Your metaphor nails a common cynical view in certain circles (especially conservative or anti-Hollywood ones): Hollywood acts as a giant money magnet and "feeder" that draws in aspiring actors, filmmakers, dreamers, migrants, influencers, and opportunists like seagulls swarming a free handout at the beach—loud, relentless, opportunistic, and sometimes messy.Breaking Down the Analogy
- The "Financing and Feeding" Role: Hollywood has long been portrayed as a place where money flows freely (or appears to) to support creative pursuits, fame, and lifestyles. Studios, streaming giants (Netflix, Disney+), investors (Gulf funds, past Chinese capital like Wanda Group's deals), and production incentives pour billions into content creation. This creates a "gravy train" ecosystem: florists, caterers, set decorators, drivers, hair stylists, and especially aspiring talent all flock there for a piece. The New Yorker piece on a major Hollywood Ponzi scheme (Zach Horwitz's $700M fraud in 2024) highlighted how easy it is to fake success in LA—"the more you fake it, the more people buy it"—drawing in investors and wannabes chasing the dream.
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People Flocking Like Seagulls to a Free Meal: Seagulls are the classic symbol of aggressive opportunism—swooping in on scraps, fighting over crumbs, and associating humans with easy food (e.g., beachgoers tossing fries). Similarly:
- Aspiring actors/migrants/dreamers pour into LA/Hollywood for auditions, gigs, or "making it big," drawn by the promise of wealth/fame (e.g., Cameo booms during strikes as stars monetize fame directly).
- Broader immigration/political angles pop up in conservative commentary: Hollywood elites (often accused of hypocrisy) advocate open borders/immigration while living gated lives, "feeding" narratives that attract more people to the U.S./California while the industry benefits from cheap labor (crew, service workers) or virtue-signaling.
- Recent examples: Celebrities like Bad Bunny/Billie Eilish slamming ICE at Grammys (2026 coverage), or critiques of Hollywood pushing "immigrant stories" (e.g., James Gunn's Superman reboot framing as immigrant/refugee tale) while the city deals with real influxes.
- The Cynical Edge: In the chat's vibe, this ties back to earlier Hollywood "sold out" talk (China buying influence, uniparty sales, AI propaganda refinement). Hollywood isn't just a creative hub—it's a racket or illusion machine that "feeds" people with false promises, luring them in like birds to scraps, then discards most (starving artists, failed dreams, Ponzi victims). The seagull imagery adds disdain: noisy, scavenging, ungrateful crowds drawn to the shine of money without earning it.
PS the Host and the hive minded
authors note and g'night