The Lazy Self-Involved Man-Child Steps Up

On Facebook today, I came across a video displaying Seth Rogen, the raunchy comedic actor, making a speech in front of the senate. To my surprise, it was not a stand-up routine, but instead a heartfelt speech about Alzheimer's. His wife Laurie's mother has been battling the disease for years, and he has decided to use his fame and status to help the cause. He started the Hilarity for Charity program in 2011, where he and his actor-friends go on comedy tours to raise money for the disease. Although their most recent fundraiser raised half a million dollars, Rogen still felt he could do more, and decided to take his cause to the senate. 

He spoke on Wednesday, February 26, in an attempt to erase the stigma around Alzheimer's as well as increase government funding. He was able to use his comedic talent, to draw in the listeners, as well as become a YouTube sensation. He opened by saying he was aware that "this has nothing to do with the legalization of marijuana" and even asked the Chairman if he had seen his major film "Knocked Up". The audience loved it. He made hysterical references to the new television show House of Cards, and also called himself a "Lazy Self-Involved Man-Child". While making everyone, even the chairman laugh, he brought very real, and frightening statistics to light. He stated that Alzheimer's is the only one of the top ten deadliest diseases in the U.S that has no cure or prevention. Rogen also claimed that it is the most costly of all the those ten diseases. 

Cost is a very important part of this issue, and not enough work is being done to reduce the financial burden on families. Luckily, there are some people, like New Triers own Allie Harris and her mother who started a website called http://www.alzcaresource.com/ which not only lowers the cost of necessary products, but donates all the proceeds back to Alzheimer's research. Rogen admitted that if America didn't love his "Genitalia driven comedy" he would not be able to financially support his mother-in-law. 

While I find it fabulous that Rogen has stepped up like this, it is slightly terrifying to think that in order for a cause to become known, it needs to have a celebrity as its face. A medical expert could have made an even more convincing, factually sound argument to the senate, yet the public would never have known about it. With Rogen making the speech, countrywide publicity is achieved. Although it is sad to know Americans are so celebrity oriented, it is nice to know how much of a difference one person can make. Rogen's speech puts pressure on other Hollywood icons to step up, and make a difference.