Kal Penn TV Series Draws Endorsement Plea From BK Council Hopeful

KENSINGTON, NY — A Kensington-born candidate for City Council wants to be the real-life incarnation of a new sitcom character — so she's asking for help from the star of the show.

Shahana Hanif — who would be the first South Asian Council member if elected to represent the 39th District — asked for an endorsement from the comedian Kal Penn Thursday night as his new comedy "Sunnyside" premiered on NBC.

Hanif said she is "excited" about the series featuring Penn as a South Asian former council member who "finds his calling" helping a group of immigrants in Queens, according to Deadline.

"[T]his remains fictional on & off screen," Hanif said on Twitter, adding a thumbs-down emoji. "i’m excited 4 our campaign & future in which i am elected as our city’s 1st. Kal, will u endorse my campaign on premiere night?"

Hanif predicted that during the 2020 and 2021 local elections, "we will see an upsurge in candidates of color, including many South Asians."

"In the history of our city, we’ve not seen a South Asian in our electorate — and we have certainly not seen a Bangladeshi Muslim woman in the City Council," she told Patch in a statement. "We are asking Kal for an endorsement as a symbolic gesture, and to raise a conversation about the state of representation in our electorate, in a city that is run by working class immigrants and people of color."

Supporters of Hanif, a disability rights activist of Bangladeshi descent, joined in with their own entreaties to Penn, a former Obama administration staffer who rose to fame with the "Harold & Kumar" movies.

"Let's make more history by electing an actual REAL LIFE south asian councilmember in NYC! @kalpenn endorse @ShahanaFromBK," tweeted political staffer Julie Ae Kim.

"Hey @kalpenn congrats on your new show #Sunnyside," Planned Parenthood communications staffer Senti Sojwal said on Twitter. "We’d love to see your support for incredible Bangladeshi activist @ShahanaFromBK who is running for city council in Kensington! She’s fiercely committed to our communities & making the system work for all of us."

Hanif is running to succeed Council Member Brad Lander, a Democrat who is term-limited and running for city comptroller. His district includes Park Slope, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, and parts of Flatbush, Kensington as well as other adjacent neighborhoods.

Hanif isn't the only local political player to notice the show.

Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, who represents Sunnyside, posted a picture of himself and Penn on Twitter after watching the first episode of the series.

"Great fun to watch the premiere episode of @NBCSunnyside with @kalpenn & his team tonight!" he said. "The show was not only funny, but also poignant! #Sunnyside and #Queens, home to so many immigrant stories, is shown correctly as a home for all!"