ASK HANDEL ANYTHING

have what's his face over there? Tony? Oh that's right. How long have I known you, Tony? Since I started here? So almost thirty years? Thirty years? Okay, I genuinely just forgot your name one more time. I'm honest to god, I genuinely just forgot your name. There you go. I don't mind. That's time. Yeah, I know. I've been bored up. I'm supposed to be invisible. No one's supposed to know me anyway. Well, okay, well said, hey, let me tell

you what's going on at the National Security Council. Now, I'm getting a lot of grief for talking a lot about Trump. For the most part, negatively, because you know where I am on this one. And at the same time, I think I'm being fair, assuming that I have biased and you accept the fact that I'm biased like crazy. But when I believe Trump deserves credit, I give it to him. Not with the National Security Council. The dismissals at the National Security Council, I mean people are wheeling,

especially in the security aspect of the United States. National Security Council is a part of the US government that provides a forum for the president to consider pressing national security and foreign policy issues. These are senior advisors and they the NSSE is a sort of a think tank for the president. Now, the NSC is not independent. The NSC work for the president, There's no question about it. But at the same time, there you put experts, or

presidents put in experts. Some experts were not particularly in favor of the agenda of the president, but they're there as a sounding board. Well, the sounding board was fired. It was the first part of the federal workforce to be purged when Trump returned to power in January, two days into the second term. This is before Dodge came in there. Okay, the Dodge arrives at the federal agencies with orders were firing everybody way. Before that, the council's

new leaders banished dozens of career officials. Now the top senior senior positions of the NSC. They're appointed by Trump, there's no question about it, and they're to adhere to Trump's or any president's agenda, with the understanding, here's some advice, mister president. You may not like it, but here is the reality. Well, the top leaders banished dozens of career officials, people who had been there that aren't political. It's just

they're there to work the system. Gone. They were told on a conference call leave the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is where they're located. One of them said, I offered to bring my computer back, and they said, no, you can't even come into the building. He said. Everything was bizarre. Whole offices were emptied, including the unit focused on the Western hemispheres done by hemisphere career experts were

pushed aside. None of the twenty six executive orders issued by Trump on his first day was reviewed anymore by NSC lawyers. NSC lawyers review everything that the president does in terms of foreign relations and what they're doing, what they do is they screen foreign policy decisions and actions to ensure the president is lawfully using executive power. Well, you don't need them if your position is everything I

do is legitimate and legal. I don't need anybody telling me that what I'm doing is illegal if I believe everything I do is legal. And the President has said that a president, any president, but specifically, has ultimate power to do anything he wants. And the Supreme Court has effectively backed up that premise, saying if it is a national issue, if the president is acting within the purview of the presidency, then he cannot be held responsible in

any way. Congress can't nail him, certainly, the Department of Justice can't nail him. He cannot commit a crime no matter what he does. Well, the NSC you don't add anymore. And that's exactly what happened. They got tossed. And I'll tell you what's happening up there is they are reeling.

I use that word a lot, really, because I think that's a lot of reaction to Trump's decision, not only by business and individuals and the world markets and the economic powers around the world, but within the administration, people are going, what the hell's going on. We don't know. For example, the tariffs. The announcement of the tariffs, he didn't go to the senior economic advisors. They were taken for a loop. They heard at the same time we did,

all of a sudden, here's some tariffs. We're going for one hundred and forty five percent on China. Huh. Really, at least with that the senior advisor's Treasury secretary other's way up there. Commerce Secretary turned around and said, mister President, maybe you don't want to do that, announcing that he's

going to fire your own Powell. The day after, when the market tanked and a thousand percent or a thousand points went south on that, he at least listened when they said, you really can't do that, because saying you're going to fire Jerome Powell the head of the Fed. Instantly the entire world economic powers react because it wasn't just our stock market that went down. We're talking about markets across the world tanked, and there was real fear

that a trade war was going to start. By the way, that fear is still here that a trade war is going to start, and a full blown trade war, well, that blows up the economy. Let me give you a little bit of history. Okay, the depression hits, and one of the things that was done during the depression is that they pot past the Smoot Holly Act. Congress did And what it did is it was a protectionist bill that set up tariffs so it would be American products

that would only be sold by law. Nothing could be effectively, nothing could be imported in. And it was to protect American American business, American employees, et cetera. It was one of the major movers of the depression. It went completely the other way. And that is the argument that's going on right now is that tariffs are going to actually do so much harm to our economy that the workers, the business, the implementation, the investment by the various companies

