I prefer writing about films and offering constructive thoughts on how to make Hollywood better, but this issue needs to be addressed. In an interview with Nightlight last week, ’80s child actor Corey Feldman made some pretty sensational claims that need to be investigated. Specifically, he claims that he and fellow child-actor Corey Haim were “surrounded” by pedophiles when they worked in Hollywood and that they were both molested.

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Let’s start with some of what Feldman said:

The number one problem in Hollywood was, is and always will be pedophilia. It’s all done under the radar. . . But it’s the big secret.

There’s a lot of good people in this industry, but there’s also a lot of really, really sick, corrupt people in this industry. And there are people in this industry who have gotten away with it for so long that they feel they’re above the law, and that’s got to change. That’s got to stop.

I was surrounded by them when I was 14 years old. Surrounded. Literally. Didn’t even know it. It wasn’t until I was old enough to realize what they were and what they wanted and what they were about. . . till I went, ohmygod, they were everywhere like vultures.

There was a circle of older men that surrounded themselves around this group of kids. And they had power or connections to great power in the industry.

IF this is NOT TRUE, then Feldman is besmirching a lot of good names by casting suspicion upon an entire industry of people. Investigating these claims is the only way to clear Hollywood’s “good name” and remove that suspicion.

IF this IS TRUE, then serious consequences must follow. (more…)

With California swimming in $24 billion of red ink, many of the peoples’ elected representatives are seeking to raise scores of fees and taxes to close the gap.  So, after voting to raise the highest income tax in America even higher, the highest state sales tax rate in America even higher, almost doubling the car tax, and cutting the child tax credit by $200, Sacramento Democrats now want to charge children $100 a year to work in Hollywood.  

A 10-year-old California law makes parents of children desiring to work in the entertainment field gather information from one part of government to present to another part of government to obtain a permission slip to work.  Now, this paper shuffle adds little to nothing of value – no added safety for children or oversight of employers.  But, rather than terminate this self-perpetuating paperwork drill, Democrats what to charge for it – taxing minors who want to work before they even work an hour. 

This Kafkaesque scenario is almost reality in the form of Assembly Bill 402 (AB 402) in Sacramento.  As summarized by the Assembly Republican Caucus bill analysis, AB 402, “Requires a fee of $50 to be submitted at the time a minor applies for an Entertainment Work Permit in order to offset the costs of administering the Entertainment Work Permit program.”  In other words, AB 402 is the ultimate in self-sustaining bureaucracy.  You need government permission to work and the government will only give you permission if you pay for it. 

The stated purpose of the bill, curiously supported by the Screen Actors Guild, is to increase protections for children working in the entertainment industry.  The main intended protection is to ensure compliance with the Coogan Act, a 1999 law designed to set aside a portion of a minor’s earnings until age 18.   (more…)