Episode Overview
Podcast: Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know
Host: Hasan Minhaj (presented by 186k Films)
Guest: Kal Penn
Episode Title: Why Kal Penn is Disillusioned with Democrats
Date: February 11, 2026
This episode features an insightful, candid, and often humorous conversation between Hasan Minhaj and actor/former White House staffer Kal Penn. Together, they dive into Penn's Hollywood and political careers, the hard truths about progressivism in the Democratic Party, and Kal’s mounting disillusionment with establishment politics—particularly around Gaza. The episode also touches on activism, Asian and South Asian representation, and advice for civic engagement, peppered with personal anecdotes and memorable stories from both screen and campaign trail.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Zoran Mamdani’s Election and Representation (04:05–07:00)
- Celebration of Zoran Mamdani’s Win: Kal recounts the electrifying atmosphere at Zoran Mamdani’s election night, sharing pride as someone who’s known Zoran since age 14.
- Quote: “To just be standing there was so such an overwhelming feeling that I'm just like, proud of him, you know, even politics aside, you're, like, proud.” (Kal Penn, 04:47)
- Cultural Legacy: Both hosts reflect on seeing South Asian faces on screen and in politics, articulating the importance of representation.
- Advice to Zoran’s Supporters: Kal stresses collective political pressure for lasting change.
- Quote: “He can't unilaterally, single handedly get a lot of this stuff done that he wants to get done, but he absolutely can get it done in partnership with this sea of people who came out to support him.” (Kal Penn, 03:27 and 39:00)
Breaking Barriers in Hollywood (07:00–09:30)
- Harold & Kumar’s Unlikely Impact: Kal describes skepticism about two Asian leads headlining a studio film and Hollywood’s underestimation of American audiences.
- Quote: “...what you're doing by saying two Asian American men can't open a studio comedy is you're undermining a white audience. You're saying that white audiences are too racist and too stupid to enjoy just a buddy comedy. And I kind of rejected that.” (Kal Penn, 07:22)
- Growth in South Asian Creative Output: Both marvel at how diverse and nuanced South Asian stories have become in Hollywood.
Joining and Working in the Obama White House (09:32–16:18)
- Journey from Actor to Public Servant: Kal explains his accidental path from House MD to the Obama campaign and White House, combining steady acting gigs with political volunteering out of genuine conviction.
- Lessons in Political Gatekeeping: Kal’s naïve but honest approach to applying for a White House job—uploading a résumé through change.gov—leads to a funny Michelle Obama anecdote.
- Quote: “She looked at me the way you look at somebody if they, like, drop an ice cream cone on the ground on gravel and then pick it up and eat it, like, what is wrong with you?” (Kal Penn, 13:18)
- Reflection on Political Access: Insight into how political “gatekeeping” prevents newcomers from breaking in.
Obama Era: Progress, Pitfalls, and Political Realpolitik (16:19–24:22)
- Has Obama Failed Us—or Moved the Needle?: Kal defends the notion that what’s progressive changes over time and lauds difficult legislative victories like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”—while acknowledging the left’s (and his own) frustrations.
- Quote: “Of course, by a 2025 lens, Obama was not a progressive. That's how, you know, progress worked. …because the needle was moved.” (Kal Penn, 02:04 and 16:28)
- Frustrations with Democratic Incrementalism: Details about the complex political calculus needed to pass the ACA and why Obama couldn’t always go further left.
- Disillusionment Within the White House: Kal admits to moments of internal protest, literal and figurative, met with nuanced rationales—democracy is slow, and direct action has limits.
- Quote: “I printed out a photo of a backbone and I put it, stuck it to the wall. Like, people in this fucking building need one of these.” (Kal Penn, 22:54)
Gaza, Youth, and Disconnection from the Base (26:02–36:14)
- Calling Out the Biden Administration: Kal describes his process before going public: private advocacy, direct letters to officials (even to Blinken via aides), and eventual frustration when met with silence.
- Quote: “It was just incredibly, deeply disturbing that there was no room for a conversation about anything.” (Kal Penn, 27:04)
- Activism and Engagement Shut Out: The episode recounts moments when young activists—especially the College Democrats—couldn’t even get meetings with national leaders:
- Quote: “They said, we didn't have any conversations with them. They wouldn't even reach back out to us to have a meeting. ... Biden and Harris refused to even meet with the College Democrats of America.” (Kal Penn, 34:00)
- Lessons from the DNC in Chicago: Both reflect on protest exclusion tactics and the illusion of participatory democracy.
