David Spade Critiques California Leaders Over Hollywood’s Decline

Former Saturday Night Live star David Spade recently expressed his frustrations with the downturn of Hollywood’s film industry, targeting California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Spade made his remarks during his podcast, saying, “The Hollywood industry is dying,” and noted that many in the industry are attempting to shift blame elsewhere.

He highlighted the recent bankruptcy of the CBS Radford Studio Center in Studio City, a historic facility that has long served as a hub for film and television productions in Los Angeles. Reflecting on his own experiences, Spade said, “Hey, I’m old. I was on the CBS Radford lot when they were doing ‘Just Shoot Me.’ … And I saw [Jerry] Seinfeld riding his bike. It was the largest lot. And now, it just filed for bankruptcy. Scary in LA. Thank you, Karen Bass. Thank you, Gavin.”

Spade’s co-host, Dana Carvey, echoed his sentiments, agreeing that “the Hollywood studio system is dying” and stressed the need for urgent action to revive it. Carvey proposed that improving production levels could begin with better negotiations with unions and introducing tax-cut subsidies to help the industry remain competitive, especially against countries like Romania.

In response, Mayor Bass’s office defended her efforts, claiming that she has established tax breaks aimed at revitalizing Hollywood. A statement from her office highlighted her role in creating California’s first film and television tax credit program during her time as Speaker of the State Assembly, along with advocating for its expansion in the previous year.

However, the reality remains that Hollywood continues to struggle as a preeminent center for entertainment. Predictions indicate that the industry will face an additional loss of 17,000 jobs by 2025, marking an 18% increase in job loss from the prior year.

Earlier this month, Christopher Nolan, director of Oppenheimer and president of the Directors Guild of America, noted that employment among guild members has dropped by around 40%, calling it “a very worrying time for the industry.” Furthermore, FilmLA, the organization responsible for tracking industry production, reported a 16% decrease in filming permits in Los Angeles last year, contributing to a staggering 50% decline since 2018.