Only 2 Senators Show Up for Seth Rogen Testimony

Comedian names and shames Mark Kirk for bailing on Alzheimer's testimony
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 27, 2014 2:30 PM CST

Sen. Mark Kirk made a huge mistake yesterday, when he tweeted a picture of himself with Seth Rogen, who was on Capitol Hill to testify about Alzheimer's funding. "Thanks to @Sethrogen for speaking out about efforts to #ENDALZ. RT if you know someone affected by #Alzheimers," Kirk wrote. Which would have been fine, had Rogen not shot back, "@SenatorKirk pleasure meeting you. Why did you leave before my speech? Just curious."

Indeed, only two senators showed up for the Appropriations Committee hearing, Rogen complained in other tweets spotted by USA Today. "All those empty seats are senators who are not prioritizing Alzheimer's," he said. In his remarks, Rogen spoke of his mother-in-law's battle with Alzheimer's, which caused her to "forget how to feed herself, dress herself, and go to the bathroom herself, all by the age of 60." But he surrounded that heartbreak with jokes, like:

  • "I came here today for a few reasons. One, I'm a huge House of Cards fan. Just marathoned the whole thing. Had to be here. Two is to say people need more help."
  • On his Hilarity for Charity foundation: "That's right, the situation is so dire that it caused me, a lazy, self-involved, generally self-medicated man-child to start an entire charity organization."
  • Alzheimer's treatment is more expensive than for any other condition. "It's more costly than heart disease in a country where for $1.29 you can get a taco made out of Doritos."
  • "I've personally seen the massive amount of financial strain this disease causes, and if the American people ever decide to reject genitalia-driven comedy I will no longer be able to afford it. Please don't."
(More Seth Rogen stories.)

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