Matt & Woody Try To Make A New Hollywood in Texas. But, Are These Guys Really 'True Detectives'?

In a newfangled ad, designed to turn the legislature of Texas to pay for a new Hollywood to grow in Texas, a handful of actors, Matthew McConaughey included, put on a 'True Detective-style' performance to make their sales pitch.

"Hollywood is a flat circle, Woody. Round and around, like a record with the sound turned off."

So what, you wanna just turn the record off?"

No, I wanna change the tune."

That sums it up. They want to change the tune in Hollywood. What that means here, is change Hollywood's "place," but this doesn't imply changing anything substantial in what Hollywood DOES. On the contrary, I think these folks want it to remain EXACTLY what it is except this time... IN TEXAS.

That's my initial response, right off the bat, about this video you'll see below. And I think I'm right.

So, it appears that (mostly) former Hollywood stars agree that Hollywood hasn't been working for them lately, and I couldn't agree more, except not for the same reasons they mention. They might be thinking of how great Texas is, and I'm sure it is, but I'm not thinking about the incentives structure, or the money changing hands, or about the state's reputation... as much as I'm thinking about the "state of our American culture."

But the truth is, not only do I think this is a bad deal for America, I also think this is a bad deal for Texas.

And knowing that Hollywood has been a thorn in the eye of our nation, why would we try to save it? I guess some think it can be "revamped" in Texas though...

Not sure if I agree.

So, if you got a load of this "True To Texas" commercial above, made by actors Matthew McConaughey, Woodey Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Billy Bob Thornton, and Renée Zellweger, and shot by True Detective director Nic Pizzolatto, you might think they just love Texas, with their Longhorn caps on and not-so subtle accent shifts, but I'd say that in reality they are slick salesmen.

Sure, it proposes that maybe Texas can "do it bigger" than they did in California. But is that really what we need? Is that REALLY the problem? It's not as BIG and as great as Texas can make it? I mean, why even fund Hollywood to make productions in Texas AT ALL? If Texas is so great, why not ust keep doing your own productions.

But, there's more to it. This isn't just a random love-letter to big Hollywood coming to Texas. It's a conveniently "timed" ad.

Here it is on McConaughey's X.

This message comes on the day that Texas proposed a massive state budget to revamp the existing film incentive structure, called the "Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive" to make Texas the biggest state for film in the nation... a $498 million windfall!

Wait– will they be TAXING Texans for this windfall?

It looks like it.

Texas Scorecard criticizes the budget, calling it "corporate welfare dollars for Hollywood," and State Rep. (R) Brian Harrison called it a "liberal" incentive overtaxing Texans.

More on that story from Texas Scorecard here.

Texas Officials Criticize Proposed $500 Million in Corporate Welfare to Movie Industry

The pushback follows the release of a commercial featuring Matthew McConaughey and other actors advocating more funding for the industry.

Texas ScorecardLuca Cacciatore

We hope that Texas can make it big in the film world, sure. But did it have to be THIS WAY? Do we have to incentivize Hollywood industry to move there and get paid to keep doing what they do... on the BACK of Texans... and IN Texas?

Not to mention, this sales pitch feels like big time actors from Hollywood who have nothing new to offer in this proposition, except to make the same thing in Texas. This isn't, nor should it be, about the "survival" of an old industry that has FAILED Americans. Instead it ought to be about how we can make a new start to the KIND of entertainment that we consume, whether it be in Texas or around the world.

So, no. It's not about the big Texas sales pitch. It's not about making a buck. And it's not about being opportunistic about Hollywood moving elsewhere. Instead, it's about a warning from the culture... a moral mandate presented to the film industry that if it DOES NOT CHANGE, we will stop buying their junk!

It's just that simple.

That is the kind of message we need. And a new group of artists, filmmakers, and stars who UNDERSTAND that would be highly valued... Not these Hollywood stars advertising their old moldy wares.

TIME TO GET THE REAL MESSAGE.

Passing this budget may upset many already annoyed people who think Texas should remain conservative, red, and against Hollywood wokeness. But we'll see what happens. The halls of government can be elusively cryptic at times.

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Did you enjoy this article on the Texans who want to make Texas into the new Hollywood? Do you think it can be done differently than by taxing Texans? Let us know down below (with sub) or on our social media on X.