Kal Penn on his unlikely stardom
CBSN
Kal Pen remembers the exact moment his life changed. It was during a school production of "The Wiz" in suburban New Jersey: "I got cast as the Tin Man, and it was just the first time I experienced being in the zone as an actor.
"I put the axe up and I turned to the audience and I say, 'All you fine ladies out there …' and I just did this pelvic thrust, and the crowd went nuts! And I was just, like, That feeling was interesting."
"Interesting," because it gave Penn (born Kalpen Suresh Modi) a way to navigate his world, going from a self-described "skinny Brown kid from New Jersey" to a star, in films like "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," and TV shows like "Sunnyside."
Trying to capture a life in film – never mind one as complex as that of Amy Winehouse – can be a challenge. When it comes to biographical films, critics often fire from both sides, calling them exploitative or sanitized. It's not for the faint-hearted director. But according to Sam Taylor-Johnson, "There's something about tackling difficult subjects where I just think, come on, let's go!"
Comanche chanting kicked off the Southwestern Association for Indian Art's inaugural runway show, as singer Marla Nauni opened with a blessing song for Native people. Peshawn Bread, the designer behind House of Sutai, quickly followed the prayer by sending a model in bell bottoms and roller skates down the runway to set the tone for her colorful disco-influenced collection.
Malmo, Sweden — Not everyone was welcoming the Eurovision Song Contest to the Swedish city of Malmo. Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators protested in the Swedish port city Thursday against Israel's participation in the pan-continental pop competition. Protesters waving green, white and red Palestinian flags packed the historic Stortorget square near Malmo's 16th-century town hall before a planned march through the city for a rally in a park several miles from the Eurovision venue.
On the heels of his third Super Bowl championship and in the thick of unstoppable fanfare over his relationship, Travis Kelce is apparently moving into a different kind of spotlight. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end has confirmed he's attached to the upcoming television series "Grotesquerie," from "American Horror Story" creator Ryan Murphy. According to Deadline, the venture will mark Kelce's acting debut.