Civic Participation and Political Change (36:14–39:37)
- How to Actually Move the Needle (Locally): Kal offers prescriptive advice for civic engagement in the city, emphasizing the necessity of organized pressure and building coalitions.
- Quote: “The best way to meet this moment… is actually using the political capital that Zoran earned by getting people out to vote for him and… turning that into real political action.” (Kal Penn, 36:32)
Navigating Compromise as a Minority in Entertainment (46:42–56:36)
- Racism and Exclusion in Early Hollywood: Kal recounts working for “Captain Moneybags,” a brazenly racist producer, and witnessing how hard it was for Asian actors to get breaks.
- Quote: “I'm not trying to cast fucking Asians in my movie. Cal, bring me good white American actors.” (Captain Moneybags, paraphrased by Kal Penn, 43:29)
- Dealing with Stereotypes and the Need for Strategic Compromise: Kal shares the infamous Van Wilder audition—with white actors literally donning brownface as competitors—and his subsequent embrace of strategic compromise.
- Quote: “It's one thing to, like, oh, you put a screen name… but what this guy was showing me was that that didn't even matter. …You're illustrating to me that the standard way of doing things isn't going to work. …So I have two choices. I can be a bitch and lament and whine about how this isn't going to work out, or I can strategize about a different way in.” (Kal Penn, 46:02 & 46:42)
- Calculating When to Say Yes (and Influence From Within): Advice from a casting executive leads to Kal demanding script changes (and making the role funnier), ultimately opening doors for more meaningful representation in later projects like Harold & Kumar and The Namesake.
The Value of Kindness and Collaboration in Hollywood (47:01–48:21)
- Why Are People in Hollywood Jerks?: Kal argues that most “asshole-ishness” stems from insecurity; “kindness brings out everybody’s artistic vision.”
Full-Circle Moments in Representation (55:55–56:36)
- Networking and Persistence: Kal’s path from Van Wilder to Harold & Kumar to The Namesake is directly shaped by earlier compromises and a network built through honest hustle.
- Art Inspiring Art: The arc comes full circle through Mira Nair, who gives Kal a shot because of her son’s admiration for Harold & Kumar.
On Podcasting and New Projects (56:36–58:53)
- Kal’s New Podcasts: “Here We Go Again” explores political and cultural cycles with wit; his other show is a literary book club co-hosted with Ed Helms.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Progress:
“Of course, by a 2025 lens, Obama was not a progressive. That's how you know progress worked because the needle was moved.”
—Kal Penn (02:04, repeated and unpacked at 16:28) -
On Political Establishment:
“There was no room for a conversation about anything.”
—Kal Penn (27:04) -
On Civic Engagement:
“The best way to meet this moment… is actually using the political capital that Zoran earned by getting people out to vote for him and… turning that into real political action.”
—Kal Penn (36:32) -
On Strategic Compromise:
“I can be a bitch and lament and whine about how this isn't going to work out, or I can strategize about a different way in.”
—Kal Penn (46:42) -
On Representation and Inspiration:
“If this woman, Mira Nair, can do this, then like maybe I can too.”
—Kal Penn (40:44, on seeing Mississippi Masala)
Segment Timestamps
| Timestamp | Summary | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 04:05–07:00| Zoran Mamdani’s win; importance of representation | | 07:00–09:30| Asian representation in film; Harold & Kumar’s journey | | 09:32–16:18| Obama campaign and White House, lessons learned | | 16:19–24:22| Obama’s progressivism, policy tradeoffs, disillusionment| | 26:02–36:14| Gaza, youth activism, disconnection from Biden Dems | | 36:14–39:37| How citizens & activists can turn movements to action | | 46:42–56:36| Racism in Hollywood, compromise vs. principle | | 56:36–58:53| Kal’s new podcasts; continuing the conversation |
Tone & Language
- Conversational, irreverent, but deeply sincere and honest
- Mix of storytelling, personal confession, and social critique
- Balances comedy (“If I’m lying, I’m dying!”) and seriousness (“...no room for a conversation about anything.”)
- Encourages critical reflection, community action, and empathy without preachiness
Takeaways for New Listeners
- This episode is part masterclass in negotiating systemic adversity and part roadmap for activism within seemingly unresponsive institutions.
- Kal Penn’s arc is one of persistent optimism, tempered realism, and hard-won insight—on both the difficulty and necessity of working within flawed systems, whether in Washington or Hollywood.
- The conversation leaves listeners with a call to action: engagement, coalition-building, and finding ways to move the needle—no matter how steep the odds.