Comedian Jeff Dye has become the latest entertainer to announce he is leaving Los Angeles, joining a wider trend of public figures relocating away from California in recent years. During a Nov. 2 appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, the 42-year-old comic revealed he is purchasing a home in Texas, explaining that he is increasingly uneasy about the political and social direction of California under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s leadership.

“I’m kind of stuck in this LA cycle, and maybe some of it is my algorithm feeding me bad stuff, but Gavin Newsom genuinely scares the s–t out of me,” Dye said. “I don’t want to be part of whatever’s happening here.” (Source: Fox News Digital)

Concerns Heightened After LA Wildfires

Dye told Rogan that his concerns deepened after witnessing the local and state governments’ response to the catastrophic wildfires that swept Los Angeles earlier this year.

“Those fires were such a wake-up call,” he explained. “No matter what anyone believes about how they started, the way they were handled was frightening.”

Rogan agreed, saying the response was “not competent, that’s for sure.”

The January wildfires burned more than 55,000 acres and destroyed over 16,000 structures, killing at least 29 people. According to AP News, the largest blazes — the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire — were among the most destructive in modern Los Angeles history, claiming a combined 30 lives and leveling entire neighborhoods.

Both Gov. Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass came under intense scrutiny for the emergency response, with critics arguing that officials failed to act on long-standing warnings about fire risk, water shortages, and inconsistent evacuation communications. (USA Today, Los Angeles Times)

Residents have since voiced frustration with slow rebuilding efforts, citing delays in insurance payouts, complicated permitting processes, and infrastructure failures that remain unresolved months later.

A Growing Trend of Celebrity Relocations

During the podcast, Dye and Rogan also criticized celebrities who previously vowed they would leave the United States if Donald Trump were re-elected — but never followed through.

“They make those dramatic threats about moving,” Dye said.
“Some people actually do move,” Rogan countered.
“Yeah, and I respect Rosie [O’Donnell] and Ellen [DeGeneres] for actually doing it,” Dye replied.

Rosie O’Donnell announced in March that she had left the U.S. with her youngest child, Clay, flying to Ireland just five days before Trump’s second inauguration. She said in a TikTok video that she was pursuing Irish citizenship and adjusting to a slower-paced life abroad. (Source: People)

“I never imagined moving to another country,” O’Donnell said. “But for my family, it was the right decision.”

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi also relocated in late 2024, moving from Montecito, California, to England’s Cotswolds region. According to the BBC, DeGeneres said the move had originally been planned as a part-time escape, but after Trump’s reelection, they decided to stay permanently.

“We arrived the day before the election, woke up to crying emojis from friends, and I just knew,” she said. “We looked at each other and said, ‘We’re staying.’”

Dye argued that celebrities who actually leave are more consistent than those who make public threats and remain in the U.S. anyway. “It’s dumb that they left because now they just can’t vote,” he said. “But at least they left. Hundreds of celebrities said they would move and didn’t.”

Why Comedians Are Leaving California

Dye is far from alone. In recent years, numerous comedians — including Joe Rogan, Theo Von, and Tim Dillon — have left California for Texas or Tennessee, citing quality-of-life concerns, rising taxes, crime, and cost-of-living issues. According to Variety, the post-pandemic entertainment landscape has also made it easier for comedians to work remotely, tour nationally, and base themselves outside traditional entertainment hubs like Los Angeles.

For Dye, the tipping point appears to be a combination of political anxiety, safety concerns, and frustration with what he views as government mismanagement.

“I just don’t feel like this is the place for me anymore,” he said. “I’m ready to start over somewhere that makes more sense.”

As more entertainers question California’s direction, the state continues to grapple with population loss, a trend reported widely by The New York Times and CNBC throughout 2024 and 2025. Whether Dye’s move is temporary or permanent, he represents a larger cultural shift — one that may reshape where the entertainment industry calls home.