Seth Rogen Is Publicly Shaming Senators Who Ditched His Congressional Testimony
Actor Seth Rogan gave an impassioned, humor-laced plea for more support and awareness of Alzheimer's disease on Wednesday to a U.S. Senate subcommittee, but he's not happy with the turnout.
<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"I think its indicative of the mentality that we find so frustrating ... ," Rogen told </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"></span>Chris Matthews on "Hardball." <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"It seems to be of the low priority. It seems like these people [the senators] don't care. That's the direct message they're giving by leaving during our testimony."</span>
While a large crowd could be seen behind Rogen as he talked about his mother-in-law's struggles with the disease, in front of him sat only two senators - Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)
<span>"Not sure why only two senators were at the hearing," he later wrote on Twitter. "Very symbolic of how the Government views Alzheimer's. Seems to be a low priority."</span>
Rogen was testifying before the Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, of which there are 18 members.
This was the view while he spoke:
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/530ecf80ecad045c4f049cc0-800-/screen-shot-2014-02-26-at-9.38.30-pm.png" border="0" alt="seth rogen testimony hearing room" width="600" />
After Rogen remarked that only two senators were present, the social media account of the Appropriations committee chimed in, telling him there were actually six. Not true, said Rogen:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
@SenateApprops four left after the first panel. Only two at mine.
- Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) February 26, 2014</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
At least one senator congratulated Rogen on his efforts, but that ended up inviting criticism despite his having a meeting.
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/530ed07c6da811423e569ed0-573-687/screen-shot-2014-02-26-at-9.41.57-pm.png" border="0" alt="seth rogen twitter" />
Even before his testimony, Rogen had been highly involved in Alzheimer's outreach for several years, acting as a celebrity spokesman and fundraiser for the National Alzheimer's Association. He and his wife also started the non-profit Hilarity For Charity to raise awareness and money for Alzheimer's among a younger generation.
"The situation is so dire that it caused me, a lazy, self-involved, generally self-medicated manchild to start an entire charity organization," Rogen said in his testimony.
<span>Rogen called on the committee and the government to take more steps in the fight against Alzheimer's, a disease with no cure and </span>no treatment to stop it from progressing.
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