You Can’t Be Serious

This definitely counts as an adventure book! I’ve actually never seen any of Kal Penn’s movies. (I don’t see that many movies, and when I do, they tend to be fantasy and sci-fi or gay romantic comedies). I knew who Kal Penn was of course. I’m aware of his movies and I’ve read accounts of his service in the Obama administration. But I really didn’t know much about him other than that he seems to be a person of character/substance and a funny actor.

I loved this book on a lot of levels. I laughed a lot. My heart was engaged. I loved hearing about his background. Mr Penn’s challenges in dealing with Hollywood racism are incredibly frustrating to read about… things are slowly improving but it makes one angry to read about what he and other non-white actors still have to put up with.

I think the most inspiring part of this book is how he became involved with the Obama campaign. With Vice President Kamala Harris presently running a tight race with the orange buffoon, to read Kal Penn’s experiences from one of the most significant races of political history… these stories are gold. This is a great read. And a great listen.

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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 Can’t Be Serious is a series of funny, consequential, awkward, and ridiculous stories from Kal Penn’s idiosyncratic life. It’s 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 far—and 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 Wilder…or getting a phone call from Air Force One as Kal flew with the country’s 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 Can’t Be Serious shows that everyone can have more than one life story. The book “is insightful, funny, and instructive for anyone who’s 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, it’s also about how Kal 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.

The Purple Fantastic Steam Rating gives this a 2 out of 5. There are some comedic sexual references. If your teen is traumatized by anything in this book, your kid has been living in a cardboard box with no access to tv. It is more likely that your kid will be inspired to change the world. You can read more about the Steam Ratings on the About Page.