Seth Rogen

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I'm working on a Knocked Up response piece as I speak, but it needs to be acknowledged that Seth Rogen is a star. He's witty and affable with a cool-sounding gravelly voice, he's a brilliant writer, and he projects an agreeable bullshit-free, smart-stoner persona that goes over gangbusters with men and fairly well with women because they find him puppy-dog cute. He's pretty much the new John Belushi -- just as wily and overfed, but a little more easy-going and a little less manic and over-the-top. But definitely a guy's guy and funny as hell.

I'm especially keen to see Rogen in The Pineapple Express, a David Gordon Green movie that's now shooting, from a script by Rogen and Evan Goldberg. It's about a couple of stoners who get mixed up with a malevolent drug gang, and with Green calling the shots you have to figure it'll be a bit more dramatic than funny, or certainly a mixture of the two.

But my God, Rogen needs to tighten up and lay off the cheeseburgers and the cheese fajitas. He's only 25 and he looks 35, easily. (Apatow shares this exact observation via some girl dialogue in Knocked Up.) Rogen doesn't have to turn himself into Orlando Bloom, but if you're this roly-poly at age 25 you're heading for trouble. The way Rogen's going he'll be a super-moose by the time he's 30 and will almost certainly be coping with health issues ten years later. Does he want to be Chris Farley or John Candy?

I'll always have a black spot in my heart for the first half of The 40 Year-Old Virgin, but no more bashing Apatow -- he's done pretty well with this film and deserves respect. Knocked Up stil has that basic believability problem that I mentioned a few weeks ago, and it ignores money issues like the plague, but Apatow has made a 132-minute comedy that just breezes right along and feels like 100 minutes or less. It's an entirely decent, good-hearted, sometimes very funny movie.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on April 18, 2007 at 10:40 AM

comment #1

T. S. Idiot says ...

Looks like he's going to be bald, too. Probably has back hair. He's going for the Wells-anathema triple play.

Posted by T. S. Idiot at April 18, 2007 11:45 AM

comment #2

Craig Kennedy says ...

I sitll don't buy the 'believability problem'. This doesn't speak for all women, but I know more than a few who think Seth Rogan is hot.

He's not a prime physical specimen, but he's funny and confident and has a certain 'loveable' look to him. When you factor in alcohol, I have no doubt he could bed any but the most uptight of women.

Plus as has been amply pointed out on earlier threads...Katherine Heigl isn't all that stunning.

Posted by Craig Kennedy at April 18, 2007 11:51 AM

comment #3

gruver1 says ...

Wells to T.S. Iidot: He doesn't have back hair, and it's not about my list of anathemas. Guys with major beef-bod issues who star in movies are presenting a METAPHOR to the world about all kinds of negative habits and issues that you don't need me to list for you now, but which threaten us all and are just not very pleasant to contemplate or wade into.

Posted by gruver1 at April 18, 2007 12:08 PM

comment #4

Arran says ...

I still dislike Jeff going after his appearance, but he's dead on about him looking old before his time. Tough to believe he's younger than me - I only found out his age a few months back, and was staggered to find he wasn't in his mid-30s.

I don't buy the believability problem either, though. Apatow himself is pretty schlubby and is married to Leslie Mann. And I can tell just from the trailer that the film itself addresses the so-called "problem".

Posted by Arran at April 18, 2007 12:09 PM

comment #5

Arran says ...

Err..."which threaten us all"?

Anyway, I was actually posting again to say I was watching 40YOV with commentary today and Rogen does mention something about getting his back waxed while they were shooting.

Posted by Arran at April 18, 2007 12:12 PM

comment #6

JD says ...

Jeff, listen to your readers! We've all been telling you to watch Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared for ages. Rogen's star potential was already cemented by these shows years ago.

Posted by JD at April 18, 2007 12:17 PM

comment #7

DavidF says ...

Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared should be mandatory watching.
Rogen was brought in as an actor and, at 17 or 18 years old, was doing writing for one of the best (and most quickly cancelled) show of the last decade.
Every episode he'd get 2 or 3 great lines, always drily and perfectly delivered.

The whole cast/crew of that show was amazing and there is something wonderful about seeing how Apatow's belief in them is being borne out. Now that is having great success he's bringing 'em all back into the fold.

If you would have told me in 2001 that Seth Rogen would be a leading comedy actor I wouldn't have believed you. To see him doing this is just awesome (especially since most of the public probably thinks he looks the way he did in 40YOV).

I've loved almost everything Apatow has done on TV (Larry Sanders, Ben Stiller Show, the aforementioned shows) and though Talladega Nights wasn't quite genius, I think he's one the best comedy dudes out there.

How's that for eloquent ass-kissing?

Posted by DavidF at April 18, 2007 12:38 PM

comment #8

Mike Binder says ...

I've seen the movie, it's awesome and Rogan is great in it. Really, really funny. It's the best thing Apatow has done yet and it's true Rogan has a great voice, and a great ability to be edgy and cuddly at the same time.

Posted by Mike Binder at April 18, 2007 12:42 PM

comment #9

DavidF says ...

(Just a PS to say that JD posted while I was typing my post. Great minds think alike. Go buy the DVDs, Wells!)

Posted by DavidF at April 18, 2007 12:43 PM

comment #10

Alan Cerny says ...

I met Seth Rogen at BNAT this year, and what struck me about his physicality was that he was a lot thinner than I expected. Not that it matters or anything, but he looked thinner in person than he does in KNOCKED UP.

Plus, who the hell cares?!

