Discussed in this issue:
📝 From My Desk — Donald Trump did something that makes me so happy. Are we in the Twilight Zone?
🎙️ The Conversation — I sat down with two common-sense candidates, and it actually gave me hope.
🍽️ Eating This Week — Brisket, Baked Beans, and Burnt Ends. On the menu this edition is BBQ.
🍁 The List — I switched my GPS service, and you should too.
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Photo Credit: Deadline
From Jamie’s Desk:
On January 16th, 2025 Donald Trump named Jon Voight, Sylvester Stallone, and Mel Gibson as ambassadors to bring back film and television business lost to foreign countries. The actual Truth Social post stated: “They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!”
To be honest, I was skeptical of this for a few reasons, which I will not go into (but you can guess). That being said, I’m the eternal optimist – so I watched and hoped that this could lead to something positive for the film business. After the initial uproar, the news around this envoy went quiet. A year went by, and no real progress was made.
Meanwhile, I witnessed a lot of hard work within the industry. As a member of Producers United, a group of nearly 300 career producers working in film, we were actively lobbying for a federal tax incentive – but learned not to get our hopes up.
Runaway production has been plaguing the entertainment industry for years – first, from California to other states, and now from the U.S. to other countries. It’s gotten so bad that we’re at the point where our most potent soft power export, film, is now more likely to be shot in a foreign country instead of at home. It might not seem like an issue that matters to non-industry folks, but at a moment where the American brand is at the lowest it's been in my lifetime, our artistic exports are one of the most important tools we have left in our arsenal of soft power. If filming continues to leave for other countries, we lose that as well.
Flash forward to this week. Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he’s supporting a federal incentive in order to “make our movie and television production business GREAT AGAIN, perhaps GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE!” Despite my personal feelings about Trump, this was a huge win and made me (and many in Hollywood and beyond) very happy. Some people who I spoke to had the initial instinct not to trust him – and while I definitely agree with some of that sentiment, I am not going to look for problems before seeing what the bill even looks like.
This is an opportunity for both sides of the aisle to work together to promote the best interests of our country, and the idea of a federal tax incentive for film and television has already seen bipartisan support. This is a huge step, and I want to acknowledge people and organizations who have been working around the clock for years to get to this moment: Representative Laura Friedman, the MPA, IATSE, Teamsters, the DGA, Governor Newsom, and many others.
At the risk of getting some very angry emails, I say thank you, Donald Trump. Now we need Congress to do its part and make real change. This bill can bring film back to the U.S., which will help every state. Many people don’t realize the tens of thousands of jobs that come from film production — from catering to security to local crew and beyond — it’s a net positive for economies, especially in smaller, underserved communities. Places that have never had a movie shot there will become viable options, which ultimately means economic success and a diversity of American representation on-screen and behind the scenes.
If you have a relationship with anyone in Congress, please express your support of the bill. Sure, it’ll help California – but it will help the entire country. Here’s hoping it passes and we can bring filming back home. We need this to get done.
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📆 On Friday 9/4 at 10:30 am PT, my guest on Lunch With Jamie is co-host of The Five and Raging Moderates, Jessica Tarlov. She’ll join me to discuss her new book, I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends.
📅 Then, on Tuesday, September 8th at 1 PT/4 ET, I’ll be joined by The Bulwark journalist Sarah Longwell, who is also the author of the upcoming book How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time.
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Midterms are coming up, and it’s time to focus our energy on dynamic, common sense candidates. So I interviewed two who are running for Senate: Josh Turek (IA) and Dr. Annie Andrews (SC).
We started, as we always do when meeting candidates, by getting to know them a bit. We talked about first jobs, their ideal day off, and which TV shows and movies they’re loving right now. But then we had to get into the real issues: policy.
Affordability was the key theme with both of them. Josh traveled to all 99 counties in Iowa as part of his campaign, and what he saw only strengthened his resolve to change things.
Where you live should not determine if you live…just because you grow up in a rural community or in a poor family, [that] shouldn't determine access to basic healthcare. Every single person should have access to drinkable water. That shouldn't just be for the affluent. And so that's what I want to go up there in the U.S. Senate and fight for.
In my conversation with Annie, a pediatrician, she revealed the moment she decided she had to run for Senate. And had a lot to say about RFK Jr. and the HHS. She also shared what it’s like running as a Democrat in a red state.
My biggest political liability is the D after my name, frankly, because the brand is so bad... The easiest thing I could do to win is erase the D behind my name. But I do believe in the Democratic Party platform.
This conversation gave me hope for November – as we have two candidates who are genuine, pragmatic, and eager to help the American people. Please listen to this conversation and if you’re so inclined, take a look at their websites for ways to support their campaign.
https://turek4iowa.com/ & https://drannieandrews.com/
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2007 at Rudy’s in Austin after SXSW
BBQs are synonymous with Labor Day weekend, so this year I am taking it literally and putting together a list of some of the best BBQ in America. Recently, I made a pilgrimage to North Carolina again for what is my favorite BBQ in America: Jon G’s in Peachland. I have tried BBQ across the country, from Texas to Tennessee to Kansas City, and that spot still reigns supreme for me. However, I realize BBQ is personal, so I reached out to a couple of friends who I know are BBQ aficionados for their favorite spots from the best cities in the world.
