Entertainment Tonight's Kevin Frazier Says Impact Of COVID-19 Pandemic Could 'Decimate' Hollywood
LOS ANGELES (WJZ) -- Empty lots and studios are already making life very tough for those 750,000 people employed in the entertainment industry in California alone.
They are without work, and nobody can guarantee when the lights, camera and action will resume.
Entertainment Tonight's Kevin Frazier said that the COVID-19 pandemic has already had a big impact on Hollywood.
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"This is going to be a big deal," Frazier said. "The summer shows that we are used to seeing, all those summer shows are usually competitive game-type shows, and they can't shoot right now. When it really gets scary is in July when everybody comes back to start shooting for the fall season. That's all your sitcoms and everything like that. It is going to be really tough if we cannot get folks back to work by July."
Frazier added that the pandemic has left many people in Hollywood without work.
"How many people will be out of work because of this?" Frazier said. "That is something that nobody is thinking about on the economy. Even in our studio alone... the cameramen, the hair, makeup, wardrobe... all those folks are at home right now. They're not earning a living. Hollywood could be decimated because of that. Because that infrastructure falls apart. The set designers... all those people. We could lose those people."
Maryland is no stranger to the entertainment industry. House of Cards, The Wire and other shows were filmed in part right here.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.