Posted by Alan Cerny at April 18, 2007 12:53 PM

comment #11

Michael says ...

Hey Binder, maybe you could explain to Wells the phenomenon of regular looking guys who bag women who are FAR out of their league with humor, charm and confidence....seeing as you played/wrote a Hall of Fame-level character of "pulling women you have no business being with" in Mind of the Married Man. One of the most beautiful women ever...

Posted by Michael at April 18, 2007 12:54 PM

comment #12

Dublin101 says ...

"Katherine Heigl isn't all that stunning"

Sorry man but yes she is stunning. Anyway, fair juice to Jeff for giving Apatow some slack. Looking forward to this one, the R-rated trailer is hilarious.

Posted by Dublin101 at April 18, 2007 1:04 PM

comment #13

rr3333 says ...

Me thinks the suits want to make sure Rogen is chubby because that's what the part calls for.

He probably looked thinner in person because he is thinner! (when he's not shooting any movies).

Heigl looks good in the movie, but I agree with a lot of posters .... a lot of it is smoke and mirrors. She's not that pretty. Also has very thick thighs.

Posted by rr3333 at April 18, 2007 1:43 PM

comment #14

Craig Kennedy says ...

I don't mean to suggest that my pick of the ladies runs so deep that I could afford to dismiss Katherine Heigl given the chance, I'm just saying she's not my personal fantasy type.

Posted by Craig Kennedy at April 18, 2007 1:48 PM

comment #15

Rich S. says ...

I usually take Jeff to task about emphasizing physical appearance too much, but he is right about one thing this time. Rogan has the potential to become the next "funny fat guy" and he should resist the temptation. A couple of pounds is no big deal. But for some unknown reason, the landscape is strewn with really heavy comics who died before their time, including Belushi, Candy and Farley. I know they all died from different causes, but still. Find out what, if anything, John Goodman did differently and follow that path. Rogan is a keeper and I would hate to see him go too early.

Posted by Rich S. at April 18, 2007 1:52 PM

comment #16

rr3333 says ...

It's a miracle that Goodman is still alive. He must have 100 year old parents (AKA: good genes!).

Posted by rr3333 at April 18, 2007 2:13 PM

comment #17

TheJeff says ...

Do you really think Jeff would watch a show called "Freaks and Geeks?" Freaks and geeks are the scourge of humanity. Might as well call it "Red-State Fatties."

Now, if it was called "Hipsters and Sophisticates"...

Posted by TheJeff at April 18, 2007 2:36 PM

comment #18

Mike Binder says ...

Michael; Here's the thing. In the case of Mind of The Married Man, my wife and I were on equal levels because she was saddled with that horrible British accent and perfect breasts, where I, luckily, had that charming Detroit drawl that women can't get enough of and I she loved the fact that I needed lifts to see eye to eye with her. That and the onion breath after lunch leveled the playing field.

I hope that answers your question.

I also can tell you that Seth Rogan will be enjoying a level of woman that guys like us will only get to know with staples and a fold across their belly. In real life, before he was famous that was true too. Sorry but it was. The guy just has something that girls like, I know that doesn't make it easy but it's true.

Live clean

Binder

Posted by Mike Binder at April 18, 2007 3:18 PM

comment #19

nemo says ...

"Uptown Hipsters and Sophisticates"!

"Looks like he's going to be bald, too. Probably has back hair. He's going for the Wells-anathema triple play."

Rogen probably wears flip-flops, too. Let's make it a Wells-anathema four-for-four.

And he wears Fruit of the Loom! Five for five!

Posted by nemo at April 18, 2007 3:22 PM

comment #20

nemo says ...

And he guffaws loudly in coffee shops! Six for six!

Posted by nemo at April 18, 2007 3:23 PM

comment #21

dixiedugan says ...

In the case of John Candy, there was rampant heart disease among the men his family - death at a young age. While I'm sure the weight didn't help one bit, he had it in his mind his number was going to be up early.

Hey, I'm 40 year old married broad, and I find Seth very sexy. Looks have nothing to do with it. It's all the mind baby. I don't care how beautiful or handsome or gorgeous some dude is, if he ain't got any kind of brain activity going on I sure as hell don't want him.

Posted by dixiedugan at April 18, 2007 4:31 PM

comment #22

jeffmcm says ...

It all depends on drugs of choice: Belushi/Candy/Farley were into the hard stuff, cocaine and heroin. I'm assuming Rogen isn't into anything worse than pot and booze.

Posted by jeffmcm at April 18, 2007 4:42 PM

comment #23

jeffmcm says ...

I'm sorry, John Candy wasn't into drugs, just very obese.

Posted by jeffmcm at April 18, 2007 4:44 PM

comment #24

MiraJeffAICN says ...

Jeff, gimme your address and I will send you my copies of Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. I met Rogen after seeing Knocked Up in November and he's everything I expected him to be, which is smart, funny, modest, and charming. He is the ultimate everyman and that's why I could always relate to him on those two shoes.

Meanwhile, Mike Binder, everyone loves to lament the premature cancellation of F&G and Undeclared, but I miss your show just as much. I loooved Mind of the Married Man. It never got its due, mainly because it was overshadowed by Sopranos and Curb and all that, but you and Weber and Sonia and Slayton were all great. You introduced me to Coldplay. Upside of Anger was excellent and frankly I'm embarrased to have not seen Reign yet. It's at the top of my list. Always appreciate your posts here on H-E. If you're looking for an assistant, lemme know. I'm fairly easy to find.

Posted by MiraJeffAICN at April 18, 2007 6:42 PM

comment #25