Any other potential Asian American leading men out there?

It might take more than another 'Harold and Kumar' to bring Kal Penn back to the screen, writes Paige Wiser.  Chicago Sun-Time's entertainment columnist lists Kal Penn as one of several Asian American actors she deems worthy to be a television leading man.  Kal Penn has left "House" to serve as associate director of the White House Office of Public Liaison.¹

The other contenders are:
- John Cho ("Star Trek", "Flash Forward")
- Masi Oka ("Austin Powers in Goldmember," "Heroes")
- B.D. Wong ("The Karate Kid, Part II", "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit")
- Ken Leung ("Lost," "Sopranos")
- Daniel Dae Kim ("Lost")
- Tim Kang ("The Mentalist")
- Ken Jeong ("The Hangover," "The Goods", "All About Steve")

Wait a minute.  Didn't Ken Jeong play a role being beaten up by a group of angry co-workers after the lead character incites violence via a pep talk to his sales team?

I hope there are others then.  In fact, in another Paige Wiser column today, she writes about an Asian American actor who is getting a lot of air time and following on the hit HBO series, "Entourage".  Rex Lee plays Lloyd, the gay Asian assistant who is the object of "extremely creative slurs" from his boss Ari.²

Lee gives Lloyd an unsinkable ambition that will pay off during the next four episodes. Lloyd may be disrespected, but he never loses his dignity--or his impeccable argyle style.

We're yet to see what Lloyd's final pay off will be.³  Selecting positive roles makes better leading man qualifications to me.  Coincidentally, Jeremy Piven also plays the verbally abusive boss of Llyod in "Entourage."

¹Paige Wiser, "TVland of opportunity", Chicago Sun-Times
²Paige Wiser, "Gay, Asian ... and cool", Chicago Sun-Times
³Rex Lee, "Lloyd's Diary", HBO.com