Hollywood is in turmoil!

Show business has faced crises before. Work stoppages due to labor strikes that halted production and crippled the TV and movie industries. Film piracy, the collapse of DVD’s, runaway costs, plunging ratings – and yet somehow Tinsel Town has risen above. But now comes their toughest challenge ever, the ultimate test.

The Lakers suck.

In a town of frontrunners, this unimagined turn of events, has left the Dream Factory reeling.  Even the Oscar nominations today can't assuage them (other than Spielberg).   For years the Los Angeles Lakers have been the town’s darlings. Championships were routine. Three-peat anyone? The team was loaded with stars from Kobe Bryant to Shaquille O’Neal. Now they still have Kobe along with Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. It’s an all-star cast.  They should be the OCEAN’S ELEVEN of the NBA.  Instead, they're VALENTINE'S DAY. 

Being seen is more important in Hollywood than being good, and Lakers games were the place to be seen. Jack was there every night. And soon Denzel, and Charlie Sheen, and Dustin Hoffman, and even Mike Tyson. Where stars go agents and executives follow. Pretty soon the Staples Center was Mondays at Mortons.  Forget that the real fans couldn't afford good seats. 

But now the Lakers are losing.  They have dropped five straight.  The audacity! The betrayal! The ingratitude!

And it’s worse. It seems there’s another team in Los Angeles. The Clippers. And they’re good. Very good. They’re now beating the Lakers.

Let’s reflect on that a moment. It’s like Univision beating NBC (which they have done repeatedly). SHOWTIME over HBO. SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE copping Best Picture over SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.

So the gut wrenching question: what does Hollywood do? Maintain their allegiance or Ann Curry them?

And if they do drop the Lakers, do they switch over to the Clippers? Hollywood does love a good David & Goliath story, but the Clippers have always been a national joke. It would be like the entertainment industry backing Sarah Palin as their political candidate.

The next few months will be crucial. The Lakers of course could rebound and the Clippers sputter. That’s what they’re hoping for. Because as much as they love David beating Goliath, remember when you’re talking Hollywood you’re talking about Time-Warner, Viacom, Universal-Comcast, the Disney corporation. They much prefer Goliath crushing David.

All the more reason for me to say – GO CLIPPERS!