{"product_id":"you-cant-be-serious-hardcover","title":"You Can't Be Serious - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eKal Penn\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNATIONAL BESTSELLER\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe star of the\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eHarold and Kumar franchise, \u003ci\u003eHouse, \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e Designated Survivor\u003c\/i\u003e 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 entertaining and refreshingly candid memoir. \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eYou Can't Be Serious\u003c\/i\u003e 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 \u003ci\u003eVan Wilder\u003c\/i\u003e...or getting a phone call from Air Force One as Kal flew with the country's first Black president. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWith intelligence, humor, and charm on every page, 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAbove all, \u003ci\u003eYou Can't Be Serious\u003c\/i\u003e shows that everyone can have more than one life story. Kal demonstrates by example that no matter who you are and where you come from, you have many more choices than those presented to you. It's a story about struggle, triumph, and learning how to keep your head up. And okay, yes, it's also about how he 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.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eKal Penn has played leading roles in some of the world's most-watched television shows, including \u003ci\u003eHow I Met Your Mother\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003e24\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDesignated Survivor\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHouse\u003c\/i\u003e, and more. He currently stars on the Disney Junior animated series \u003ci\u003eMira, Royal Detective\u003c\/i\u003e. He was also the cocreator and star of the NBC\/Universal comedy \u003ci\u003eSunnyside\u003c\/i\u003e, and host, cocreator, and executive producer of a six-episode series in October 2020 for Disney's Freeform Channel called \u003ci\u003eKal Penn Approves This Message\u003c\/i\u003e, aimed at entertaining and informing young voters. On the big screen, Kal has starred in movies that have collectively grossed more than a billion dollars, including the Harold and Kumar franchise, \u003ci\u003e National Lampoon's Van Wilder\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSuperman Returns\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Namesake, \u003c\/i\u003eand many other critically acclaimed blockbuster titles. He has also served as an adjunct lecturer in sociology and film studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and in sociology and political science at the University of California, Los Angeles. Kal has worked at the very highest levels of politics, as an Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, where he was President Obama's Liaison to Young Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and the Arts communities in America. He was born and raised in New Jersey.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 384\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.3 x 8.8 x 6.3 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e November 02, 2021\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47395963175090,"sku":"9781982171384","price":28.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0770\/3891\/1666\/files\/c7fcb88dba666327f0483be9e2f9a12a.webp?v=1777996394","url":"https:\/\/box.dadyminds.org\/products\/you-cant-be-serious-hardcover","provider":"DADYMINDS BOX","version":"1.0","type":"link"}