Rogen adds author to long list of job titles
Actor, comedian offers collection of stories about growing up in Vancouver and becoming a star
“I smoked pot behind a store too when I was in high school,” I told Seth Rogen recently.
“Hahaha, cool,” said Rogen in his unmistakable happiestguy-on-earth manner.
Lots of teens probably entered the world of weed near a similar establishment that sold an array of snacks. While not mind-blowing stuff, it was formative nonetheless.
For Rogen it was the 7-Eleven near his high school in Kerrisdale.
Discussing our shared delinquency, we settled into a discussion about his new collection of non-fiction stories titled Yearbook. The just-released book, which is currently excerpted in The New Yorker, is a mixture of hilarious stories about growing up in Vancouver — and growing into a huge Hollywood career.
It's easy to imagine that people often share their pot-smoking stories with the actor, who also co-owns the cannabis business Houseplant.
“Yeah,” Rogen confirms with his unmistakable laugh.
As the well-known Pied Piper of pot, it's a no-brainer then to also assume that people ask him if he wants to smoke a joint. Rogen said that's a hard yes, although COVID-19 has given him an easy out for now.
“If it is a situation where I feel comfortable, yeah, I have smoked weed with tonnes of strangers throughout my life, thousands of them,” said Rogen over the phone from the balcony of the Los Angeles home he shares with his wife, Lauren Miller, and their dog, Zelda. “So many of them say: `I can't believe this is happening. Then I have to be like, `Well, I wish I could tell you this is a special occasion but, unfortunately, I have smoked weed with thousands of people.'”
With Yearbook, Rogen can add “author” to his multi-hyphenate universe that includes actor/writer/producer/director, business owner and, for awhile, the voice of TransLink announcements. Stitcher also just announced that he'll launch a new podcast this year.
The lazy stoner stereotype doesn't apply here.
“I found weed makes me much more willing to work and much happier while I'm working,” said Rogen, noting he believes the stereotype is racist in its roots.
Rogen is currently shooting the Hulu TV series Pam & Tommy about the infamous seafaring sex tape made by Tommy Lee and another proud B.C. product, Pamela Anderson. Rogen plays Rand Gauthier, the guy who stole the tape. Rogen and his longtime partner — they've been friends since high school — Evan Goldberg's company Point Grey Pictures is producing the series starring Sebastian Stan and Lilly James. Goldberg is also a co-owner of Houseplant.
Also on Rogen's plate — which, as a good amateur potter he could easily make himself — are writing projects with Goldberg, the recent expansion of Houseplant into America and, of course, the promotion of Yearbook.
While reading it in prep for the interview I mentioned on social media I did a spit-take during his recounting of a meeting he and Judd Apatow took at movie star and Scientology czar Tom Cruise's Hollywood home during peak Cruise kookiness — think Oprah and the yellow couch.
Rogen writes in the book: “After about four hours into the meeting it finally came up: The conversation slowwwwwwwly veered into how the public thought he was … losing his mind.” Cruise said big pharma was trying to discredit him, then added: “You should see what they do to my friend Louis Farrakhan!”
“Of all the strange sentences I have heard in my life, this one, coming out of Tom Cruise's mouth is in the top three,” Rogen writes.
Cue: Spit-take.
It should be noted that this particular story also includes Rogen peeing into a Snapple bottle within view of Cruise's video security system. I told Rogen, who started standup comedy in Vancouver in his early teens, that when I mentioned the spit-take online, an interesting direct message came my way.
“Ask him if he remembers doing a small fundraiser for me when he was about 16,” wrote former B.C. premier Glen Clark. So, I did.
Rogen laughed. He always laughs. “Of course, I remember. He's referenced in the book,” said Rogen. The gig, according to Clark, was a comedy-night fundraiser at the James St. Cafe at 23rd Avenue and Rupert Street.
“I was 15 or 16, so I was probably starting to tell jokes about trying to kiss girls and trying to sneak into strip clubs and stuff like that. But I very specifically remember I was having a hard time performing at clubs because they didn't understand the legality,” said Rogen. “He (Clark) not only offered up that it was legal, but I feel he put us in touch with his office and sent us the actual bylaw that stated I was allowed to do it.”
Clark, who was premier from 1996 to 1999, vaguely remembers that conversation but more importantly remembers a funny kid who, not long after, became a funny, famous kid. “I think it was not very long after that he kind of started to bubble up and someone said you know he was at your thing. Your comedy night,” said Clark over the phone. “He was the youngest guy there. He had that big, distinctive laugh.”
Rogen landed first on TV in 1999 co-starring in Apatow's Freaks and Geeks. He now has close to 100 acting credits. And, if you have seen the 2007 film Superbad, you have a pretty good idea of what a chunk of Rogen's formative years were like. Written with Goldberg, Superbad was super successful and is now considered a quintessential adolescence experience movie that gave the world “McLovin.”
From awkward teen to often-awkward adult — he admits it himself — Rogen relives some of his Hollywood experiences. While plenty of names are named, Rogen was sensitive to the non-spotlight-living pals from his past.
“It was actually really nice to talk to some of the people and connect with them,” said Rogen. “It was a fun walk down memory lane.”