Hollywooden: Moviegoers Tune Out and Stay Home as Politics and Predictability met with Boredom
Political commentator and broadcaster Jeff Crouere is seeing an acute decline in what he calls the collapse of modern entertainment in his latest column, “Hooray, Hollywood Is History.” The longtime host on WGSO 990-AM and Real America’s Voice argues that Hollywood’s cultural and economic decline reflects a growing disconnect between the entertainment industry and everyday Americans.
Crouere is available to discuss:
- Why Hollywood’s decline is both economic and cultural
- The political divide shaping entertainment consumption
- The future of film outside California
- Whether new creators can replace legacy studios
Crouere points to a dramatic shift in how audiences consume media, with millions abandoning theaters for streaming platforms—accelerated by pandemic-era habits and rising ticket costs. But he makes clear that convenience isn’t the full story. According to Crouere, Hollywood’s biggest problem is self-inflicted: an industry increasingly focused on ideological messaging rather than broad-based entertainment.
The result? A steep financial downturn and shrinking audience engagement. North American box office revenue has fallen by nearly 50% since its early-2000s peak, while theater closures and production slowdowns continue to ripple through the industry. Crouere also highlights declining interest in once-dominant cultural institutions like the Oscars, which he says now cater to a narrow, coastal audience increasingly out of step with “Middle America.”
Dodgeball and Zoolander star, Ben Stiller was recently in a grocery store to promote is brand of soft drinks and didn’t was at times ignored entirely:
In the column, Crouere frames this as more than an entertainment story—it’s a cultural realignment. He argues that many Americans have “checked out” of Hollywood altogether, frustrated by films that lecture rather than entertain. This divide, he contends, opens the door for a new generation of filmmakers outside traditional power centers to produce content that better reflects mainstream values and tastes.
With decades of experience analyzing politics, media, and culture, Crouere offers a timely and provocative take on an industry many Americans believe has lost its way—and what might come next.
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OPTIONAL Q&A:
- What does Hollywood’s decline reveal about the growing cultural divide in America?
- Has the entertainment industry lost its audience by prioritizing ideology over storytelling?
- Why are more Americans turning away from theaters—and is streaming the real culprit or just a symptom?
- Do awards shows like the Oscars still matter, or have they become irrelevant to most viewers?
- Is Hollywood’s downturn primarily economic, or is it driven by a deeper cultural disconnect?
- Can new filmmakers outside the traditional studio system replace Hollywood’s influence?
- How has political polarization reshaped what audiences are willing—or unwilling—to watch?
- What would it take for Hollywood to win back Middle America?
ABOUT JEFF CROUERE…
Jeff Crouere is a popular political analyst, columnist and radio and television personality. Since January of 1999, he has been the host of Ringside Politics, an award-winning radio program in New Orleans dedicated to examining the top issues of the day on the local, state, national and international levels. The radio show airs weekdays from 7-9 a.m. & 6-7 p.m. CT on WGSO 990-AM, Wgso.com and the “Mixlr” Radio App.
After previously serving as Program Director, in April of 2024, Crouere was named President and General Manager of WGSO Radio, a news/talk station that has been serving the Greater New Orleans area for 78 years.
The television version of Ringside Politics airs nationally on Saturdays at Noon CT on Real America’s Voice TV Network, which can be seen on Pluto Channel 240, Dish Network Channel 219, the Roku Channel, all the platforms associated with the America’s Voice app, as well as Americas Voice. News and Samsung TV Plus Channel 1029.
On his programs, Crouere offers listeners political debate, commentary, and analysis. He explores critical issues from every point of view with a wide variety of interesting callers. In his 25 years on the radio, he has taken over 100,000 phone calls from listeners in every state in the nation.
Crouere has also interviewed 25,000 guests representing all political viewpoints discussing a wide variety of fascinating topics. These guests have included politicians such as former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Mike Pence, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Vice President Dan Quayle, the late U.S. Senator John McCain, U.S. Senator Rand Paul, among many others. His guests have also included scientists, doctors, reporters, community activists, authors, celebrities, musicians, economists, and business leaders, as well as plenty of other contributors who have helped make his show so successful.
He is the author of America’s Last Chance and writes regular political analysis columns and editorials for a select number of print and on-line publications, including The Hayride.com, Townhall.com, Canada Free Press, the Bogalusa Daily News, ResisttheMainstream.com and the Crowley Post-Signal.
Every two months, Crouere hosts a local version of “Politically Incorrect” at the Quarter View Restaurant in Metairie called Politics with a Punch which includes a panel of comedians, politicians, media personalities, and news makers.
He has held many leadership positions in the Louisiana Republican Party, including Deputy Chairman and Executive Director. In March of 2009, he founded the Northshore Tea Party, which has sponsored over a dozen popular citizen rallies attracting presidential candidates like Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum as well as over 10,000 attendees.
As a commentator and analyst, Crouere has been interviewed for his perspective by the Washington Post, the New York Times and national cable television networks such as Fox News, Newsmax, CNN, CNN Headline News, CNBC, and MSNBC.
He provides regular commentaries on the Jeff Crouere YouTube channel and on www.Crouere.net
To schedule an interview with Crouere, email Bookings@SpecialGuests.com or call / text 512-966-0983
