‘Growing Pains’ star Kirk Cameron explains leaving California for Tennessee

Kirk Cameron says he left his native California for Tennessee two years ago because of its liberal policies and high cost of living.

“When you’re a kid in California it’s great because your parents are paying for everything,” the “Growing Pains” star explained to Adam Carolla on his podcast Tuesday. “So, you go to the beach, you’re hanging out, you’re going snow skiing, you get to eat an In-N-Out burger, you get to get some, you know, hot dogs downtown in Hollywood. It’s great. You’re having a good time.”

But he said once his kids got out on their own, they realized how expensive it is in the Golden State.

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“They realize how terrible the politics are and all of the other things that make it difficult to raise a family there,” he said. “And so all of a sudden it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, we gotta move. We gotta go someplace where we can actually thrive and maybe even just survive.’”

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After having mentioned earlier that he was missing California’s weather, Cameron said he hoped to return someday, “because pound-for-pound, I think California has just so much to offer. Although Tennessee is getting better.”

He added that people are “coming from New York and California like crazy to Tennessee, especially this middle Tennessee Nashville area. It’s pretty cool.”

“There’s so many creatives here that have good values. They love their family,” he said. “They’re proud of their country — and the whiskey is great. So, if you like whiskey and hot chicken, Nashville is the place to be.”

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The 55-year-old grew up in Los Angeles before rising to fame as a teenager on “Growing Pains.”