The Merger, The Oscars, & the Morning-After Burrito

From Jamie’s Desk:

The end of one year and the start of a new one can be marked by a number of different things. December 31st is the most universal date, but every culture has its own. For the film business, only one event truly celebrates the year's end and marks a new beginning: The Academy Awards.

I've been making independent films for over twenty years and have followed the awards circuit for longer than that. But this year, I'll be watching The Oscars with more concern than ever for our industry. The irony is hard to ignore: in a year when Warner Bros. leads all studios with 30 nominations (including 16 for Ryan Coogler's record-breaking Sinners), they’re still being absorbed as part of a $110 billion mega-merger that will leave the combined company with $79 billion in debt. Where does that leave us? With fewer industry jobs, fewer films being made, and fewer chances for the next Ryan Coogler to get his shot.

From COVID to the strikes, Hollywood has been struggling to find its footing for a while now, and this merger is only the latest blow. But it’s important to remember that what's at stake isn't just an industry, but American culture itself. Throughout history, America's greatest export wasn't its military or its trade deals, but instead our soft power. Nothing carried that further than movies and television (except for maybe USAID, but that’s also no more). While the chaos in Washington is damaging our reputation abroad, the lack of support for our artistic output (especially at the federal level) is pushing this business toward a place that will be very hard to come back from. But we're not there yet. From my perspective, here is what needs to happen to revamp the film industry:

1. #Blockthemerger: The Paramount-Warner Bros. deal turns the Big Five studios into the Big Four. That means fewer buyers for scripts, fewer greenlight decisions, and again, fewer jobs. Not to mention the implications that come with CNN being sold to a Trump-aligned company. California AG Rob Bonta has an open investigation into the legalities of this deal, so this isn’t over yet. Keep using your voice to demand action.

2. Reinstitute Fin-Syn: For those of you who don’t know, the Financial Interest and Syndication Rules were a set of FCC policies from 1970 that prevented TV networks from owning the shows they aired. The rise of streaming has radically decreased competition (and consequently, diversity of voices) in film and television. They overturned these policies in 1993, and we need them back now. 

3. Create a federal tax incentive: America is one of very few film-producing nations offering no federal support for film production. For example, Iran directly funds its film industry and has two Academy Award wins to show for it. We just let our only federal incentive, Section 181, expire on December 31, 2025. We need to compete with the rest of the world, from Canada to the UK to Australia to South Korea to South Africa.

4. Protect the artists: The writers, DPs, editors, PAs, costume designers, production designers, producers, and countless other hard-working people can no longer make a living. The streaming model and production flight have gutted the economics that sustained Hollywood's middle class for decades. Producers in particular have been forced for years to work without pay or healthcare, and this new model has also left them with no upside. This is why the work we are doing at Producers United is so important.

5. Show up: Everyone can support the business right now by going to the movies. See the films that are nominated. See the ones that aren't. Support the theaters in your neighborhood. Plan a movie night. Go with your friends, your partner, or even by yourself–nothing compares with the experience in a theater. Just this week, iPic filed for bankruptcy. The single best thing audiences can do for this business is prove that it still matters to them.

I know some of this might sound impossible, or like Hollywood complaining about red tape. But think about your life. Think about the films and TV shows that stayed with you. The ones you watched with your kids, the ones that made you feel less alone. Entertainment is more than just something made for passive viewing–these are stories that spark conversation, shape culture, and inspire ideas.

A final note: I want to take a moment to highlight one of my favorite films of the year: Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident. Few filmmakers show how critical this art is more than Jafar. He has been jailed multiple times by the Iranian government for his work, yet he persevered–with the help of France and Luxembourg–to make this powerful film about a group of former Iranian political prisoners who face the question of whether or not to exact revenge on a man they believe may be their tormentor. Jafar risked his life to bring this film to the world and show the complicated choices that humans make. Please take a moment to watch it.

Discussed in this issue: Post-Oscars breakfast burritos, Rahm Emanuel’s 2028 plans, and the best Beef Wellington in Austin.

Have a restaurant rec, cultural gem, can’t-miss event, or a hot sauce that changed your life? Send it my way: [email protected]

🎧 Lunch With Jamie is available as a podcast—perfect for easy, on-the-go listening. Follow along on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, share, and comment. We want to hear from you!

