Senator Booker ‘reveres’ Mindy Kaling, but he’s still waiting for his date with her

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United States Senator Cory Booker, D-N.J., is a great admirer of Mindy Kaling, the Indian-American producer of the popular sitcom The Mindy Project. But their exchange about a possible date in the former Mayor’s city,which went viral a month ago, has yet to be translated into a real one.

Speaking to Vanity Fair at the magazine’s Power of Women luncheon in New York City April 21, the Senator was effusive in his praise of the Indian-American actor and producer, who has gained a loyal following for her frank opinions and out-of-the-box thinking on various issues. Kaling plays an Indian-American gynaecologist in search of love and the perfect man-friend in the show.

Booker said people should have refrained from romanticizing the online encounter between him and Kaling. Booker had invited Kaling to a dinner out after she dissed Newark, N.J. in her last-but-one episode of the show. Fans have been waiting to find out if that invite went anywhere.

Booker said he’s still waiting and asked media to take romance out of the equation.

“I want to sort of take the romantic aspect out of it and talk more about how she’s amazing,” Booker told Vanity Fair. He said he called her out on her dis and Kaling replied that it was not a personal insult. “… but then she agreed to come over to Newark, New Jersey. She hasn’t yet. I mean, she’s a busy person . . . so we’ll see what happens in the future,” Booker said.

“A lot of people read more into it then (sic) there’s there, but this is just somebody I really revere, and have just a reverence for in terms of her impact that she is making in so many ways. Just not only with women, people of color—so much visibility,” Booker is quoted saying. “She’s just an extraordinary force, and someone I have a lot of respect for. So, to have her come to my city to see it and to bring her spotlight there is a wonderful thing.”

“I just think she’s a really wonderful person, that’s it. So all the romantic talk, put that aside, but let’s focus on a really extraordinary human being that I hope to get to New Jersey,” Booker said.