On a rare rainy evening in DTLA, Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen’s nonprofit, Hilarity For Charity (HFC), hosted “Friendsgiving”, an annual fundraiser and HFC’s signature event. The occasion took place on November 15, at Rolling Greens in Downtown Los Angeles, where the rain rolled right alongside the 500 attendees brave enough to face it. 

Founded in 2012, Hilarity for Charity is a non-profit that aims to support families affected by Alzheimer’s and to help fund brain-health education as a preventative measure against the disease. 

HFC’s “Friendsgiving” is part brain games, part comedic genius, and all heart. Guests were welcomed through an industrial greenhouse, and were invited to play carnival games and enjoy various gourmet food trucks, eventually settling in for an incredible lineup of performances. Comedians Tig Notaro and Kumail Nanjiani took care of the hilarity, while Asi Wind mystified guests with mind-bending magic. An intimate musical performance by Hayley Williams rounded off the show, leaving guests with a teaser of her upcoming, first-ever, solo tour. The event raised $1.3 million through a silent auction that followed the performances. 

Kumail NanjianiCredit: Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Hilarity for Charity

“We’ve been to this venue before, and it was just a very cool venue,” Seth told Los Angeles on the neon pink carpet. “We’ve kind of found that a combination event like this works best where you can walk around, hang out, get food, and then there’s a show. It’s not all about the show. If you’re not somebody who likes shows, we got something for you too.”

“I’m worried that we’ll have people that won’t show up, but you know what, it looks pretty good!” Lauren said, smiling, as she eyed the turnout against the rain.

“You know what, fuck those people”, Seth said, laughing, gesturing towards the potential no-shows.

Credit: Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Hilarity for Charity

Using comedy to talk about Alzheimer’s is the spark of light in an often long, dark road for caregivers. For the Rogens, it’s the organic path – It’s where they come from.

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“It’s sort of coincidental that that is our resource,” Seth explained. “We come from comedy, we met through comedy, a lot of our friends are involved in comedy— so it became the thing we were able to use to draw a crowd. And it is also nice that it’s relieving. It counterbalances the extreme sadness associated with dementia in general.”

Lauren, whose mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at 55, views it as a reflection of how living with this actually feels. “My life has been filled with highs and lows. Life isn’t just funny. It’s not just sad. It’s all of it,” she said. “Doing an event like this about something heavy and dark shows that there has to be balance. When you get too stuck on one side, that’s not really the experience.”

That balance is at the core of HFC’s identity.

“I know you’ll laugh at it,” Lauren said, turning to Seth, “I’ll say it, which is our tagline, that ‘There’s light in darkness.’” Cue Seth’s iconic laugh.

If the comedy offered release, Hayley Williams brought the emotion in the gentlest way.

Williams is no stranger to using her voice for good. Shining a light on caregivers and people currently navigating dementia with loved ones, Hayley took the stage for an intimate set, and tethered the night’s cause with her own experience. 

Hayley WilliamsCredit: Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Hilarity for Charity

“I am so honored to join Seth, Lauren, and this amazing community for Friendsgiving,” Williams said in a statement to HFC. “HFC’s commitment to educating people about Alzheimer’s and supporting caregivers is so important. My mom’s father died of this disease. He was a beautiful, artistic, and gentle soul. It feels very personal to me to be able to use my voice tonight to support HFC’s passion and efforts.”

HFC is committed to helping ease the burden that caring for someone living with dementia can put a caregiver. 

“I think the thing that I hope to dispel about Alzheimer’s is the reality of how hard it is,” Lauren said. “There are many people who are lucky enough to have not been touched by it, and that’s amazing—but I hope they understand how dark it can get, how long it can last, and what it is like for a caregiver. When we don’t understand those things, we don’t strive for change and we don’t work toward making things better.”

That urgency is what inspired their documentary about her family’s experience. “I think that with understanding comes learning and comes change. That’s why we made our documentary, because we wanted people to see this is what it is. And this is why we need to change.”

If you’re fortunate enough not to be dealing with dementia in your own family, odds are someone you know is. HFC provides amazing tools and resources to caregivers. If you’re looking to help on a personal level, Lauren advises skipping vague gestures.

So, what can you do?

“It’s hard to say, ‘What can I do?,’ because that’s really open-ended,” she said. “So I think it’s: ‘Hey, I’m running to the store, do you need anything?’ ‘Hey, I’d like to come over and keep you company.’ ‘Hey, can I come over and sit with your loved one so you can take a break?’ ‘Hey, I heard about this support group. Here’s the information. I signed you up; all you have to do is go here at this time and this day.’”

“You can’t do everything,” she said. “You can’t say to your friend, ‘I can cure this disease.’ But what I can do is send you a playlist of happy songs to put on when you’re caring for your loved one. What I can do is get you groceries because you can’t get to the store. It’s those types of things that really lighten the load.”

Seth summed it up by adding, “People sometimes look for a big thing that’ll fix it all, but doing a bunch of little things is probably that [big thing].”

HFC is equally committed to the prevention of this disease, as it currently has no cure. Their research demonstrates five “Brain Health Habits”: eating right, moving your body, sleeping well, managing stress, and keeping your brain engaged through learning and curiosity, which keeps your mind adaptable, resistant, and resilient. 

If one is curious how the Rogens keep their minds sharp, consider the following.

“We both learned pottery,” Lauren said. “We’re very active in it. We learned how to make glaze, which is certainly something challenging our brains. I do a little Duolingo and that kind of stuff. I think as writers, we’re constantly cataloging new things, learning new things, writing, researching…”.

“I learned to play the piano recently for a role,” Seth shared. “Luckily as an actor, they’re always teaching me new things, and I have to learn a new thing very often. It’s actually, thank God, very invigorating in that way.”

The hosts imparted a few words about what to take away from the event.

“Just to have a good time, honestly,” Seth said. “To learn a little bit as well. I think an event like this is mostly to just kind of have fun. A lot of people here have dementia in their lives in some ways, so some relief from that—I think that’s what we’re trying to provide as well.”

Over a decade later, the Rogens continue to inspire the next generation of Alzheimer’s advocates and champion caregivers, and Hilarity for Charity’s research and education continue to motivate the younger generation to take preventative action. To learn how you can make an impact, visit www.wearehfc.org and @wearehfc on socials.