Seth Rogen, Airbnb, & the Paradoxical Smoke-free Creative Retreats
Updated: Apr 22
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Apparently one of the hottest new trends among Hollywood celebrities is hanging out and talking about cannabis without actually smoking the herb.
Or at least a new collab between Seth Rogen's Houseplant cannabis brand and Airbnb would suggest. In a Tweet in late January, Rogen announced that he and Airbnb were offering—for the cheeky sum of $42—three separate one-night stays for up to two guests in a beautiful pool-adorned "Houseplant-inspired retreat" featuring a stunning view in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles.
The Airbnb page featuring this unique promotional stay opportunity read the following from Rogen: "What makes it Houseplant-y, you may be asking? Well, it's stocked with some of our favorite Housegoods. The mid-century styling and LA views also have a distinctly Houseplant feel. And there's the fact that I'll be there to welcome you, which given that I'm the founder, adds to the Houseplant-ness. I AM HOUSEPLANT!!!"
Ironically, apparently the guest residence will be stocked with everything except the one thing for which Houseplant (and, arguably, Rogen himself) is most famous: Marijuana.
The Twitterverse immediately responded with a variety of predictable questions, but one naturally stood out: Would these stays involve smoking (or at least vaping) cannabis with Rogen? Perhaps eating an infused meal with the famous comedic actor? Houseplant is a cannabis brand, after all, so it's a logical impulse to think that perhaps, just maybe, such an intimate and cloistered event involving Rogen and touting the Houseplant brand might involve a wee bit of herbal consumption.
Houseplant Curvy Tray ($225) and Curvy Ashtray ($175)
Ironically, the guest residence was stocked with everything except the one thing for which Houseplant (and, arguably, Rogen himself) is most famous: Marijuana. Pot, ganja, reefer, muggles, or the sticky icky. By whatever pet name you refer to it, the cannabis herb was absent from these quirky promotional events. At least inside the residence.
Airbnb was quick (only 14 minutes after Rogen's initial Tweet quick, to be exact) to point out that "guests are not allowed to smoke within the home" and that no cannabis or cannabis-based products "will be made available or provided to the guests during the stays." Forget the fact that this is California. This is Los Angeles. This is Seth Rogen.
"Guests are not allowed to smoke within the home. No cannabis-based products will be made available or provided to the guests during the stays." — Airbnb
A visit to the Airbnb page for the Rogen collab discovers the title "A High-ly Creative Retreat." Only without the high (unless guests sneak tokes outside).
While some hailed the collab for its PR prowess ("Genius PR and marketing move" commented freelance writer Dana Freeman from Vermont), others were more skeptical. Responded the Pretty Baked Baker in Los Angeles: "But you can't...smoke? Uhhhh, what?" Wrote Jeremy Wein, a producer from New York City, "Hey Seth, how about we call this off and I just give you $75 and a party size bag of the potato chips of your choosing?"
"What would we do exactly? Do you like checkers? We could watch a movie I guess, but I don’t think we would be able to decide between a Jonah Hill movie or one with the dude who plays Antman."
Gunga La Gunga, from an undisclosed location, commented, "What would we do exactly? Do you like checkers? We could watch a movie I guess, but I don’t think we would be able to decide between a Jonah Hill movie or one with the dude who plays Antman."
What made the smoke-free aspect of this event even more ironic was the fact that many artists and entrepreneurs claim that smoking cannabis enhances their creativity (although multiple research studies question this urban legend). Perhaps these funky branded creative retreats offered guests the wink wink, nudge nudge treatment, with Rogen or a Houseplant rep discreetly nodding toward a remote outside patio or the side of a hill to avoid violating Airbnb's policy and souring their promotional partnership.
The lesson, students, is to always read the fine print. For event of this type, we recommend bringing your own blunts and skipping the introductory walk through to smoke up on the poolside pit patio when nobody is watching.
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