Harold and Kumar Go to MSNBC

Actually it was just Kumar. Kal Penn was on Keith Olbermann’s show Monday, and the following interview was full of silliness. To his credit, Penn admitted that, whatever grievances he has with the American government, at least we have the right to criticize it (unlike some places). Olbermann was having none of that, however. The transcript reads:

PENN: I don’t know. We should ask them, maybe. I think it really is just as Americans being able to poke fun at ourselves. I also think it’s an oddly patriotic film. I know that while we were shooting it, there was a satirical representation of President Bush, for example. If wasn’t meant to serve any political purpose. But while we were shooting that scene, we kind of thought, in so many countries around the world we would be liable to be shot or hung for a satirical representation of the prime minister or the president. And here we are in the world’s greatest country, where we have the opportunity still—hopefully we continue to—

OLBERMANN: So far.

PENN: — to do that. And it is not from any political purpose, just for the fun of it, I guess.

OLBERMANN: Now that you mentioned it, let me check the wires and make sure that’s still true.

Earlier in the interview, Olbermann also wonders how conservatives could possibly find the movie funny (nofunniks that we are), and seems to confuse actors from the movie with actual homeland security agents.

I didn’t review Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, but if I had I would have focused on its schizophrenic nature–on the one hand you have lighthearted stoner comedy (good), and on the other you have heavy-handed political commentary (bad). And when I say heavy-handed, I mean leaden hands festooned with gloves of marble encased in granite. Whereas the first movie deftly touched on issues of racism and identity politics, the sequel features, among other stupid gags, a white homeland security agent “harshly interrogating” a black man by pouring out a can of grape soda. Seriously. With that kind of subtlety it’s no wonder that Keith Olbermann loves the flick.