📍Los Angeles: Mini Kabob (reviewed by Khuong Phan)
Cuisine: Armenian
Crew: Alex Tse, Andy Wang, Brian McGinn, David Nathanson, James Ponsoldt, Jamie Patricof, Matt Karatz, Rachel Halilej, Todd Steinman, Eater, LA Weekly, Los Angeles Times, Michelin, New York Times, The Infatuation, Time Out
Good For: Casual, No Reservations, Take Out
Pro Tip: Go on a Thursday to get one of the best Chicken Caesar Wraps in LA.
What to Order: Chicken Cutlets, Chicken Thigh Kabob, Lamb Chops, Beef Lule, Salads, Garlic Dip
Notes: This place is as good as it gets, but be warned– it is literally a hole in a wall. My go-to order was always the chicken thigh kabob and beef lule. Then, Armen introduced that chicken caesar wrap, and I now order that when I can. The chicken thighs and the use of Mejorado tortillas are major upgrades on every caesar wrap, but for me, those falafel croutons make the biggest difference. That's Armen for you– he's a details guy. What surprised me is how much I love their hummus! It's perfect flavor and texture. I recently had the ikra (aka, eggplant caviar) and it was perfect, smoky and creamy. The toum (garlic sauce) is so damn good. I've actually never had their salads or jajukh (cucumber yogurt), but I'm sure they'll go well with lamb chops. 

📍Austin: The Kimberly (reviewed by Chris Camillo)
Cuisine: New American
Crew: Eater, The Infatuation
Good For:  Date Night, Business Dinner, Small Groups, Good Drinks, Private Dining Room
Pro Tip: Try to snag the corner booth by the bar–best seat in the house.
What to Order: Salt and Pepper Lobster Tails, Steak Sashimi, Beef Wellington, Bread and Butter Service
Notes: As the more refined, less energetic sister to Red Ash, The Kimberly delivers. Must-order apps include the charred steak sashimi and crispy “salt and pepper” lobster tails. Don’t skip the cheddar Parker House roll service, if not for the Maldon sweet butter alone. The beef wellington lives up to the hype. And from the dark-horse side: crisp potato puffs. You’ll only manage one but it's still worth it. Try to request Brian as your server if he’s working (and tell him I sent you) – trust his wine recs. The Roy Estate didn’t miss.

For those of you able to have a slow morning after the Oscars (and are finally eating after fitting into that tux or gown), treat yourself to breakfast from one of these spots. I even included a place that delivers to the west side…what a guy.

Cofax —This is our go-to every year after the big night. They have been doing it for years on Fairfax and do it right. I am always a sucker for bacon, so that is my favorite. Crispy bacon, tater tots, jack cheese, scrambled egg & pickled jalapeños– what could be better than that? Kelly always goes for the veggie one (smoked veggie hash with potatoes, bell peppers and onions, scrambled egg, jack cheese, pico de gallo & crushed tortilla chips), but maybe you should just get them all. Hot links, pastrami, chorizo–you can’t go wrong.

Wake & Late  — This place has taken the breakfast burrito world by storm. Just a few years ago, they only had one location downtown. Now they have 4, from Pasadena to West Hollywood. The breakfast burrito comes with a house tortilla, pasture raised eggs, organic avocado, tater tots, cheddar, choice of sauce. And for those of you looking for some extra protein, you can add bacon or steak. 

McDonald’s — You can laugh, but I have to speak my truth. There isn't much that competes with McDonald’s the morning after a late night. My order is simple: two Egg McMuffins. Then I combine them and lose the Muffin from one. Add some hash browns and it’s perfect! But McDonald’s has so many options. You can get Sausage McMuffin, a Biscuit, a McGriddle, Hot Cakes, or you can pretend to be healthy by ordering fruit and yogurt.

This week’s guest on Lunch With Jamie is Rahm Emanuel, who has many titles, including former Mayor of Chicago, Ambassador to Japan, Obama’s Chief of Staff, Senior Advisor in the Clinton White House, and Congressman. But if you know anything about Rahm, you know that the most important titles to him are husband and father (and maybe former ballerina). 

Naturally, we had to start with the situation in Iran. Trump’s bypassing of Congress (he wants to rule, not lead), initial reaction to the strikes, and his thoughts on where Israel fits into this. Then, we shifted toward a topic our members shared they wanted to hear: the state of American politics. Rahm shared his advice for Democrats running in 2026 and beyond, and shared polling that shows that moderates make up the largest part of the Democratic coalition. 

Rahm hasn’t yet decided if he himself is running for President in 2028. But he’s been in Iowa, Michigan, and Mississippi–boots on the ground, talking to people, enacting policy proposals. Let me just say that if the odds were on Kalshi, I would bet it all that he is running. And after this conversation, that’s even more exciting to me. 

We go in-depth on some of those proposals, including an exciting policy for trade school incentives, age limits for politicians, and his education plan. He cites fourth grade reading in Mississippi, where a focus on phonics and testing led to them going from 49th in the nation to 9th in just 20 years. We spoke about how to extend those successes, and why people aren’t focusing on education enough. 

Of course, we had to cover his mayoral tenure and the challenges he faced. He said that when people see mayors, they’re either giving them a thumbs up or the middle finger–and shared his most challenging days in the job. 

My hour with Rahm was informative, candid, and funny—the perfect type of conversation. You can listen to the full episode on Youtube, or as a podcast on Apple and Spotify.

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Today’s email was brought to you by: Jamie Patricof and Michaela Sullivan