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Harold & Kumar star Kal Penn comes out as gay

Harold & Kumar star Kal Penn comes out as gay

The Indian-American actor revealed he is engaged to be married to his partner of 11 years.
02 Nov, 2021

Kal Penn, the Indian-American actor and a former adviser to former US president Barack Obama, has come out as gay and revealed he is engaged.

Known for the Harold & Kumar movies, Penn, whose real name is Kalpenn Suresh Modi, revealed the news to PEOPLE on Sunday ahead of the release of his memoir You Can’t Be Serious.

Penn, who is 44 years old, has been in a relationship with his partner Josh for 11 years. He has revealed details of how they met in his new book.

"I've always been very public with everybody I've personally interacted with. Whether it's somebody that I meet at a bar, if Josh and I are out or we're talking to friends," Penn told the magazine.

"I'm really excited to share our relationship with readers. But Josh, my partner, my parents, and my brother, four people who I'm closest to in the family, are fairly quiet. They don't love attention and shy away from the limelight,” the actor said. Therefore, he said while he wanted to be transparent and truthful in the book, he also didn’t want to compromise the privacy of his loved ones.

"I shared things with my parents and close friends first," Penn said. "I know this sounds jokey, but it's true: When you've already told your Indian parents and the South Asian community that you intend to be an actor for a living, really any conversations that come after that are super easy,” he said. “They're just like, 'Yeah, okay.’” The actor said he felt very supported by everyone in his life.

Penn served as an associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement during the Obama administration and has since continued acting. He has acted in House, Designated Survivor and most recently, Clarice.

Comments

Chrís Dăn Nov 02, 2021 12:53pm
If he,in his personal life, is happy- we are none to judge him. No human being is judge of another human being as eventually every one of us will go only in one grave- his own grave- and will be accountable for his own- only his own deeds& acts. So why to be a moral judge for someone else. I am glad that the guy is happy.
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Realistic Nov 02, 2021 01:21pm
What a shame
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Zurara Nov 02, 2021 02:08pm
This guy has truely lived up to the saying "in Rome live as the Romans do".
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John Nov 02, 2021 02:10pm
If kal was in Afghanistan he would have been shot or thrown out of the building
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Zun Nov 02, 2021 02:17pm
This news is promoting gays in the Pakistani society... It should be taken down
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M. Saeed Nov 02, 2021 02:34pm
Live the life, as you will. But, natural deviations are always decided by the nature and have their own unique principles to exist, in their own convenient manners, which also came naturally.
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buscando Nov 02, 2021 02:48pm
@Realistic , Be asamhed of religious clerics who abuse girl & boy students and such cases are rampant instead of shaming an adult who is in a consenting relationship
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Tanvir Khan Nov 02, 2021 02:57pm
Modi might never come out!
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A shah Nov 02, 2021 03:01pm
Free to live his life on how he chooses
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Tanvir Khan Nov 02, 2021 03:21pm
This is a scientifically proven fact that humans are biologically, emotionally, and psychologically bisexual!!!
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LgbtqX Nov 02, 2021 04:32pm
@Tanvir Khan , talk about yourself.
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LAHORI KID Nov 02, 2021 04:41pm
I’m shocked
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Tenjee Nov 02, 2021 05:02pm
@Tanvir Khan agenda based "scientific research" is a wonderful tool.
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Adeel Nov 02, 2021 05:15pm
@Realistic Why is it a shame? Should he have chosen a nice Indian boy?
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KK Nov 02, 2021 06:13pm
@Tanvir Khan: "This is a scientifically proven fact that humans are biologically, emotionally, and psychologically bisexual!!!" That is pseudo science. Homosexuals are born that way, and that is a scientific fact. Homosexuality also exists in the animal world too. It is not a matter of preference, as is commonly and most unfortunately propagated as a fact, to the great detriment of homosexual people.
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Reader Nov 02, 2021 06:14pm
"comes out" from where?
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Jamil Nov 02, 2021 06:49pm
@John Yes, but similar instance happened in Dallas also.
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Abbasshah Nov 02, 2021 07:25pm
InSouth Asian culture only ,the parents Relatives were shocked society through them out.But-in Maddressahs such things r rampant only shunned &hush hush.
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Aamir Nov 02, 2021 07:57pm
@Zun You cannot force anyone to be gay or "inspire " them to be gay either.
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Wajid Habib Nov 02, 2021 10:00pm
@Chrís Dăn . with due respect we donot bother about is personal life. but when He is announcing publicly then it deeply concern us.
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SAk Nov 02, 2021 11:20pm
Modi???
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Tanvir Khan Nov 03, 2021 12:13am
@LgbtqX - I have lot of gay and lesbian friends and for me they are wonderful people!!!
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Glen D'Abreo Nov 03, 2021 12:14am
@LgbtqX you need to educate yourself.
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FAZ Nov 03, 2021 12:50am
@John And in BJP's India?
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Chintamani Gokhale Nov 03, 2021 04:47am
Why should anyone care?
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Sara Nov 03, 2021 06:22am
I wish Penn all the best. Gays are human too. Love u dear. Be happy
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Sara Nov 03, 2021 06:23am
@Realistic nothing to be ashamed off. Good for Penn
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Sara Nov 03, 2021 06:24am
@buscando I agree
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Sara Nov 03, 2021 06:27am
@Chrís Dăn you are so right
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Shan Nov 03, 2021 06:42am
@John or been at home
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Jahan Ara Nov 03, 2021 08:10am
@KK the way you have supported this psychological dilemma, it seems you are also going through this painful, psychologically traumatising, unnatural lifestyle.
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Realistic Nov 03, 2021 09:02am
What a shame and disgrace he is. Not funny anymore
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Romane Charles Nov 04, 2021 02:59am
@Realistic he wasn't really doing anything after is Kumar role either this or is out of the game... I'm in disbelief
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