Veteran actor and podcast host Rob Lowe isn’t holding back. On a recent episode of his “Literally!” podcast, he slammed California’s response to the mass exodus of film and TV production, calling the state’s handling of the crisis “criminal” — and he might not be wrong.

“It’s cheaper to bring 100 American people to Ireland than to walk across the lot at Fox,” Lowe told co-host and Parks and Rec alum Adam Scott, explaining why his game show The Floor is shooting at Ardmore Studios outside Dublin. Scott, incredulous, chimed in: “Nothing shoots in Los Angeles anymore.” Lowe doubled down: “We’d be in Budapest.”

He’s not exaggerating. FilmLA data confirms 2024 was one of the worst years on record for L.A. production, down more than 30% from the five-year average — second only to 2020, the peak pandemic year.

Lowe points to tax incentives as the culprit: “There are no tax credits [in California]… all those other places are offering 40%… it’s criminal what California and L.A. have let happen. Everybody should be fired.”

To be fair, California does offer a $330 million annual tax credit program, and just last week handed out a record $114 million to 51 projects. But insiders know that much of that money is locked up in long-running series already in the program, leaving scraps for new productions. As a result, only a handful of fresh projects ever see a dime.

According to the Entertainment Union Coalition, between 2015 and 2020, more than half of the productions that didn’t qualify for California credits went elsewhere — costing the state 28,000 jobs and $7.7 billion in economic activity.

It’s not just Georgia and Louisiana anymore. States like New Jersey, Nevada, and Utah are upping their game. Internationally, the UK, Ireland, and Canada are rolling out the red carpet — with better economics, friendlier red tape, and in many cases, more predictable policy frameworks.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed expanding the incentive program to $750 million annually. That’s promising, but still tied up in 2025-26 budget negotiations. In the meantime, new bills are working their way through Sacramento that would modernize the program and offer up to 35% in credits for L.A.-based productions — a potential game-changer if it passes.

Industry efforts like Stay in LA and Keep California Rolling are keeping the pressure on lawmakers. The Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee is set to hear testimony this week, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Soundstages are standing empty. Jobs are disappearing. And as Rob Lowe just reminded everyone — even game shows are leaving the lot.