Malia Mundy is a journalism junior and a satire columnist for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
Kal Penn has a decorated career dipped in two of America’s most sought-after spheres: Hollywood entertainment and national politics. From HBO’s Industry to the Harold and Kumar franchise, to serving on former President Obama’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, Penn shared his insight on experiences at the Performing Arts Center last Thursday, Feb. 26.
I had no idea what kind of crowd Penn was going to draw. Would it be How I Met Your Mother superfans, political geeks or maybe both? I was slightly disappointed by the lack of youth turnout; the vast majority of the crowd were older people. I really wish more young people were there to hear from someone who could balance humor and serious conversation.
When Penn first came on stage, he broke the ice by throwing jokes around about his time acting as a doctor on House (he said his South Asian parents were proud that he was at least playing a doctor). The moderator then pushed the conversation towards his experience working in public service and for the Obama administration.
He made it clear that his time working for Obama as a public servant was dearly important to him. Still, he emphasized that filmmaking, acting, directing and comedy were his first loves.
“Comedy can still bring people together in a world that’s as polarized as ours,” Penn said.
I couldn’t help but think about Cal Poly and the general San Luis Obispo community as Penn told stories pertaining to his experience as a South Asian actor, in a room almost entirely full of older white folks. But after the crowd cheered for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance, Penn laughed and joked, “Good to know, didn’t know with this crowd.”
A message that really stuck with me was how Penn was influenced by his grandparents’ experiences, who marched with Gandhi in order to protest the British occupation of India. It built an understanding for me of where his knack for politics originated. He became interested in politics after being taught about events in school that his family was personally impacted by. Penn’s grandfather once showed him a scar that a British soldier beat into his leg while he protested.
“You do the right thing, but it’s never devoid of joy,” Penn said.
The balance of morality and joy that Penn leveraged with the example of his grandfather’s scar made me think about how I can more actively stand up for what I believe in, without being pessimistic or losing joy.
In a time where leaning into cynicism feels only natural, I liked Penn’s advice of “have three beers with someone you disagree with, but not seven.” It tied into the message of joy for me, and how life is a search for how to be happy, even within the dark spots of political polarization.
As our screens are saturated with so many different messages from random, uneducated people, it felt really good to hear from someone like Penn, whose opinions are grounded in lived experiences. I left the PAC reflecting on how I can incorporate more balance between my personal, social and academic identity in a way that never estranges joy.