What Hollywood did on its summer vacation

As the Labor Day weekend winds down, we welcome back... HOLLYWOOD. As everyone in the industry knows, from July 4th until Labor Day, H'Wood shuts down for vacation. The only reason it resumes in early September is so everyone can get back to their offices and prepare to go off to the Toronto Film Festival.

So where did they go? Well, there’s always the usual suspects. The Four Seasons Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii. Jackson Hole, Wyoming for those who look good in jeans. The south of France, Tuscany, and Cape Cod but only if you can rent a house that’s at least a hundred years old and is wired for broadband. The Hamptons, once a mainstay is now iffy. Spielberg was on the fence as to whether it’s still hip. A a number of agents and producers rented homes in Maine as well this year, just in case.

African safaris have become passé. Someone found out about the San Diego Zoo. And Africa in general is losing its luster since several features made there tanked domestically. Lake Cuomo in Italy is by Clooney-invitation-only. India took a hit after SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (there are some poor sections -- Yuck!!). Santa Fe is no fun now that Julia Roberts has screaming kids running around. And Cancun is jejune.

But this year the new hot sexy destination was Uruguay. Everyone’s got to check out Uruguay, man! It’s soooo awesome! Fabulous unspoiled beaches (for now), all that uh, Uruguayan cuisine (steaks), and it only takes 20 hours to get to (it’s at the very bottom of South America).

If you're reading this and you live in Uruguay, I hope you were in the cabana renting business.

How did Uruguay become so hot? My guess is Brian Grazer made a wrong turn in Brazil.

But you heard it here first. Uruguay. In two years Barry Diller and Brad Grey will have homes there. And in three there will be a film festival. So head down there. They'll all be back for the month of December. Join the A-listers. You’ll come back with great stories, a golden tan, and an adopted child.