Seth Rogen: The Perks and Pitfalls of Celebrities at the Capitol

It was a great clip, complete with pot jokes.

But Seth Rogen’s recent efforts to advocate for Alzheimer’s disease research in Congress led to a little public venting from the comic actor —which wasn’t particularly pretty to watch after the fact.

Did it have to be this way? Some thoughts in today’s Social Media Roundup.

This Isn’t the End

New blog post: Congressional testimony tips from Seth Rogen http://t.co/8DdaUlEVuz  (opens in a new tab) #assnchat  (opens in a new tab)

— Stefanie Reeves, FASAE, CAE (@sjreeves) March 21, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

Rogen drew much attention last month by stopping by the Capitol to advocate for research funding for the Alzheimer’s Association—as well as for very publicly rebuking members of the Senate Appropriations Committee afterward for failing to stick around for his funny, but serious, pitch. Stefanie Reeves, senior legislative and federal affairs officer for the American Psychological Association, says that while Rogen’s statement was certainly effective, the unpleasantness after the fact could have been avoided.

“In hindsight, I wished the organization he was working with would’ve filled him in on what a typical day on Capitol Hill is like,” she writes on her Association Advocacy Chick blog  (opens in a new tab). “Wednesdays are usually the busiest day on the Hill. At any given moment, there are floor debates, hearings, meetings with constituents, and other activities occurring simultaneously. While it would be great for members of Congress to be present at every hearing, that’s just not possible.”

Even so, she says that there’s certainly room to salvage things: “It doesn’t mean they don’t care,” Reeves writes. “If anything, this presents a great opportunity for Seth and the advocacy organization to continue their congressional outreach.” (ht @sjreeves  (opens in a new tab))

Maybe Panels Aren’t So Bad?

Have a panel coming up in a future event? Make it spectacular! #assnchat  (opens in a new tab)http://t.co/svSWoCXWiN  (opens in a new tab)

— MemberClicks (@MemberClicks) March 21, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

You’ve heard it a lot lately: Panels are boring and must be stopped. MemberClicks’ Sarah Hill agrees. “I have a confession to make: If I have the option of choosing between attending a speaker panel and watching paint dry,” she writes, “I’ll probably chose the latter.” In her latest blog post  (opens in a new tab), Hill suggests the best ways to liven things up—including adding slideshows to the mix.

“This is an obvious boost that many people overlook when planning a panel discussion,” she writes. “Visuals make a big difference in every presentation!” (ht @MemberClicks  (opens in a new tab))

Any advice you’d offer for giving panels a boost? Offer your take in the comments.

(CSPAN screenshot)