Jeff Dye Leaves LA for Texas Amid Concerns About Wildfires and Governance

AUSTIN, Texas — Comedian Jeff Dye is joining a wave of entertainers leaving Los Angeles, citing concerns about the state’s leadership under Governor Gavin Newsom and the government’s handling of recent wildfires as key factors in his decision to relocate.

During a November 2 appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Dye, 42, announced that he is buying a house in Texas. He expressed fear regarding Newsom’s policies, saying, “I’m kind of in this kind of LA thing, and I could be guilty of being a victim of what I’m absorbing in my algorithm. But Gavin Newsom scares the s*** out of me and I don’t want to be a part of it.”

Dye also commented on the devastating wildfires that struck California in January, saying, “Those fires were quite a wake-up call. Even if, you know, whatever you believe about the fires, the way it was dealt with was pretty scary.” Rogan agreed, adding, “It was not competent, that’s for sure.”

The wildfires destroyed more than 16,000 buildings and led to at least 29 fatalities. The two largest fires were the Palisades Fire, which devastated 6,837 buildings and resulted in 12 deaths, and the Eaton Fire, which destroyed 9,414 buildings and caused 18 fatalities.

In the aftermath of the disasters, both Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faced backlash over their management of the crises. Critics argued that state authorities failed to take adequate preventive measures despite known wildfire risks. Frustrated residents and local officials pointed to bureaucratic red tape, permitting delays, insurance disputes, and insufficient infrastructure as reasons for the slow recovery process.

Furthermore, during the podcast conversation, Dye criticized celebrities who claimed they would leave the U.S. if former President Trump were re-elected. “They go, ‘I’m going to move.’ They make those kind of threats,” he said. Dye expressed respect for those, such as Rosie O'Donnell, who actually followed through on their plans to relocate, while still acknowledging the challenges of voting from abroad.

Rogan, who moved to Austin in 2020 amid rising tensions in LA, discussed his family’s exit from California. “When the s*** started getting weird in LA and they were burning cop cars on the freeway, that’s when daddy was like, I got to get out of here,” he shared. His move coincided with a mass exodus from California, with over 817,000 residents departing the state between 2021 and 2022, according to census data.