The Russian ambassador to the United Kingdom has become the subject of mockery online following his use of an image from the comedy film Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay to make a serious point about Russian involvement in Iraq.
The image features Indian-American actor Kal Penn dressed in vaguely Middle Eastern garb and laughing.
Ambassador Alexander Yakovenko used the image to attack the United States for encouraging Iraq not to ask Russia for help fighting the Islamic State (ISIS).
US threatens to stop helping Iraq against ISIL if Baghdad asks Russia for help. The terrorists must be rejoicing pic.twitter.com/aKDaf1ae7q
— Alexander Yakovenko (@Amb_Yakovenko) October 21, 2015
Penn, who left the show House to accept a job in the Obama White House as the Associate Director of the Office of Public Engagement before returning again to his acting career, responded to the ambassador with laughs.
The Russian Federation ambassador to the UK tweeted this Harold & Kumar pic with seriousness. I can't stop laughing. https://t.co/ZsR041AAVJ
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) October 21, 2015
The screenshot comes from the scene when Kumar, played by Penn, jokes about being a terrorist. Kumar and his friend Harold are then sent to Guantanamo Bay after passengers mistake their bong for a bomb.
Penn thanked the ambassador for the mention with a picture of the character Ivan Drago, the Soviet boxer from Rocky IV.
.@Amb_Yakovenko thank you, Mr. Ambassador. pic.twitter.com/Df1d1wSGX4
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) October 21, 2015
Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren portrayed Drago.
The UK Russian Embassy Twitter account responded to Penn’s tweets.
@kalpenn it is rather hard to spot an actual terrorist laughing. Your performance is convincing and therefore fit to illustrate the idea.
— Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) October 21, 2015
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