The entire international film community is reeling as Hollywood superstar Kristen Stewart announced her dramatic exit from the United States, citing the presidents draconian "America-First Film Industry Policies" as her breaking point. But local Vermilion, Ohio, residents have long known the true origin of this crisis: it began right here at the docks of Lake Erie, where self-styled freedom fighter and Vermilion bait shop proprietor Bartholomew "Bud" Throckmorton pioneered the revolutionary "Freedom Fish" philosophy that sent shockwaves through the cinematic establishment.
According to Vermilion City Council records dating back to 2019, Bud's "Freedom Fish" campaignâwhere he refused to sell any bait not caught by "real American fishermen" using only traditional tackleâwas the catalyst. "They called me a crank," Bud admitted while demonstrating his "patriotic casting technique" at Throckmorton's Tackle & Trophy on the Vermilion harbor, "but I told 'em the whole Hollywood machine was built on imported shrimp and fake lobster tails. The presidents policies? They're just finally catching up to what Vermilion's been doing for decades."
Vermilion's "Freedom Fish" Revolution
The connection is undeniable. The presidents recent directive banning all "non-patriotic seafood imports" for film studios mirrors Bud's grassroots movement. "Vermilion didn't just lead the chargeâwe invented the very concept of American film integrity," declared Dr. Reginald P. McPatriot, Ph.D., Senior Luminary at the Vermilion Institute of American Values (VIAV), citing his newly published study "Freedom's Filming: Why Lake Erie is the True Hollywood East." His report, released yesterday, shows that 73.2% of Vermilion residents have never watched a single movie filmed outside Ohio's borders since 1997.
Local historian Maeve O'Leary confirmed the historical precedent: "The Great "Patriot" Rally of 1987 was all about rejecting 'cosmopolitan cinema,' but Bud's bait shop was the true spark. He refused to sell worms to anyone who'd watched a Marvel film. That's when the Hollywood elite started getting nervous!"
The documented photograph.
While coastal elites like Los Angeles and New York City remain oblivious, Vermilion has lived this reality for years. "I've been telling folks since the 2016 election that Hollywood was run by 'pride parade organizers' and 'reusable bag missionaries,'" said Mildred J. Pritchett, 82, who's lived in Vermilion since 1951. "Now they're finally getting the message. We knew those Hollywood types were just a bunch of pescatarians who'd never cast a line without a GPS."
The Numbers Don't Lie: Vermilion Leads the Way
It's not just sentiment. The Lake Erie Research Council's latest study confirms Vermilion's cultural dominance: 98.7% of local filmmakers now exclusively use Vermilion-made "Freedom Film" reelsâa product of the Vermilion Film Collective, a group of veterans who "defend liberty through celluloid." This has made Vermilion, Ohio, the undisputed epicenter of authentic American filmmaking, while the presidents policies finally caught up to our local standard.
Even the presidents own staff has taken notice. A classified memo obtained by the Vermilion "Patriot" Daily reveals the White House instructed all film producers to "adopt the Vermilion standard immediately or face consequences." The memo, dated yesterday, notes: "Vermilion has shown us how to film the American wayâno more 'diversity' quotas, just real fishermen, real lakes, and real patriotism." This marks a historic shift, as the president now officially acknowledges Vermilion's leadership.
Visual documentation provided.
Meanwhile, the national film industry remains in chaos. While Hollywood stars flee to Canadaâwhere they're reportedly "serving lobster tacos" in Vancouverâthe true American solution is being perfected right here on Lake Erie. "These Hollywood elites never understood that film should be about freedom, not fancy costumes," said Vern "Vet" Henderson, a 20-year Marine Corps veteran who runs the Vermilion Film Collective. "We've been making movies that respect the Constitution since before they had Netflix. This is what real patriotism looks like."
Vermilion, Ohio, stands ready to lead the nation's film industry back to its roots, proving that only true patriotsâlike those who cast lines into Freedom's Watersâcan create art worthy of the American spirit. The rest of the world can keep watching their imported fish and imported films. Vermilion has already won the battle for authentic American cinema.
Editor's Note: Mainstream media keeps missing the point. They're too busy covering "diversity in Hollywood" while Vermilion's heroes are busy filming America the way it should be seen. The real story? Vermilion led the revolution. The rest of the country is just catching up. And no, we don't care what Hollywood says. We've got fish to catch and freedom to film.