Tell The World About Psoriasis, Win Cash

Yes, sponsored advertising contests aren’t just for rum runners and ketchup bottlers anymore. Psoriasis Cure Now (PCN), your friends at Genentech and Amgen Wyeth (makers of psoriasis treatments Raptiva and Enbrel, respectively) are asking for people to submit their own videos about the ravages of the condition. Submissions entered by August 15 will be eligible for a $1,000 “early bird” prize, but all entries by September 26 will be considered for the grand prize of $7,500.

It’s really hard to take this seriously when on the one hand the press release reads “psoriasis continues to be a punch line for second-tier comedians,” and meanwhile PCN President Michael Paranzino gives quotes like “An amateur video contest about psoriasis may sound flaky.” Even the second-tier comedians I know would avoid making puns that bad. But psoriasis runs in my family so I’m not snarking too hard on this lest karma bite me in the scalp.