Comments on: My Neighbor, The Terrorist

By: Genie

Genie — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:12:26 +0000

Be careful what you wish for. Do you want the characters to start think in italicized letters? that's what dan brown does for "character development"

in fact, one of the 24 creators wanted to adapt the da vinci code for a tv series or something...although i can't imagine Magneto yelling "Robert, WHERE IS THE HOLY GRAIL?" at Carl Hanratty/Woody

By: Janeofalltrades

Janeofalltrades — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 18:10:01 +0000

Speaking of brown people and race last nights Law & Order episode (a repeat) was much better portrayed in terms of racial tension, Americanism, terrorism and the situation muslims face in this country than 24 or any of those previous episodes. The ending was really interesting and very well done.

By: nimisha

nimisha — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 17:42:06 +0000

I agree with Tushar. It has nothing to do with race issues half the time. Mr. Penn acts out of a career choice, not to spread a message to the world or any such ridiculous notion as that. He also played a rapist in Law & Order, as was previously mentioned. Are you going to try and say that he’s creating a “brown people = bad, sick, rapists” image too? It’s a television show.

By: Tushar

Tushar — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 07:23:06 +0000

Why do you people always have to make it a “race” issue. its such a sickening aspect of this usually good site. THis is a “religion” issue and please if you despise it at least do NOT misrepresent the situation even if its bigotry you suspect or allege. What brown people? Ismail “royer” a white muslim was convicted for terrorist activities last year. On what basis did you JUMP from the episode analysis to the charge of “condoning hate crimes against BROWN” people. please please show me cos i Do NOT see the logical progression of paranoid anti-racists.

By: cocopuffs

cocopuffs — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 17:36:59 +0000

Does anyone know if the terrorist who blew up the bomb, was he Kumar's brother in white castle?? God kumar why don't just grow up! haha

it looks just like him.

By: Huey

Huey — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 17:25:50 +0000

Maybe Kal has some bills to pay. He was one of the producers of “Van Wilder 2″ so you know he lost his shirt (at least the sleeves) when it bombed at the box office. I hope he gets more work, b/c he’s becoming the desi version of Antonio (Huggy Bear) Vargas…whenever someone needed a pimp, junkie or janitor, Antonio was (one of)the several black actors during the 70s who played the pimp/thug character rotated in those several cop shows back then.
-offtopic I wonder what happened to his castmates from “Dude, Where’s The Party?” (Where’s The Party, Yaar?), if any of them have done other work?

By: dk

dk — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 02:11:10 +0000

The Ambassador used to read the Indian news on the weekends in New York back in the day … and its perfectly fine to hold actors to the same sort of ethical standards around the roles they take as any other artist or working stiff/cog in the system. There’s no absolution just because its hard to get work … history is full of responsible, stand up performers who turned down roles they found socially or politically unacceptable so the template is out there … if you choose to take the roles … take the lumps along with the paychecks.

By: anji

anji — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 21:44:44 +0000

apparently kal penn said at the premiere namesake that he was very excited to play a non-traditional role, and he’s similarly gushed on the same on ztv interviews. while he-and all the many other south asian and middle eastern actors on 24 bother me a bit in general because of their participation in the project-he deserves a break. his last flick went nowhere:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/van_wilder_2/

there are many ways to achieve the ends of racial equality on tv but it’s a mighty uphill struggle. (See the above Burn Hollywood Burn comment) (also makes me worry about obama). he did a pretty good job in that role tho so kudos to ahhhhmed for advancing his career.

k 24 has horrendous politics. but i don’t believe in censorship. plus, lest us forget that it is filled with many nuances that provide a small counterweight; in this season: a converted former islmamic militant comes to the us to stop the attacks; an african american president; an african american woman defending the islamic association of america; important points within the administration re civil liberties; a president who respects civil liberties; and a Muslim man who decides to stay in jail to be an informant. In other episodes a white girl who is the secret terrorist; a muslim kid dating a white girl; Muslim kids in a store who help Bauer.

OK, I can’t say it’s a positive show for Muslims with a straight face but I love it. But while TV perpetuates stereotypes, it also has the potential to provoke thinking: it’s the only real food of America. While it was bad for the hate crime against Kal Penn to have potentially stopped a terrorist attack, it is super good that a former Hamas character is working hand in hand with CTU in a battle that could save “hundreds, thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of lives.”

By: ylrsings

ylrsings — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 19:10:41 +0000

yeah-- he was kind of creepy, it was a badly written SVU episode. why does sakina jaffrey always have 2 minute roles that involve her using a really bad fake accent (see heroes, sex and the city, etc.)?? she was pretty good in that random indie film "chutney popcorn" although this could be because the main actress/writer was absolutely terrible. and why did that other south asian brother on SVU have such an AWFUL accent-- was he even south asian? i missed his name in the credits.

i'm hoping our brother kal gets more interesting and diverse roles in the future-- i'm looking forward to the namesake although i really wish they would do short films based on the interpreter of maladies (such a better book!!).

a few final random notes:

1) my boss here at work has a son who works for new line and is best friends with kal penn-- i hear random stuff about his life all the time. crazy!

2) ice-t, mr. cop-killer-turned-cop-on-tv was next to me in customs coming home to california from canada circa 1998-- he came up to my shoulder. no lie. and i'm only 5'3".

By: Metric System

Metric System — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:07:15 +0000

Whats the deal with Kumar getting all the bad guy roles lately? Superman followed by 24 and now Law And order.