American companies are simply not going to happen. How many companies have announced since the embargo, since the tariff argument was brought up, since the announcement, that they're going to be spending billions of dollars here Now the administration has said, oh yeah, companies are lining up and trillions of dollars have been promised. Trillions, not billions. Okay, we'll see if that works. Unfortunately, trillions of dollars of new investment in factories,

et cetera. That's years down the road. Embargoes are going on right now. When Trump announced one hundred and forty five percent embargo, that happened at midnight. All right, Moving on California film tax credit, that debate returns. Why because in this day of age, the golden age of television and streaming and the number of movies that are being produced, these folks are leaving California like crazy. And I'll talk about that coming back, because we'll see what California is doing.

it's at rals near the deli counter. Film and TV I have that right hold on, Okay, there we go. Whoa, oh, there you are. Okay, I had a glitch. They are going on in my headset film and TV production in Southern California. Well, film was actually created Southern California, or Southern California created the film industry and the TV industry. I mean it's just synonymous. We are the film industry.

And for many years, decades, the first part of the last century right into well recently, everything was done in Hollywood. Occasionally there would be location shooting, but for the most part, everything was done in Hollywood. Well that ended because you have various countries and certainly various states realized, you know, having films made here is really a good thing. Because production companies coming in in film where we are spend

a whole lot of money. They pay their people, well, they have to put them up in hotels, they need at restaurants, providing jobs for a whole lot of companies out there. And we're talking about you know, films are and the tens, the hundreds of millions of dollars. So it's no joke. And so what they started doing is offering tax credits and in some cases offering straight out money will help you make a film. Here, Georgia, the Carolinas,

You've got countries that are doing this. New Zealand with Peter Jackson, You've got Ukraine doing this when you're talking about Game of Thrones. I mean, everybody's lining up. They want production companies, so they're giving tax credits and they're giving money. So California is looking at hemorrhaging of the film industry, film and television industry, and now the industry has come to Sacramento and said, we need help. I mean,

we need help. And this is one of those issues where both the unions and the production companies, the movie and television producers are step in step. I mean they are lined up together, and that never happens because all of them want to keep the industry here in southern California.

So two bills have been introduced intended to make California's film and TV production more competitive, the incentives more competitive, increasing the tax credit up to thirty five percent of qualified expenditures and expanding the types of productions that would be eligible. So the tax credit people ask, what is that about, Well, companies own or companies owe the state of California taxes. Any company that works here in the state pays taxes, the film credit tax thirty five percent.

What it does, it can be used by that company for any tax that it owes in the state of California. And so imagine you owe property taxes and you engage in a certain field or do some kind of a job, and doing that it cuts your tax liability by a third. That's big money. And that's what's happening here and what these film companies are saying in the unions, this is a lifeline for the entertainment industry battered in recent years

because you had the pandemic, which battered everybody. You had the writers and actor strikes in twenty twenty three decimated the industry. The studios are spending less money. I mean, they do spend money on these tent pole pictures, but as far as independent films and the kind of money that's being spent and sort of the middle of the line films, many fewer films are being made and television shows are being made in southern California, and they're pulling

back money. Then you had the wildfires, and then you had just this trend of the production companies leaving Rebecca Ryan, who is the executive director of the Director's Guild of America, says, we don't want to become the car industry in Detroit or the aerospace industry in California. When our industry thrives, we think California thrives. So the bill goes through the State Senate Committee, Revenue and Taxation Committee, and the Assembly

Arts and Entertainment Committee unanimously. And so it's moving forward. By the way, Governor Gavin Newsom called last year to more than double the money allocated to the film and TV tax credit program. And so you think it's an automatic it's going to pass. Maybe not, Maybe not. The tax credit program was introduced in two thousand and nine under former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Surprised that Schwarzenegger would want to bring a TV and film production back to the

back southern California. In a recent post on X, Assembly member Corey Jackson said, and here's the issue on the other side of this, saying, what are we doing giving tax breaks to film companies when we could be spending money to help the homelessness and allow so many kids to live in poverty, all of this for corporate and movie studio tax breaks. So I think it just boils

