You Can''t Be Serious

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 something practical, embarked on a surprising journey that has included confronting racism in Hollywood, meeting his future husband, and working in the Obama administration, in this incredibly joyful and insightful (Kiefer Sutherland) memoir.

You Cant Be Serious is a series of funny, consequential, awkward, and ridiculous stories from Kal Penns idiosyncratic life. Its 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 farand 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 Wilderor getting a phone call from Air Force One as Kal flew with the countrys first Black president.

By turns hilarious, poignant, and inspiring (David Axelrod, New York Times bestselling author), 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 Cant Be Serious shows that everyone can have more than one life story. The book is insightful, funny, and instructive for anyone whos ever grappled with how they fit into the American dream (Ronan Farrow, New York Times bestselling author), and demonstrates that no matter who you are and where you come from, you have many more choices than those presented to you. And okay, yes, its also about how Kal accidentally (and very stupidly) accepted an invitation to take the entire White House Office of Public Engagement to a strip clubbecause, lets be honest, thats the kind of stuff you really want to hear about. See more