Mindy Kaling's Newark joke leads to dinner with Cory Booker
By Associated Press
Mar 24, 2017 2:52 PM CDT
FILE - In this combination photo, Mindy Kaling, left, arrives at the 41st annual Gracie Awards Gala on May 24, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif., and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., addresses supporters during an election night victory gathering on Nov. 4, 2014 in Newark, N.J. Booker has invited Kaling to dinner...   (Associated Press)

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A joke about Newark, New Jersey, on "The Mindy Project" led to dinner plans between U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and star Mindy Kaling.

Her character joked after hearing that Booker had come to her colleague's event that "I guess anything to get out of Newark, huh?"

Booker tweeted "Ouch!" at Kaling on Thursday. He added that he still loved her, though.

She responded that if her character "shades" it, "it means we know it's cool," and said the love was mutual. Booker then asked her to dinner in Newark.

She asked for a train schedule, which the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey quickly sent her.

Booker called Kaling "Lyft worthy" and promised to send one.

Booker's spokesman says the date hasn't yet been scheduled.