Actor Kal Penn (House, Designated Survivor, Harold & Kumar) said he thinks that streaming services have helped diversify the entertainment industry, an industry with a history of typecasting minorities.

Penn was being interviewed by CNN's Jake Tapper about his new book, "Maybe I Do Have a Story to Tell," which includes stories about his being forced to adopt an Indian accent to get roles--he was born and raised in Montclair, NJ, and does not have an accent--some of which he turned down, others he took because he needed them on his resume.

He said of one casting decision that when he argued against a stereotypical accent he was told that he was lucky that people like him could work in the business.

Also: New Bill Would Incentivize Diverse Streaming

Penn said that over the intervening couple of decades, the industry has improved "by leaps and bounds" in addressing diversity, thanks more recently to OTT.

"I think one of the big things that has helped television and entertainment change for the better are the streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu," he told Tapper. "If you think about the content that they have, they are often times outside the purview of race or gender. They just make great, compelling characters that anyone wants to watch no matter what the characters are, no matter who we are."

A Nielsen diversity and inclusion report last January found that "the widest assortment of shows starring people of color was found on streaming platforms," and that streamed shows had either the most of the second most recurring characters who were Black, Latino, Asian, Middle Eastern or Native American.

National Geographic Channel has signed actor Kal Penn to host a new series Mapology, one of a number of new shows announced Tuesday during the cable portion of the Television Critics Association tour.

Mapology, starring Penn (How I Met Your Mother, Harold and Kumar) explores different themes through the mapping of new data and interacting with interesting characters, said network officials during the network's TCA session.

“We continue to develop new series that demonstrate our commitment to producing cool smart programming that is fun, entertaining and accessible,” said Courteney Monroe, CEO, National Geographic Channel in a statement. “With Mapology, we’re stripping down the layers of the world to discover hidden connections that will enhance our audience’s views of what’s really happening, not only the world at large, but in their small world.”

The network also announced the Sept. 7 premiere of a new special, 9/10: The Final Hours, which takes viewers moment by moment through the day before the Sept. 11 terrorist attack in New York City, said network officials.

In addition, the network will focus on the consumption of alcoholic drinks around the world in the new series Chug. The show will follow “drinkaloguer” Zane Lamprey as he travels by train to sample alcoholic beverages at exotic locations around the world. Another travel series, Eric Greenspan is Hungry, debuts in November and will follow Greenspan as he visits people around the country who farm, raise, nurture, hunt and butcher livestock for food consumption, said the network.