Kumar gay
Home / gay topics / Kumar gay
The actor also mentioned that he met Josh and eventually fell in love with him while he was in Washington DC working for the Obama administration.
“I discovered my own sexuality relatively late in life compared to many other people. He said, “Obviously I am engaged to a man and our families will be there for the wedding.
There's no timeline on this stuff. I know this sounds jokey, but it’s true, when you’ve already told your Indian parents and the South Asian community that you intend to be an actor for a living, really any conversations that come after that are super easy. I have one day off from The White House and this dude is unironically watching cars go around and make left turns?" he told People.
So we have to meet halfway in the middle.”
Kal Penn has announced that he is gay and revealed that he is engaged to his partner of 11 years, Josh.
The actor and former White House staff member - who is perhaps best known for his roles in the Harold and Kumar movies and the TV shows House and How I Met Your Mother - revealed the happy news in his new memoir, You Can't Be Serious.
Penn writes: "I've always been very public with everybody I've personally interacted with.
“I shared things with my parents and close friends first. His book comes out on Nov 2.
South Asians react to Kal Penn coming out as gay
Sam CabralBBC News, Washington
"One of us." That's what LGBT South Asians are saying after US actor Kal Penn, star of the Harold & Kumar film franchise, came out as gay on Sunday.
Mr Penn, 44, told People magazine that he has been in a relationship with his partner Josh for 11 years and the pair are now engaged.
The New Jersey native said he had "always been very public" with those in his personal life.
Mr Penn shares how they met in his new memoir You Can't Be Serious.
Born Kalpen Suresh Modi, Mr Penn is best known for playing Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar buddy stoner comedy franchise.
His other credits include popular TV shows like House, Designated Survivor and How I Met Your Mother.
Mr Penn also briefly worked in the White House Office of Public Engagement under President Barack Obama, from 2009-11.
The BBC asked Mr Penn during a Reddit Q&A what it was like working for a president who at that point had still not come out in favour of gay marriage.
"In the case of the White House," he said, "your role as an aide is to abide by the oath you took (to protect and defend the constitution, etc) but internally you also have a chance to advocate for certain policies to change and evolve.
They’re just like, ‘Yeah, okay.’ I felt very supported by everyone. "I have one day off from The White House and this dude is unironically watching cars go around and make left turns?
"Next thing you know, it's been a couple months and we're watching NASCAR every Sunday.
Penn explained that his parents, brother and Josh himself don’t like attention and shy away from the limelight, so he needed to find a way to be transparent in his book without compromising their privacy.
I'm like, 'What is happening?' I wanted the reader to enjoy the love and the humour through all of those stories."
Penn has also appeared in TV shows such as House and Designated Survivor.
That’s a wonderful thing.
The 44-year-old Penn told People magazine in an interview that ran on Sunday (Oct 31) that he discovered his sexuality late in life, compared to a lot of other people.
"There's no timeline on this stuff. The big disagreement now is whether it’s a huge wedding or a tiny wedding.
The couple met while Penn was working for the Obama administration in Washington while taking a hiatus from acting.
They will be married next year.
"It was the final stage of coming out for me when I announced my engagement, and all the extended relatives and family friends either got their suspicions confirmed or learned the truth," he says.
"There was plenty of grumbling that it's one thing for me to be gay and marry a man but I should be more discreet to avoid bringing embarrassment to relatives."
"Desi [South Asian diaspora] youth are constantly compared to others and told over and over again that their value is closely tied to who they marry," he notes.
"Next thing you know, it's been a couple months and we're watching NASCAR every Sunday.
In the book, Penn chronicled the couple’s first date where Josh showed up with an 18-pack of beer and proceeded to watch a NASCAR race on television.
"I thought, 'This obviously is not going to work out’. People figure their s*** out at different times in their lives, so I'm glad I did when I did."
Detailing the couple's first date in his new book, Penn reveals that first met Josh while he was working for the Obama Administration as the Principal Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
He said that on their first date, Josh came to his apartment with an 18-pack of Coors Light and turned on the TV to watch NASCAR.
"I thought, 'This obviously is not going to work out," Penn writes.