| Edition |
First Gallery Books hardcover edition. |
| Description |
viii, 367 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color) ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references. |
| Summary |
"Kal Penn's unlikely career arc has taken him from nerdy American kid from an immigrant family in the New York suburb of Montclair, New Jersey, to world-famous actor, to White House staffer under President Obama, and back to actor again. Now, in You Can't Be Serious, he reflects on the most ridiculous, offensive, and rewarding moments that have stood out during his journey. With intelligence, humor, and charm on every page, Penn explores what it means to be the embodiment of the American Dream, as the child of immigrant parents who came to this country with very little, and who never expected to see their son get his big break by sliding off an oiled-up naked woman in a raunchy Ryan Reynolds movie. He also pulls back the curtain on racism in Hollywood and the constant reminders that he would never fit in. And of course, he reveals how, after twenty-five years fighting for success in Hollywood, he made the terrifying but rewarding decision to walk away from it all for a career in politics. Above all, You Can't Be Serious shows that everyone can have more than one life story. Penn bravely 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 whether Kal really smoked weed in the White House with the former First Lady-because let's be honest, that's what you really want to know"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Contents |
There is no excuse for you... -- What happened to the other thirteen points? (and other questions that don't have answers) -- You can't have your cake and eat it too -- Why do you do these weird things? -- The panoch -- How (not) to produce movies -- Auditioning to be Latino -- On fire -- Of Salinger and strip clubs -- Living the dream -- No prior experience -- Utopia (The underdog, part one) -- Two mini hacks if you ever move into the Quality Inn in downtown Des Moines -- Respect, empower, include (The underdog, part two) -- I applied for my White House job online -- A letter to a thirty-one-year-old me -- You down with OPE? -- NASCAR and chill -- Have a heart -- #SexyFace -- How to do business with gangstaz -- (pea) Cock blocked -- You can't be serious. |
| Subject |
Penn, Kal, 1977-
|
|
Actors -- United States -- Biography.
|
|
East Indian Americans -- Biography.
|
|
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Personal Memoirs.
|
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HUMOR / Form / Essays.
|
|
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Rich & Famous.
|
|
Actors. (OCoLC)fst00796296
|
|
East Indian Americans. (OCoLC)fst00901040
|
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United States. (OCoLC)fst01204155
|
| Genre/Form |
Biographies. (OCoLC)fst01919896
|
|
Autobiographies.
|
| Added Title |
You cannot be serious |
| Other Form: |
Online version: Penn, Kal, 1977- You can't be serious. First Gallery Books hardcover edition New York : Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 2021 9781982171407 (DLC) 2021006582 |
| ISBN |
9781982171384 (hardcover) |
|
1982171383 (hardcover) |
|
9781982171407 (ebook) |
|
