Hollywood celebrities exempt from California lockdown orders

Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a statewide curfew for California to combat spiking coronavirus numbers on Thursday, but he left an exemption for Hollywood. The curfew began Saturday night and orders that citizens be off the streets from 10 pm to 5 am, and it runs through Dec. 21.

The move comes only days after the state imposed restrictions limiting business operations in those 41 counties, which have the most significant increases in virus cases.

Deadline reported that Newsom’s office said that the order would not apply to workers in the entertainment industry, saying those workers were deemed "essential."  

The original order included a list of "Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers to help state, local, tribal, and industry partners as they work to protect communities, while ensuring continuity of functions critical to public health and safety, as well as economic and national security."

Film and TV production employees were not included on the essential workers list during the original California shutdown orders in March. Since that time, there has been a barrage of online specials from Hollywood including late night talk shows being filmed remotely as well as many celebrity PSA’s encouraging people to stay home.

This comes as Newsom continues to try and spin a media storm of criticism over his decision to attend a birthday celebration for political operative Jason Kinney at the French Laundry, one of the best restaurants in the country, located in Napa County. The party was attended by members of the California Medical Association, and was in direct violation of Newsom's COVID restrictions. Attendees, including Newsom, did not wear masks or socially distance. According to a waitress the doors to the party room were closed because the noise "disturbed other guests."