The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour

Episode: "Saving Hollywood From Itself"

Date: March 28, 2025
Host: Scott Bertram
Featured Guests: Dr. Kevin Porteous, Titus Tekkeira, Dr. Steve Gadaprow

Overview

This episode explores three major pillars of discussion:

1. Immigration Policy and H1B Visas – Dr. Kevin Porteous critically examines the history and ramifications of America’s skilled worker visa programs, grounding the debate in American founding principles and recent labor controversies.

2. The Crisis in Hollywood and the American Film Industry – Titus Tekkeira of the American Cinema Foundation unpacks why the Oscars and Hollywood productions are increasingly disconnected from mainstream America, discussing shifts toward streaming, the death of the theatrical experience, and declining comedy output.

3. Global Justice Theory in a Post-Cold War World – Dr. Steve Gadaprow introduces global justice theory, tracing its philosophical roots and illustrating its pervasive (and controversial) influence on contemporary American policy and identity debates.

1. Immigration and H1B Visas: Putting America First

Guest: Dr. Kevin Porteous, Professor of Politics, Hillsdale College
Segment Starts: [00:42]
Key Topics:

• Definition and Function of H1B Visas ([01:37])

  • Created by the Immigration Nationality Act (1952), H1B visas enable employers to bring in skilled workers for roles they claim cannot be filled by Americans.
  • “The companies will certify that they have attempted to find workers…unable to do so, and then…requesting that this person from outside the United States be allowed to enter under this visa…” – Dr. Kevin Porteous [01:37]

• Industries and Countries of Origin ([02:44], [03:14])

  • ~65% of H1B visas are for computer-related fields; 73% of recipients are from India, 12% from China.

• Controversy: Is There a True Labor Shortage? ([03:33–04:33])

  • Numerous scandals (e.g., Disney firing American workers to hire cheaper H1B labor) show abuse of the system.
  • “There’s no way that there was a shortfall here...they wanted to employ someone whom they could pay less money.” – Dr. Kevin Porteous [03:45]

• Founding Principles and the Balance of Universal and Particular ([05:19–06:37])

  • U.S. governance is founded on protecting its citizens’ rights, and immigration policy should reflect both universal justice and particular obligations to existing citizens.
  • “We ought to…have regard for and give preference to the people who compose this country...” – Dr. Kevin Porteous [05:38]

• Historical Context and Congressional Role ([06:37–09:44])

  • The Founders’ “hands-off” approach was due to circumstance, not ideology.
  • Contemporary debates link to enduring concerns about cultural transformation and social cohesion.

• America-First Labor Policy: Beyond Immigration ([09:44])

  • “You really have to emphasize that the whole point...is to secure again the blessings of liberty, but also the greatest possibility of a decent and dignified life and work for average people.” – Dr. Kevin Porteous [09:44]

2. Saving Hollywood From Itself: The Crisis of Film in America

Guest: Titus Tekkeira, Executive Director, American Cinema Foundation
Segment Starts: [13:18]
Key Topics:

• Oscars’ Irrelevance and the Gap with America ([13:50–16:35])

  • The 2024 Oscars highlighted the industry’s disconnect, with winning films few Americans cared about or saw.
  • “Nobody really respects these movies. Nobody really wants to watch them...Hollywood people were desperate to find something to vote for…” – Titus Tekkeira [14:24]
  • The Best Picture winner is described as “not quite a rom com,” meandering and poorly constructed.

• Cultural Shift: From National Event to Insular Trade Show ([16:35–19:48])

  • “The Oscars is very much in danger of becoming the Tonys...for a very small group of people...” – Scott Bertram [16:35]
  • Tekkeira laments the loss of collective experience, describing current awards as “the most un-American spectacle you can imagine,” marked not by controversy but by emptiness.
  • “It looks like it finally snapped.” – Titus Tekkeira [19:17]

• Streaming, the Collapse of Moviegoing, and Star-making ([19:48–23:18])

  • Streaming prioritized comfort over community, stripping film of its unique, shareable rite.
  • “Netflix won out to some extent...that killed cinema and replaced it with, indeed, the couch...The uniqueness of the experience has been wiped out...the ability of artists to say, I’ll put her in that picture and everybody will get it...You no longer have bargaining chips as an artist. You can’t say, I will be making stars...America ran out of stars.” – Titus Tekkeira [21:33–22:38]

• Death of Comedy and Spontaneity ([23:18–28:45])

  • Hollywood no longer produces broadly appealing comedies or romantic comedies. The genre required social trust and a fun-loving spirit now replaced by ideological risk-aversion and HR culture.
  • “Every romantic comedy you’d have now is actually an HR comedy...everything that is provocative, risky, thrilling...these are HR infractions. And that seems to have killed... the Tom Sawyer American, somewhat puckish, mischievous by hook or by crook, he’ll get her attention.” – Titus Tekkeira [24:34]
  • The inability to laugh, surprise oneself, or be caught off-guard by humor is symptomatic of a hyper-analyzed culture.

• Opportunities for Conservative Filmmakers ([28:45–32:36])

  • Production is moving to “red America,” notably Texas and Georgia, with local crews and talent. Conservatives must become creators, not just consumers or critics.
  • “Nobody thinks, you know, pay somebody to teach 18-year-old kids in college to start with an iPhone...and start filming, start editing...give them some critical distance, give them some skills...” – Titus Tekkeira [30:45]
  • Digital tech and regional migration offer a way to revitalize the “national memory” through new storytelling.

