Kirk Cameron left California because of ‘terrible’ politics

“Growing Pains” star Kirk Cameron recently explained about the “Adam Carolla podcastthat he left California for Tennessee to escape the Golden State’s “terrible politics” and “all the other things that make it difficult to raise a family.”

“As a kid in California, it’s great because your parents pay for everything,” Cameron said. “So you go to the beach, you hang out, you go snow skiing, you eat an In-N-Out burger, you get some hot dogs in downtown Hollywood. It’s great. You have a good time.”

He continued, “But then, like my kids, they finally set out on their own and they realize how expensive it is. They realize how terrible the politics are and all the other things that make it difficult to raise a family there. And so suddenly it’s like, ‘Oh my God, we have to move. We have to go somewhere where we can actually thrive and maybe even just survive.'”

Cameron said he “hopes to come back” to California someday, adding that “I think California has so much to offer.”

Cameron said of the positives of living in Nashville: “There are so many creatives here with good values. They love their family. They are proud of their country – and the whiskey is great. So if you like whiskey and hot chicken, Nashville is the place to be.”

Cameron played the role of Mike Seaver, the eldest son in the Seaver family, in all seven seasons of “Growing Pains,” which ran for 167 episodes on ABC.