California has landed several big time Hollywood productions after issuing more than $60 million in state tax credits to companies like Netflix, Disney, Amazon, and Warner Bros. in exchange for the filming of certain movies within the Golden State.
One of those films is “Unfrosted,”a movie about the history of the invention of the breakfast treat the Pop Tart, starring Jerry Seinfeld.
It may sound peculiar, but the stand-up comic has long expressed his appreciation for the tasty morning pastry. It turns out, he loves lower taxes, too.
Variety reported that Netflix — the team behind “Unfrosted” — was granted $14.2 million in tax credits for the Seinfeld film. The comedian and for lead character in the 1990s sitcom which bears his surname was ecstatic to have the opportunity to work in California again.
“We are so happy to get the California tax credit which enables us to make our whole movie there,” Seinfeld said according to Variety.
“Having made all of the ‘Seinfeld’ series in L.A., I very much wanted to come back and shoot there again,” he added. “On behalf of everyone working on the movie, we really appreciate the great welcome.”
Seinfeld is also also writing, directing, and producing the movie.
The California Film commission, a government agency that works on to develop the movie industry in the state, announced the credits recently.
Variety also noted that similar tax incentives in other states led to California issuing a record amount of tax credits in order to stay competitive and keep business in town:
In all, the commission awarded a record-setting $149.2 million in credits for 30 films. The credits allow the companies to offset their state tax liability, and are used as a tool to keep production from fleeing to other states, which also offer tax incentives.
Those states include Georgia which doled out more than 1 billion in tax credits to movie production companies between 2007 and 2017, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported:
Over the past decade, Georgia has handed out more than $1 billion in tax credits to movie and TV production companies like Sony and Disney in a program that is among the most generous in the world. It has made the state the third busiest in terms of films and TV shows in the country behind only New York and California.
Other celebrities awarded — like Jennifer Garner — also expressed their appreciation for low taxes. Garner is starring in a Netflix comedy titled “Family Leave.”
Variety reported that Garner said the tax credits would allow her to stay close to family:
“As an actor, producer and mother, it’s impossible to overstate what shooting locally means to me and other families in this industry,” Garner said in a statement. “I’ve been lucky to work with some of the greatest crew members of my career here in California, and I’m looking forward to reconnecting with some of my home team friends on this project.”
As for why Seinfeld loves the Pop Tart, for at least a decade, he has a done a stand-up routine about his love for the item and how it brings back amazing childhood memories.
“The Pop Tart by the way … I was about eight and they invented the Pop Tart — the back of my head blew right off,” Seinfeld says in the skit. “Right? Do you remember? I was in the supermarket aisle with my mother and I’m like, ‘Hold it, hold up! Hold everything — what the hell is that? Fruit-filled frosted rectangles in a box? The food is in the shape of the box? What is this?”
“You open the box they’re not even in there, they’re in packets,” Seinfeld continued. “Remember the packets lined with some kind of metallic alloy from NASA to protect them from gamma rays and Russian satellites that might shoot at your brown sugar cinnamons, you have to protect them.”
A portion of that skit can be seen here: