an intense good old boys network that makes it really hard for doctors, particularly women and women of color doctors, to get their foot in the door to get basic things like surgery privileges (which you need in many subfields whether you want to practice in the hospital or in your own private practice). I’m not arguing that this is the norm or the common experience for POC doctors, but I think Ennis has a point, nonetheless.

  27. Well, here’s an opportunity for House, MD: add a dimension to Lawrence Kutner by making him an adopted child – that’s an opportunity for the show and network to capitalize on Penn’s established desi identity & following. It’s also an opportunity for Kal/Lawrence to heighten the awareness for adoption from the subcontinent, as well as all of its issues (all those PSAs at the end of ‘focused’ episodes).

    Given the format of House, I don’t know if that idea could be sustained by its story lines; I don’t follow the show, but the episode or two I’ve caught suggests that the supporting characters backgrounds that aren’t built up to support the ongoing drama (as opposed to Grey’s Anatomy, which is nothing but back stories and dramatic history coming back to bite everyone in the behind).

    If anyone else watches House regularly, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this angle.

  28. All of House’s previous three underlings got episodes highlighting their major malfunction (an episode about Cameron’s dead husband, Chase’s crappy father, Foreman’s ambitiousness), after which their personal issues only came up when House was manipulating/making fun of them. So by that formula I would expect one episode in which Kal Penn’s foster status is explored somewhat sensitively, after which it is prime razzing material for House.

  29. Seinfeld at least made fun of the characters lack of black friends with a hilarious episode showing Costanza trying to get a black friend. In real life, Jerry is very good friends with George Wallace the comedian(not the politician).

  30. I watch House religiously (who else was disappointed it wasn’t on yesterday?). Based on past episodes, I think the extent they will explore Penn’s character will be the same as any other supporting character. House cleverly deduces what he is hiding something from everyone and how his past damaged him somehow from being a well-adjusted doctor. Don’t get me wrong, I love the show and even better his cynicism, but for the average brown viewer expecting to see a lot of Penn … I’m not so sure.

  31. Seinfeld at least made fun of the characters lack of black friends with a hilarious episode showing Costanza trying to get a black friend. In real life, Jerry is very good friends with George Wallace the comedian(not the politician).

    Also, Seinfeld has Mario Joyner, also black tour with him on stand-up gigs.

    Costanza: If only he could see me with some of my black friends.

    Seinfeld: If you had any black friends. And besides us, you don’t have any white friends either.

  32. Jesus, I don’t think Penn will do a bad job. I agree he’s no Laurence Olivier and was awful in The Namesake. But Cameron and Foreman aren’t great actors anyway, so it’s not like he’ll be a let-down.

    I agree with what you say Ennis. Nice to have desi docsonthebox. But do any of the other desi docs here watch medical shows less due to lack of brown? Would I watch more House if Penn was in it? Did you watch more ER post Parminder? I think the majority don’t care. I don’t. I despise Grey’s Anatomy cos it’s shite, I wouldn’t care if they were completely AMA-accurate in their racial makeup.

    If he’s cast race-blind Ennis, do you think House will take the piss out of his race the way he jobes Foreman? I hope so, I wouldn’t want to miss out on Greg’s Indian insults.

    (PS – When Seinfeld WENT TO INDIA the extras weren’t brown)

  34. penn is horrible, as i stated above.. the only saving grace is the caustic and brilliant acting by hugh laurie (who is not american and has to fake that accent for those wondering)…

    and as for browns watching doctor shows to see other brownies.. could give a rats arse about greys and er and now house (thanks kal penn, or kalpen modi).

    scrubs is the way to go. that is real just like asha’s dad said.

  35. Also, since older doctors tend to private practice and younger ones to hospitals, you would have to adjust again.

    Not true. Most ‘fresh docs’ tend to go to private practice.. only a few stay in academia.

  36. Did you watch more ER post Parminder?

    No because it had already gone to shit by the time Dr. Green died 🙂

    I, too, throw my hat in the “Scrubs” pool. Way funnier and way more enjoyable than any of the other shows. House is only redeemed by Hugh Laurie, but it’s getting a little tired as well. [blasphemy, I know, now I’m going to go hide and avoid the tomatoes lobbed in my direction]

  37. Chaitan

    who else was disappointed it wasn’t on yesterday?

    I second that — house is the only American TV series I currently download watch. The episode guide is here.

    spoiler It looks like Kal Penn will be there for at least for least two more episodes spoiler

  38. House is only redeemed by Hugh Laurie, but it’s getting a little tired as well.

    (Throws a tomato)

    (Throws another in case I missed)

  39. (i don’t begrudge seinfeld having mostly white ethnic friends. like i said, many brownz around here hand out with other brownz. what i find kind of noticeable is that people walking in the background are usually white too. i mean, the f**king extras?!!?! gotta note that)

    very true! last time I checked, weren’t whites less than 50% of the population in New York City in the 1990s? And probably even less now?

    Yay! I’m a racist! We’re racists! The lot of us!

  40. On the subject of brown people in non-Desi-specific roles, there’s Rekha Sharma as Tory Foster on Battlestar Galactica. I was thrilled to see her on there, just for the recurring brown representation, but 2 things get me:

    1. Her name doesn’t reflect her ethnicity…but then again, neither is Grace Park’s Sharon “Boomer/Athena” Valerii, nor any others of various ethnicities. It makes you wonder if this is their approach to futuristic ethnic relations or however you want to put it.
    2. She always, always has that same stupid mopey expression on her face, and just can’t emote worth crap. I want to like her, but I can’t.

    Back to medical dramas–ER tried for years to institute what’s-his-name as a recurring Desi character, so at least they were giving it a shot, but having Parminder in a main role is gratifying…though like you all say, it isn’t really enough.

  41. So we’re all agreed – the best thing about House is its BRITISHNESS. Well done.

    Jesus, I too have cast my vote for Scrubs in the past – I wrote a piece about the aforementioned shows ages ago, here – but even that got bollocks after about season 3. They all do.

    We all know Mohinder’s where it’s at these days. My girlfriend fancies him and hell so do I. He does seem to currently be embroiled in a gay relationship with Parkman, but that just means he’s in touch with his feminine side, right?

  42. St Elsewhere. Kavi Raz played a doctor on the show. First time I can remember television matching reality on a medical show.

  43. but they did have many jews. 2 out of 6 of the friends were identified jews. as for seinfeld, let’s not go there. so it sure as hell didn’t reflect america, where 1 out of 50 people are jews. also, people in most of america routinely overestimate the number of blacks and jews in this nation (i.e., more than 12.5% and 2.5% respectively) for what it’s worth.

    Because Jews are overrpresented in high end media & tv positions. Certainly more than 1 out of 50.

  44. Since we are talking about Desi rep. in ent., thought i’d share this. Heard this from a friend went to H’wood fund raiser called ‘Best in Drag’.Seems like the show’s theme was Miss America and the the overwhelming crowd favorite was Miss Minnesota’s representative, a DBD. Her name was Bindi Dondat. The highlight was the interview section. Bindi interupted the host, took off one the minarets from her Taj Mahal tiara and, holds it to her ear and says – “Tech Support, may I help you?”

  45. I just saw “The Namesake” and is it me or did anyone else feel that the whole movie is about how you will always be alone no matter how hard you try and then you die? The whole time the weather is very cold and the sky is always gray and people hurt you and then life kicks your ass and then die.

    Back on subject, is Penn the only qualified Indian actor? Except for that guy on Heroes, this guy picks up every Indian role and every terrorist role. It’s like when you watch “The 3 Stooges” and the same black guy plays every part.

    Does anyone know any Indian’s trying to make it as an actor? Because it seems to me that it would be an easy time to break out on tv or the movie screen! They need terrorist’s and they need the token Indian offie guy and doctor on every other show these days.

  46. I think people should stop advocating for more realistic, representational brown roles on television shows. This is kind of a fruitless effort, it’s never going to happen considering the majority of decision makers regarding this kind of stuff are old, white men. Everyone should just stop watching television because 99% of it is garbage. And now, to completely contradict myself, can we start getting Maulik Pancholy some of Kal Penn’s roles? Dude’s got chops, he went to Yale’s acting school and consistently holds it down for brown folks. Although his character’s name on 30 Rock is Jonathan. But he broke all kinds of barriers playing a nerdy drug dealer on Weeds named Sanjay…

  47. I always thought he looked like the brown doppelgänger of Zach Brach, of Scrubs fame, so this role seems fitting.

  49. We all know Mohinder’s where it’s at these days. My girlfriend fancies him and hell so do I. He does seem to currently be embroiled in a gay relationship with Parkman, but that just means he’s in touch with his feminine side, right?

    That’s what I keep telling myself. Maybe he’s bi?

    sigh

  50. @ 47 rah

    Everyone should just stop watching television because 99% of it is garbage.

    you are so wrong. I give you a quote straight from Episode 14 of House, M.D.: Season 1 – Control

    House: Read less, more TV!

    And since we all know House is always right! done.