Seth Rogen - Celebrity Profile/Critique

He’s undeniably popular as successful, but why? Seth Rogen has taken the comedy movie scene by storm in recent years and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Seth Rogen’s miraculous success in Hollywood since his debut as Ricky Danforth in Donnie Darko is puzzling… in what society can an overweight, self-proclaimed pothead become one of the most popular men of this day and age.
Rogen has starred in several popular movies in recent years including Superbad, Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, and Zach and Miri Make a Porno. The roles he has in these movies are repetitive overall but he somehow manages to make each one new and interesting. In Superbad, Rogen has a more minor role of a police trainee, 3 months into training. When he and his partner pick up McLovin’ the 25-year-old organ donor from Hawaii and offer to give him a ride to the party he’s buying alcohol for, the trio embarks on a zany journey involving beer, drunk driving, and countless bad decisions. In Knocked Up, Rogen has the good fortune of playing a broke, pot-smoking loser who is working on creating a Mr.Skin-like website with his roommates and ends up getting a girl he meets at a club pregnant. After learning of his folly, Ben (Rogen’s character) decides that he will be there for Allison (the pregnant girl).
In trying economic times such as these, people need a common man that they can relate to. Seth Rogen has become that man. He doesn’t have the physique of a male model or the romantic and seductive accent of the sexiest man alive, but he’s funny, and he’s not afraid of what people will think about him. It is this carefree attitude that has allowed Rogen to clench a loyal following among young adults as well as many fans in older generations.
In the not-so-recent past, it would have been nearly impossible for a man with the looks of Seth Rogen to score a leading role in a popular Hollywood movie. Those spots were reserved for charming and attractive men like Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr., or Hugh Jackman. However, in these times, the public welcomes someone who isn’t perfect. Knowing and recognizing these imperfections in famous people like Seth Rogen, gives the public hope. His popularity shows society that anyone can be successful.
Rogen’s popularity is undeniable, but he has not found this stature without enduring criticism, most of which is well founded. The movies in which Rogen has lead parts often depict the use of marijuana, and these movies are aimed at an audience of young adults. Many parents and responsible adults are seeing movies like Knocked Up and Pineapple Express, and getting furious with not only Seth Rogen, but director Judd Apatow, as well as the rest of Rogen’s “posse,” consisting of Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel, and Martin Starr. These critics are afraid of the repercussions that Rogen’s popularity will have on the youth in society.
When Rogen is seen saving his bong instead of his pregnant girlfriend in Knocked Up during an earthquake, the audience reaction is to laugh, rather than be completely unamused and disgusted. When Rogen and his dealer go to a school and sell weed to elementary students to make money for bus tickets in Pineapple Express, it seems unimportant and not a big deal. No wonder parents and other adults are worried for their kids and hate Seth Rogen, no one wants their kids to grow up with a role model like that.
Rogen got his start as a stand-up comic at age 13 and scored his first role in a tv show, Freaks and Geeks, when he was 16. His improvisation has been cited as his biggest asset by director Judd Apatow, and many of his improvisations are actually used in his movies. Apatow purposely doesn’t cut after shooting a scene to allow the actors to improvise and hopefully make the movie funnier, this style of directing is perfect for Rogen and if the two had not paired up, it is unlikely that Rogen would be as popular as he is today.
Similarities can be seen between Seth Rogen and actor/comedian John Belushi. Belushi, much like Rogen, was not a terribly attractive man by anyone’s standards, but he was hilarious. He frequented comedy clubs and was a guest on Saturday Night Live numerous times. As he rose into stardom however, Belushi found it hard to deal with the pressure and spotlight that came along with his newfound fame. He saw a psychologist for a year and eventually turned to drugs. John Belushi died of an overdose after injecting a speedball, a combination of cocaine and heroine in 1982. Could this be the future of Seth Rogen?