David Spade Rips Gavin Newsom, Karen Bass for Destruction of Hollywood’s Film Industry [WATCH]

Former Saturday Night Live cast member David Spade criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass while discussing ongoing declines in the film industry during a recent episode of his “Fly on the Wall” podcast.

Spade said the entertainment industry in Los Angeles is struggling and pointed to recent developments as evidence of a broader downturn.

During the conversation, he stated that “the Hollywood industry is dying” and said he was “just trying to put the blame somewhere.”

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Spade referenced the bankruptcy of the CBS Radford Studio Center in Studio City, a facility that has hosted decades of television and film production.

The studio has long been associated with major productions in Los Angeles.

“Dude, I’m so old,” Spade said. “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.”

Spade’s co-host, Dana Carvey, also discussed the state of the industry during the episode, stating that “Hollywood studio system is dying” and suggesting that policy changes could help bring production back to the area.

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“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 said.

The comments come as Los Angeles continues to face a decline in production activity and employment tied to the entertainment sector.

Mayor Karen Bass’ office responded to the remarks, stating that efforts have been made to support the industry through tax incentives and policy measures.

“Mayor Bass has championed the entertainment industry because it’s a bedrock of our middle class,” the mayor’s statement reads.

“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.”

Data tied to the industry shows continued declines in employment and production activity in recent years.

Hollywood lost approximately 17,000 jobs in 2025, representing an 18 percent increase in job losses compared to the previous year.

Earlier this month, “Oppenheimer” director Christopher Nolan, who serves as president of the Directors Guild of America, said employment among members of the organization has dropped significantly.

Nolan stated that employment for directors is down about 40 percent, describing the situation as a “very worrying time for the industry.”

Production data has also shown a decrease in filming activity across Los Angeles.

According to FilmLA, the number of filming permits issued in the region declined by 16 percent over the past year.

That drop follows a longer-term trend, with filming activity down approximately 50 percent since 2018.

The decline in production has coincided with increasing competition from other locations offering tax incentives and lower production costs, which industry observers say has contributed to the shift away from Los Angeles as a primary filming hub.

Spade’s comments highlighted concerns among some in the entertainment industry about the long-term viability of Hollywood as the central location for film and television production, as employment and production levels continue to fall.

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