House is one of my favorite shows, so I was surprised to learn that Kal Penn’s character ate a bullet. But, I became even more shocked at what was going to fill the 33-year old’s life in lieu of prime time’s acerbic dramedy. His walking papers from Princeton-Plainsboro having effectively been signed, that thing he called a television career had all the appearance of being sacrificed – if only so he could watch someone else sit in front of a camera to commit Constitutional malpractice on a daily basis. Popcorn, and laughs, were his for the taking. All he had to do was stomach Obama’s old UCMC buddy Val Jarrett, who (unlike Fox’s caustic healer-in-chief) has experience screwing sick and dying children over.
That, Oh cruel film world, is no more!
He’s packed his bags, to leave for greener and less demanding pastures. Kal will once again be taking up the role of weeded-out med student Kumar Patel; co-starring with workmate John Cho in the flick that will become third of the Harold and Kumar series, entitled “A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas.”
Hurwitz and Schlossberg’s second go-round directing an H&K movie is planned for release December 2011; barring a strike, we’ll soon see the titular stoners puffing on a weed Christmas tree. Neil Patrick Harris, who some of you might remember as brat Doogie Howser, will reprise his role as himself. Patton Oswalt, from King of Queens (another of my old favorite TV shows) has also been announced as part of the seasonal comedy.
I have no idea how prominently either of the two will figure into the movie, as of yet, but here’s hoping it doesn’t go straight to video. That’d kill Neil’s career – as though it wasn’t hanging on by a thread ever since the Doog hung up his lab coat.
