“Ugly Betty” Coming To Fashion Avenue
The hit ABC show ‘Ugly Betty” is about to hit the road, for New York that is. A recent New York State bill designed to give substantial tax credits to movie and television productions that shoot in New York was the lure that sealed the deal.
According to the LA Times:
Walt Disney Co’s ABC Studios, which produces the program, is planning to move the production to New York to take advantage of a hefty increase in the state’s film tax credit. A show such as “Ugly Betty” costs about $3 million an episode to produce and could save a significant amount by tapping into the tax incentive.
There are many people in Hollywood upset about this, but I’m not one of them. But I’m also not in Hollywood. L.A.’s loss is New York’s gain and why shouldn’t a show set at a New York fashion magazine be shot in New York? Just think of the great cameo appearances by some well known New Yorkers: Donna Karan, Mayor Bloomberg, Hllary Swank, Susan Lucci, Robert DeNiro.
This news comes only two weeks after it was announced that “Project Runway” will be moving from New York to LA for a significant portion of their season this fall when they premiere on Lifetime.
L.A. gets Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, we get America Ferrera and Vanessa Williams; LA gets Nina Garcia and Michael Kors, we get Eric Mabius and Ana Ortiz.
I, for one, am a happy camper.