With reports showing that more and more people are fleeing New York City due to the economic hardships brought on by the pandemic and the civil unrest spurred by the Black Lives Matter riots, actor Dean Cain declared the city the “land of the flee.”
Speaking with “Fox & Friends” on Monday, the “Superman” actor said that people are now leaving New York City to seek “some space and a little bit more freedom.”
“I’m not shocked at all to see this exodus from New York City,” Cain told host Brian Kilmeade.
Cain, who lives in Malibu, California, said that he is “used to having outdoor space and having some area to move about” and always felt “strange” in a city like New York.
“I always felt a little bit strange in New York City, kind of like – I don’t mean to say it in a negative way – but like living in little rat boxes and everybody on top of each other,” he said. “That and the combination of the COVID-19 situation and the draconian measures of literally the worst mayor in the history of New York City has made it so it is the land of the flee and everybody wants to get out and get some space and a little bit more freedom.”
Brian Kilmeade pointed out that people are leaving Los Angeles at the same speed as New York City. Though Cain appreciated life in California, he did worry that the state’s political climate may force him to leave.
“Do you think this is a blip or do you think people are leaving for good?” asked Kilmeade.
“Never in my lifetime did I ever think I would leave Malibu,” Cain said. “I, for the first time ever am concerned, if this election goes the wrong way, I’m concerned about living here in California and am actually considering leaving for the first time in my lifetime. So I’d like to believe it’s just a blip, however, things have gotten so out of control here.”
“In terms of taxes, it’s insane here in California and we’re just doing such a poor job of governing that,” he added. “When I go to visit other states sometimes I go, ‘Wow it’d be awful nice to live here and save an additional huge amount of money and have a lot more freedoms and, hmm, maybe I would consider that’ so I hope it’s a blip, but I fear it’s not.”
Cain’s rather dismal prediction about New York City’s future came shortly after New York native Jerry Seinfeld publicly scolded hedge fund manager and comedy club owner James Altucher for declaring that “NYC Is Dead Forever” in a blog post that went viral.
“Oh, shut up. Imagine being in a real war with this guy by your side,” said Seinfeld. “Listening to him go, ‘I used to play chess all day. I could meet people. I could start any type of business.’ Wipe your tears, wipe your butt, and pull it together. He says he knows people who have left New York for Maine, Vermont, Tennessee, Indiana. I have been to all of these places many, many, many times over many decades. And with all due respect and affection, Are .. You .. Kidding .. Me?!”
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