David Spade hits out at Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass for Hollywood’s ‘terrifying’ downfall

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Former Saturday Night Live star David Spade has sharply criticized California Democratic leaders, including Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, blaming them for what he described as the decline of Hollywood’s film industry.

Speaking on his podcast, Spade blamed the political leadership and their policies as a major factor behind the industry’s struggles. The discussion reflects broader concerns within the entertainment industry about decreasing production and shifting trends.

David Spade criticizes Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass over Hollywood's decline

During an episode of his podcast 'Fly on the Wall,' which he co-hosts with actor Dana Carvey, Spade stated that “the Hollywood industry is dying” and and that he’s “just trying to put the blame somewhere.”

Expressing frustration over the current situation, he referenced his past experiences working on studio lots, recalling a time when productions like 'Seinfeld' were active, contrasting it with the present decline.

Spade said, “Dude, I’m so old, I was on the lot at CBS Radford when we were doing ‘Just Shoot Me.’ … And also they were doing ‘Seinfeld,’ and I’d see him on his bike. It was the greatest lot. Of course, just filed for bankruptcy, the lot. Terrifying in LA Thanks, Karen Bass. Thanks, Gavin.”

Carvey echoed the concern, stating that the “Hollywood studio system is dying” and emphasized that action must be taken to preserve it.

"The amount of productions is dying, and so they have to do something so more production comes back, and that starts with negotiating with the union and also subsidizing the industry tax breaks to compete with Romania,” Carvey suggested.

Hollywood decline sparks concern 

The press office of Bass responded to the two Saturday Night Live comedians, asserting that she has introduced tax incentives aimed at supporting and revitalizing Hollywood.

The mayor’s statement reads, “Mayor Bass has championed the entertainment industry because it’s a bedrock of our middle class, The fact of the matter is that Mayor Bass oversaw the creation of California’s first Film and TV Tax Credit Program as speaker of the State Assembly and backed its expansion last year."

Despite the response from Bass, the decline of Hollywood as the global center of the entertainment industry continues to draw concern. The industry saw a significant downturn in 2025, with Hollywood losing another 17,000 jobs, an 18% increase in losses compared to the previous year.

Earlier this month, Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan, who serves as president of the Directors Guild of America, noted that employment among its members has dropped by about 40%, describing the situation as a “very worrying time for the industry.”

Additionally, industry production tracking service FilmLA reported that filming permits in Los Angeles fell by 16% last year, adding to an overall decline of 50% since 2018. Actors such as Jon Voight, Sylvester Stallone, and Mel Gibson were named special ambassadors to Hollywood by President Donald Trump in January 2025, with the goal of restoring the industry.

In interviews, Voight emphasized the need to bring jobs back to California and supported efforts such as tariffs on overseas filming. He stated that Hollywood must become competitive again rather than simply leveling the playing field. He also stressed that the issue should not be political and called for collaboration to rebuild the industry.