Photo Credit: Moo’s Craft
📍Los Angeles: Moo’s Craft (reviewed by Jordan Okun)
Cuisine: BBQ
Crew: Alex Tse, Andy Wang, Ben Hundreds, Eli Meyer, James Ponsoldt, Jamie Patricof, Kate Burr, Paul Zucker, Eater, The Infatuation, The LA Times, Michelin Guide
Good For: Casual, Take Out, No Reservations, Large Groups
Pro Tip: Line up early for lunch opening as they may run out of certain items, and they’ll certainly be sold out by early dinner hours. The burger is strangely the star of this Texas style joint, but you’ll want other bites, so plan to share with friends. Also don’t sleep on the desserts, which you’ll need after all the savory. Beer drinkers will be very happy with their tap offerings.
What to Order: Thicc Burger, Brisket, Korean Pork Belly Burnt Ends, Beef Rib (Saturdays only), Turkey Breast, Texas Chili
Notes: Moo’s is the ultimate new age mom & pop in LA, and supporting this wonderful family business is made easy with what is certainly the city’s best in barbecue class.
Photo Credit: Garren Kirkman
📍Ayden, NC: Skylight Inn (reviewed by Garren Kirkman)
Cuisine: BBQ
Crew: Eater
Good For: Casual, Take Out
Pro Tip: It makes a perfect lunch, and the food is best eaten as soon as you get it.
What to Order: Whole Hog BBQ Tray, Cornbread, Banana Pudding, Cheerwine
Notes: Coal-fired whole-hog BBQ with crispy skin chopped back in takes it to another level. The sweet slaw highlights the smoke, salt, and savory flavors of the meat. The controversial family cornbread is best enjoyed with a little table sauce while embracing its deep, rich history. You definitely can’t bite into it expecting cornbread like you’ve had before. Banana pudding is nearly identical to my grandmother’s, meringue and all. Wash it all down with an ice-cold Cheerwine from a glass bottle and it doesn’t get much better. There aren’t many other options on the menu at Skylight Inn, but that’s part of what makes it so special. They stick to what they know—and they’ve been doing it for nearly 80 years.
And good news: even if you’re not in North Carolina, you can have Skylight Inn shipped to you through Goldbelly.
Photo Credit: Terry Black’s
📍Texas (multiple locations): Terry Black’s (reviewed by Kevin Shivers)
Cuisine: BBQ
Crew: Alex Tse, Andy Wang, Chris Camillo, Eli Meyer, James Ponsoldt, Jamie Patricof, Marc Rose, Peter Goldwyn, Condé Nast Traveler, Eater, The Infatuation, The New York Times
Good For: Casual, Take Out, No Reservations
Pro Tip: It’s also a great choice for the holidays. I’ve found that the barbecue travels and reheats extremely well, so I would absolutely recommend having Terry Black’s delivered for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
What to Order: Brisket, Beef Ribs, Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage, Potato Salad, Coleslaw
Notes: Terry Black’s is easily one of my favorite barbecue destinations, especially the Barton Springs location in Austin. I go there often, and it never seems to miss. Part of what makes it special is the experience from the moment you walk in. You can see the pits, watch the pitmasters at work, and immediately take in that unmistakable smell of great Texas barbecue. There’s almost always a line, but it feels like part of the atmosphere. The brisket is excellent, the beef ribs are outstanding, and the jalapeño cheddar sausage is a standout—even for me, and I’m usually not a big fan of jalapeño cheddar sausage. The sides are just as strong. The potato salad and coleslaw are both undeniable and round out the meal perfectly. I consider myself a bit of a barbecue connoisseur, and Terry Black’s is, without question, one of the best barbecue places I’ve ever been to.
Photo Credit: Jon G’s
📍Peachland, NC: Jon G’s
Cuisine: BBQ
Crew: Ben Hundreds, Eli Meyer, Rachel Halilej, Eater, The Infatuation
Good For: Casual, Take Out, Large Groups, No Reservations
Pro Tip: Drive 10 minutes to Peaches n Cream for the best peach cobbler you will ever have. Make sure to get their homemade ice cream with it.
What to Order: Brisket, Turkey, Burnt Ends, Baked Beans, Brisket Fried Rice
Notes: I might not be a barbecue expert, but without a doubt, Jon G’s deserves to be in the conversation about the best barbecue in America. I'm not going to be so bold as to say it is THE best, but having eaten at a fair share of BBQ joints now, the unique thing here is that the sides are just as much on center stage as the meat is. For my third time at the restaurant, I still was trying to come back not believing the smoked turkey was going to be as good as it is – but it's the best version I've ever had.
The ribs are also phenomenal: a Fred Flintstone-style beef one that is just cooked to perfection, and glistening, beautiful Baby Backs. The burnt ends are a pork belly burnt end, which I don't even know how to describe other than meat candy. What really makes this place stand out even above beyond is the sides, and the care they put into each of them. There's some sort of potato cheese crisp type thing – I don't even know what it's called, but it's just amazing. The coleslaw, the corn, the grits that come with a pickled and candied jalapeno is both sweet and sour at the same time. And then the star of the show is the brisket fried rice which comes with their famous Yum Yum sauce – which I need to get to the bottom of exactly what it is.
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📺 On Tuesday, September 8th I honestly may need to turn off my phone and watch the entire new season of Netflix’s Fauda in one sitting. Seriously, I haven’t been this excited for a show to return in years.
🗺️ Shoutout to MapQuest for refusing to give into the idiotic name change, and keeping Lake Ontario! They’re now my new GPS service.
🎂 Happy birthday to James Ponsoldt, Adam Saper, and Kevin Love!!
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