Kal Penn death: from ‘House’ to White House

In a bizarre job swap, the American television actor Kal Penn has suddenly quit the Fox series House to take a relatively junior job in Barack Obama's administration. As a result, the producers of House had to kill off his character in the hospital drama, Dr Lawrence Kutner.

They decided to so on Monday night by having him dramatically and unexpectedly commit suicide, leaving no note or explanation for his death - with the result that thousands of confused and disappointed fans have posted plaintive messages online.
 
Penn says: "I love what I do as an actor. I couldn't love it more. But probably from the time I was a kid, I really enjoyed that balance between the arts and public service." The actor went on: "It's probably because of the value system my grandparents instilled in me. They marched with Gandhi in the Indian independence movement, and that was always in the back of my head."
 
The 31-year-old actor admitted to Entertainment Weekly that he has taken a considerable pay-cut along with his new job. "There's not a lot of financial reward in these jobs. But, obviously, the opportunity to serve in a capacity like this is an incredible honour," he said.
 
Penn, who joined Hugh Laurie and the rest of the cast of House during season four, has also starred as a lazy stoner in the Harold and Kumar comedy films. Now he becomes an associate director in the office of public liaison at the White House.

It is a job he already has some experience doing: he acted as a floor whip at the Democratic national convention in August (when Obama was confirmed as the Democrat's White House nominee) and he lobbied for the Illinois congressman throughout the election campaign as well as starring in online virals (see below) in support of the Democratic candidate.
 
Fox is clearly aware that fans of House will miss Dr Kutner and, somewhat eerily, the network has installed a virtual shrine in memory of the fictional medic, including testimonies from fellow House characters. "Dr Kutner was a hard-working, young doctor with a kind, unassuming, gentle manner," according to Dr Lisa Cuddy (played by Lisa Edelstein). "He will be missed by all of us." ·