David Ellison's Possible Exit from LA Would Benefit Hollywood Workers, Not Harm the Industry
Source: https://www.facebook.com/americanspectator/. "David Ellison Sees the Writing on the Wall for Hollywood | The American Spectator | USA News and Politics." September 7, 2026. spectator.org
The Gist
The author argues that Hollywood's elite class is wrongly panicking about a possible studio merger and relocation out of Los Angeles, when in fact this move could actually help ordinary industry workers escape California's high costs and restrictive business climate. The real issue, the author claims, is that Hollywood insiders care more about protecting their woke political agenda than about the workers or quality storytelling, as shown by recent controversial DEI-influenced content like the Green Lantern HBO series.
Conclusion
If David Ellison moves the merged Paramount-Warner Bros. studio out of Los Angeles, this would ultimately benefit industry workers and the entertainment business, despite elite objections, because California's political and economic environment—combined with woke ideological capture—has already damaged Hollywood.
Premises
- California's Democratic governance has made the cost of living unaffordable for industry auxiliary workers (set constructors, carpenters, makeup artists, etc.)
- California's film tax credits are insubstantial and restrictive compared to those offered by New Mexico, Texas, Georgia, and Tennessee
- Workers could afford homes and better living conditions in lower-cost states outside California
- Hollywood elites who oppose relocation don't actually care about workers' economic wellbeing, as evidenced by their support for a mayoral candidate who opposed pro-industry policies while they themselves relocate their own companies
- The industry's recent content (exemplified by Lanterns/Green Lantern) has been ideologically corrupted by DEI-driven writers who inject racism and sexism into stories, alienating audiences and harming quality
- Consolidation through mergers doesn't reduce production since companies spend billions to maximize content across platforms, contradicting critics' claims of reduced output
- Elite opposition to the merger and relocation is primarily driven by political opposition to Ellison as a Trump ally and fear of losing ideological control over content, not genuine concern for the industry
Assumptions
- Lower cost-of-living states are inherently better for workers regardless of other tradeoffs (unionization, industry infrastructure, wages)
- DEI-focused hiring and storytelling is inherently inferior to traditional storytelling approaches
- Political affiliation (Trump ally vs. opponent) is the primary lens through which industry decisions should be understood
- The decline of Hollywood is primarily attributable to left-wing/woke ideology rather than other market forces (streaming disruption, changing consumer habits, economic factors)
- Traditional gender/racial character portrayals represent 'quality' while diverse reimaginings represent degradation
- The author's negative assessment of specific creative choices (Lanterns) is representative of broader industry-wide creative failures