Actor and comedian Seth Rogen and his wife, Lauren Miller Rogen, have found a unique way to fight Alzheimer’s -- a condition that isn't usually a laughing matter.
The couple knows its effects firsthand: Lauren's mother, Adele, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at 55. The actress and comedienne also lost two grandparents to the disease.
As a way to raise awareness among millennials -- along with money for research and care -- the pair decided to do what they do best: make people laugh. The result was Hilarity for Charity. The variety show, now an annual fundraiser held in Los Angeles, has drawn support from the likes of Paul Rudd, Bruno Mars, The Backstreet Boys, and Samuel L. Jackson, among others.
Since the organization’s founding in 2012, the events have raised more than $5 million. In 2014, the Rogens launched HFC U to encourage college groups to host their own versions.
"I want young people to know that Alzheimer's isn't something to worry about just when you get old," Rogen says in his Hilarity for Charity bio. "And that we can tell a few jokes along the way to finding a cure." The duo are also Celebrity Champions for the Alzheimer’s Association.
In 2017, Netflix came on board as Hilarity for Charity's presenting sponsor. That means worldwide exposure for the 2018 variety show, which will be taped in front of a live audience and available to stream shortly afterward.