• Gene Hackman: An American Icon ([32:36–36:36])

  • Titus offers moving praise for Hackman’s roles in The Conversation and Heist, emphasizing his capacity to embody both the suffering and the integrity of the American middle class.
  • “Gene Hackman brought these two qualities together. He came literally out of that older America...But also he showed what’s interesting in this newer America. Granted, a lot of suffering...but it does make them interesting. You see human drama, longings that otherwise would not really be there. Facing up to our hopes and difficulties, the stuff you’ve lost and how do you have to manage things to just deal with it? ...That’s maturity. That’s a man. That’s somebody that could inspire.” – Titus Tekkeira [34:04–35:38]

3. The Rise of Global Justice Theory: Ideas, Ethics, and American Identity

Guest: Dr. Steve Gadaprow, recent graduate, Hillsdale Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship
Segment Starts: [38:28]

Key Topics:

• What is Global Justice Theory? ([39:17])

  • Ethical frameworks for international institutions and interstate conduct, especially as it relates to structures like the WTO, IMF, and World Bank.

• Critique of the Westphalian System ([41:15–45:09])

  • The traditional “law of nations” insisted that all states have equal rights and non-intervention is paramount.
  • Global justice theorists “ask, why should we be required to sit idly by as some foreign dictator brutally mistreats his people?” – Dr. Steve Gadaprow [41:20]
  • Desire for a more egalitarian world order and the mitigation of “arbitrary” factors like birthplace in determining life outcomes.

• Rawls and the Catalyst ([45:09–50:44])

  • Rawls’s A Theory of Justice sought to correct for the unfairness of arbitrary starting advantages in society.
  • Two main principles: fair equality of opportunity and the “difference principle” (inequality is only just if it benefits the least advantaged).
  • Global justice theorists admired Rawls but wanted to apply his domestic framework to the global stage.
  • “We should try to create a society where an individual’s choices, their character, matters more to their success. And arbitrary things…should matter less.” – Dr. Steve Gadaprow [50:21]

• Globalization, Interdependence, and the Post-Cold War Shift ([50:44–57:46])

  • As globalization deepened, theorists and policymakers agreed that problems (and their solutions) were increasingly cross-border. Rawls’s “closed systems” assumption no longer fit reality.
  • Charles Beitz and others in the late 1970s/80s argued for a “globalized” distributive justice.
  • The fall of the USSR sparked optimism for “the end of history” (Francis Fukuyama), fueling hopes for liberal-democratic convergence and cosmopolitan ethics.

• Cosmopolitanism’s Influence on Contemporary Policy ([58:12–63:37])

  • Modern cosmopolitanism demands moral parity between citizens and non-citizens in all global decisions, including immigration and aid.
  • “Anytime we make a decision that could potentially affect a broad range of people, we need to equally weight the claims of all who are affected.” – Dr. Steve Gadaprow [58:25]
  • Barack Obama’s 2016 UN speech exemplified this global citizenship ethic, prioritizing global benefits (e.g., poverty reduction via trade) even at the expense of American workers.
  • America First movements stand in sharp contrast: “The idea of America first… is the very antithesis of this global citizenship ethos.” – Dr. Steve Gadaprow [63:12]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Hollywood’s Lost Audience:

  • “Nobody really respects these movies. Nobody really wants to watch them. We've come to a point where Hollywood people were desperate to find something to vote for...” – Titus Tekkeira [14:24]

• Why Comedy is Dead:

  • “Every romantic comedy you’d have now is actually an HR comedy...Everything that is provocative, risky, thrilling...these are HR infractions.” – Titus Tekkeira [24:34]

• On the Founders and Immigration:

  • “We ought to...give preference to the people who compose this country...to secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and for our posterity.” – Dr. Kevin Porteous [05:38]

• The Oscars’ Collapse:

  • “The Oscars is very much in danger of becoming the Tonys...for a very small group of people...” – Scott Bertram [16:35]

• On Cosmopolitanism’s American Tension:

  • “The idea of America first...is the very antithesis of this global citizenship ethos.” – Dr. Steve Gadaprow [63:12]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• H1B Visas & Immigration Policy: [00:42–10:43]
• The Crisis of the Oscars & Hollywood: [13:18–19:48]
• Streaming vs. Theatrical Experience: [19:48–23:18]
• Death of Comedy & Cultural Risk Aversion: [23:18–28:45]
• Opportunities for Conservatives in Film: [28:45–32:36]
• Remembering Gene Hackman & the Meaning of Modern Male Stardom: [32:36–36:36]
• Global Justice Theory Introduction: [38:28–45:09]
• Rawls & the Shift to Global Equality: [45:09–50:44]
• Cosmopolitanism & American Policy: [58:12–63:37]

Tone and Style

The discussions are frank, intellectually rigorous, and unsparing—marked by a certain nostalgic sadness for lost cultural common ground (cinema, comedy, local community), but with a pragmatic hopefulness about new opportunities outside the old establishment (Hollywood, federal immigration paradigms, global justice debates). The tone is occasionally wry and always seriously engaged with the implications of culture and policy on the American project.

This episode offers a must-listen examination for anyone interested in America's evolving self-understanding: in immigration and nationhood, in the soul of its popular culture, and in the way global, cosmopolitan ethics increasingly challenge traditional civic allegiances.