NEW YORK (CNN) — It’s like a modern romantic comedy featuring a television star and a politician — complete with a social media twist.
What started out as a diss on Hulu series “The Mindy Project” may lead to a dinner date between the show’s actress Mindy Kaling and New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker.
A recent episode of the show featured Kaling’s character, Mindy Lahiri, puzzled that the senator attended a friend’s event.
“Cory Booker? I can’t believe he came,” Kaling’s character said on the show. “I guess anything to get out of Newark, huh?”
Booker tweeted the actress and told her he does not agree with her portrayal of the city he once served as mayor, but said he loves her work nevertheless.
“Ouch!” Booker tweeted, with an emoji of a broken heart. “Heard Dr. Lahiri dissed Newark last night … & I disagree.”
Kaling was quick to reassure him that anything her character dislikes always means that it’s cool.
“Senator, if Mindy Lahiri shades it, it means we know it’s cool. Thanks for the love. It’s mutual!” she tweeted, using a big fat heart emoji in place of love.
At that point, social media users collectively swooned and started egging them on. Booker upped the ante with a dinner invitation for Kaling.
“You are making my day! Thanks for the clarification. And If the love is really mutual … Come have dinner with me in Newark?” Again, the big red heart emoji in place of the word love heated things up.
Kaling responded with a yes, and told him she’ll check the schedule of PATH — the rail line that runs between New York and New Jersey.
Not to be left out, PATH jumped in and tweeted the actress its train schedule. Booker decided to be a gentleman and offer her a door-to-door car service instead.
