Why Hollywood Loves Cuomo

Mushrooming sexual-abuse scandals involving A-list figures may have rendered Hollywood toxic to most politicians, but not New York’s governor.

In fact, Andrew Cuomo heads out to the West Coast next week to raise cash for his 2018 campaign (and maybe beyond) from some of the industry’s top figures.

Universal Chairman Jeff Shell is hosting the event at his home; invitees include Disney CEO Robert Iger and CBS chief exec Les Moonves.

Of course, Cuomo’s long been an industry favorite: LA-based figures have sent his campaigns $860,000, and in-state studios another $400,000.

This, even though he already has $25 million in the bank for next year’s campaign.

Yes, public pressure forced him to give away $111,000 in donations from the nownotorious Harvey Weinstein — though the gov at first tried to return less than half of his Weinstein cash, relenting only after other New York Dems gave away their entire Harvey haul.

Why does Tinseltown so love Andrew? Well, USA Today reports that New York is spending the most of any state — $420 million in taxpayer funds — to lure Hollywood to film locally.

And that’s just one year. Over the past five years, all under Cuomo, New York has dished out $1.2 billion in public funds (second only to Louisiana) on the industry.

Never mind that the recipients of this largesse hardly need it. Jimmy Fallon got $21 million to film his first season of the “Tonight Show” here — after NBC had already decided to do so anyway.

No wonder studies repeatedly show Albany’s showbiz schmoozing is the least effective such program in the nation.

Hey, at least it pays big dividends for Andrew Cuomo’s campaign kitty.