E33: How Hollywood Got Woke—and Lost Its Soul

Entertainment journalist Christian Toto discusses how Hollywood became woke, the role of censorship, China’s influence, and the cultural consequences of cancel culture.

👤 Guest Bio

Christian Toto is a film critic, author, and host of the Hollywood in Toto podcast. He’s a regular contributor to national media outlets and the author of Virtue Bombs: How Hollywood Got Woke and Lost Its Soul, a sharp critique of modern entertainment's ideological shift. With a background in journalism and a passion for pop culture, Toto offers a contrarian perspective on the intersection of politics and Hollywood.

📌 Topics Discussed

• The erosion of creative freedom in Hollywood
• How social media fuels cancel culture
• China’s influence on American film content
• The rise of independent and alternative content creators (e.g., Daily Wire, YouTubers)
• Double standards and hypocrisy in woke Hollywood
• Censorship, free speech, and the long-term cultural effects
• Why comedies like Blazing Saddles and Tropic Thunder couldn’t be made today
• How Trump’s election accelerated Hollywood’s political polarization
• Hollywood’s moral panic vs. historical McCarthyism
• Optimism vs. pessimism on whether the “woke era” will end

💬 Top Quotes

“If Hollywood keeps making movies about The Blacklist, one day they’ll realize—they’re the villains now.”

“Woke isn’t about justice—it’s about power. And power protects its own.”

“Ghostbusters 2016 wasn’t just a reboot—it was a turning point where the media decided criticism equaled misogyny.”

“The worst thing about cancel culture isn’t who gets canceled—it’s the fear it creates, the self-censorship.”

“Free speech is everything. It’s the battle of our time.”

🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright
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