down to simple numbers, that's it. And those people that say we shouldn't spend the money on these tax credits, let's help the poor, the homeless, that's help California citizens who need help, the marginalized. And so the answer is real simple as far as I'm concerned. Okay, X tax credit is given to a production company to stay in southern California or a film here. How much money does it generate for the economy? Okay, let's figure it out. And those that are saying that it's not worth it, Okay,

how much does it cost? What is the loss to the economy? You take money out of our budget, or at least you don't get money into our budget because the tax we would normally get California normally get is not getting. So that's a cost. What is the benefit? And they just figure it out there it is. Now I'm in favor because I kind of like California to have this film production. Well that's not true. Actually, you ever lived in a neighborhood or been in a neighborhood

where a film production company is out there. When I had the Persian Palace, there was the major street leading to my house and that was the only way I could get in. There was a production company. There was a house along the way and it was being used by I think a TV show and it was once a week for months at a time, they'd block off the street and I'd have a cop sitting there, you know, stopping traffic when we'd be backed up because this film

company was there. So, you know what, I've just changed my mind. Screw the film companies. Let them film someplace else. Done. See how I can do that, because I just remember that, Yeah, get out. Oh that's the only thing cops in forms do that. Do you know that? It's the only time where security is given by off duty cops and they're in LAPD uniforms and on their motorcycles because usually cops doing security can't be dressed as cops. They can on

that street. And I try to crash the craft's table because the food is really good, and I'll park my car and try to crash and have lunch. Can't do it. Security is too good, unfortunately, coming up ask candle anything. We do it every Friday right here. Don't go away.

So that net worth business because I always look it up. Man, whenever there's we're talking about a star. What's Tom Cruise worth? You know what's Donald Trump worth? Well? Ask Donald Trump. He's worth one hundred and fifty billion dollars. But uh, yeah, you it's But thank you. You're giving me a lot of credit, much more, much more than I deserve. Okay, onwards and upwards.

They do. Ah, people ask me every day? How do you work with them? I know?

Next question, this isn't ask Bill anything.

entire life. And even pain medication just did absolutely nothing. And what was the part of the other part of the question. I completely forgot how I can relate to lindsay yeah, and she has a lot of pain too, So we go through life in a lot of pain. As a matter of fact, everybody that I work with goes through life in a lot of pain. Different way of doing it, all right, Tony, See, I'm telling you these are questions that people ask an all the time.

What's it like working with Bill? They asked me what's it like working with Amy? But I really think people appreciate an honest answer. All right, I can't be that honest. All right. Next question, Hey, handle, this is Terry and Apple Valley. What did you get fired from Universal Studios?

But the that I remember, and this is, uh, if I used to say things well, not that I don't say things now, but uh, there was a group of people that came in and when I was a tour guid at Universal would talk about how movies were made and when you uh the when, for example, you see a ceiling right the way technically the way it works because there's lights coming in from the top, so you would only see a little part of the ceiling in the shot, just a corner, but your mind would assume

it goes across the entire ceiling, and that your mind does. And then I said, uh, so everybody put their hands open fisted, put their hands over their eyes, and you'll see what I'm talking about. And so everybody does, and I go, yeah, look, you look like a bunch of dumb India and that are going It was an Indian tribe that was there that I was speaking in front of. That was that was tough. I didn't know. I didn't

do that on purpose. Didn't do it on purpose. And then I don't know if I got fired for that one. There was another one, an incident when I was in a sound stage with Robin was his name, I'll never forget, a very very funny, funny guy. And during the summer, they would take two trams with two tour guides and we'd be crammed together and we would alternate. We'd go from set to set and do our talking, our little lecturing. And there was a guy, and there was one hundred

people in the room. There was a guy who went into a grand mall seizure right in front of us and went and he was flopping like a fish. It was not pleasant and grand mall seizure. And I'm talking on the microphone and I looked down at him, I go, stop that, that's rude. I got in trouble for that one. That was tough. So you know, those are the two incidents I forgot. I remember, but didn't last very long. I didn't last at most jobs. All right, one more question.

comes with the Tech Show. I'm assuming Neil will be back tomorrow, maybe not with the Food Show, the Fork Report, and that's from two o'clock to five, and then we're back again Monday. Amy picks it up on Monday from five to six o'clock wake up call, Neil and I jump on from six to nine, and of course is always here. Tony is in for Cono and I have no idea if ConA is going to be back. That's it. We're done. You've been listening to The Bill Handle Show.

Catch My Show Monday through Friday, six am to nine am, and anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app