Seth Rogen is a transparent pot-lover, something audiences have been aware of all the way back to his 2008 stoner film Pineapple Express. In the last few years, the multi-dimensional creative, founder of the cannabis and smoking accessories brand Houseplant, also has found solace in creating artistic clay-molded ceramic pieces.
In addition to selling pre-rolls, Rogen’s first couple of Houseplant products were crafted and polished by his hands in a Los Angeles ceramics studio, such as tall retro ashtrays and blob-covered pots that appeared as if they materialized from a colorful scene in a Dr. Seuss novel. The company’s aim: destigmatize cannabis usage through tastefully sophisticated products with a pristine eye towards functional design.
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Founded in 2019, the Houseplant company includes a wide range of glazed clay objects, mugs, and marijuana strains tested by Seth and his co-founder, Evan Goldberg. Recently, they even curated three different box sets of vintage music on vinyl ($95) that are designed to be played when using Houseplant flower.
“Houseplant all started from my very personal desire to own things that were my taste and my lifestyle as someone who is fascinated by design and architecture,” Rogen tells The Hollywood Reporter over an afternoon Zoom call.
On May 7, a busy Rogen also will take over the Hollywood Bowl with his headliner comedy-musical act, Seth Rogen Smokes The Bowl, part of the Netflix Is A Joke festival. The 42-year-old comedian and filmmaker has put together his dream lineup of jokesters and musicians to join him for the night. Outside of his own hosting set, Rogen has Snoop Dogg, Ramy Youssef, Lil Dicky, Janelle James, Ronny Chieng and more scheduled to perform at the Bowl with him.
“Our goal is to just make a very crowd-pleasing, fun, wild event, and every new idea we come up with is geared towards sheer entertainment value,” says Rogen.
As part of Seth Rogen Smokes The Bowl, the comedian will donate the night’s proceeds earned from the show to Hilarity For Charity. Founded in 2012 by Rogen’s wife, Lauren Miller, the nonprofit advocates for individuals and families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. Brain health is also what keeps comedians clever and original. “We give away hours for free in-home care for people dealing with loved ones who have dementia and so far we’ve given away over 400,000 hours,” Seth Rogen explains.
Ahead of the comedian lighting up Hollywood’s biggest outdoor stage, Rogen talks more with THR about how he loves to share his Houseplant product, bringing his comedy idols to the stage, and more.
Happy belated 4/20, how are you doing today?
I just found a lizard in my house, so I had a bit of a moment, but I think I’m doing okay now. It was pretty exciting and a little terrifying. We won’t let my wife know that just happened.
Where did the idea of Houseplant stem from?
I do ceramics a lot and learned organically from people responding to posts with my different pottery creations. If you grew up smoking weed and you smoke a lot of weed, you will know there is this sort of aesthetic and connotation that you’re lazy and you don’t care about well-executed product. Houseplant is about making stuff that is very well-executed, very well-thought-out, and very highly-considered product with good function and design.
What life philosophies are engrained in the Houseplant lifestyle?
I don’t have many philosophies in life, but I’m super proud of it. It represents me and my sensibilities and tastes. Our range of product is a good representation of our creative goals, which is how I gauge my work usually: ‘How close is this to what I hoped it would be? And is it received in the way that I hoped it would be?’ With Houseplant, both of those things are very true and it exists in the world the way it should.
Who would you dream to share Houseplant’s product with?
I have gotten to smoke weed with a lot of great people including my wife and friends and at the end of the day, I like making ceramics and I first took lessons with my wife at Bitter Root Pottery which all started this. I try to share my product with my friends all the time to kind of see how they react to certain products and stains of tree.
At your upcoming Hollywood Bowl comedy show, what can the audience expect?
There are going to be giant comedians and musicians that are part of the surprises. We’re trying to make this show be so funny and silly and a spectacle that is the scale of which is worthy of being in the Hollywood Bowl itself. So, I currently have an orchestra that is currently learning how to play “California Love” which is pretty great.
How are you making sure your hours spent on stage epitomize your legacy in comedy?
Snoop Dogg is for sure someone who epitomizes L.A. and the sort of California culture I am a part of in many ways, and he is just a great guy. There is a lot I can’t share but there will be a lot of friends of mine and people I personally think are hilarious.
What impact are you looking for with your headlining this Hollywood Bowl extravaganza?
With the proceeds of this show and other collective support, Hilarity For Charity is launching a brain-health education program with Quinta Brunson, Kristen Bell, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and a few others. The program will teach brain-health education which is something that can be very impactful. My team and I have been able to be very good advocates and I think raise a lot of money for a very good cause and help a lot of people while also being able to represent what we will be funny in this show. We are not shying away from really trying to entertain our audience in the exact way we would want to be entertained, which is like kind of a no-holds-barred style of comedy.
