Turns Out Celebs Pay Their Way Onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame
What do Marilyn Monroe, the Backstreet Boys, Meryl Streep and Bugs Bunny have in common?
They’re all on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And they didn’t get picked just for being amazing — they all had to apply AND pay $30,000 for the “honor.”
Sorry but everything you know about the Walk of Fame is a lie.
Story continues below…
For one, it’s not something celebrities get invited to be a part of, it’s something they apply for.
Every applicant interested in getting their name immortalized on a star for tourists to walk on must send in $30,000 to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce plus a written letter which says yes, they actually want a star and yes, they will actually go to the unveiling ceremony to get their picture taken.
Read Also: Here’s Why Tabloids Don’t Get Sued for Lying
Now most of the time, the celebrities aren’t the ones actually paying $30,000 — their recording label or movie studio heads will, or in the case of Liza Minelli, their fan clubs can help raise the money.
Honestly, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce doesn’t care where the money comes from, just that it’s there.
Now what exactly is this $30,000 for?
Is it for a year’s supply of fresh pressed juices or a brand new house in the hills for the lucky members of the selection committee?
Sadly, no.
Read Also: Kylie Jenner Can Do Everything, Except Finish a One Day Juice Cleanse
Half of the $30,000 goes to the Hollywood Historic Trust, which helps maintain the Walk of Fame, and the rest goes to actually making the physical star itself and paying for the photographers and security for the actual ceremony.
But there is one catch: the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce won’t just accept any random “famous” person who has an extra $30,000 laying around.
“It’s a tourist attraction,” explained the Walk of Fame’s Vice President of Media Relations to Time magazine. Translation: if you don’t have household name recognition, it’s not gonna happen.
Applicants have to be famous for at least five years and they have to be famous in one of the four categories the Chamber deems a core entertainment category: television, movies, radio, live theatre and music, which means it’s just not gonna happen for Kim Kardashian and all your favorite Instagram celebs.
Unless they choose to make an exception for you.
It’s kinda confusing because back in 2011 Ana Martinez told Entertainment Weekly, “reality stars are not on our radar for Walk of Fame honors. Who knows what the future will bring?” but both Donald Trump and Judge Judy have stars, and last time we checked, they’re both reality TV stars.
Whatever, Walk of Fame.
Now that we know you’re just a big fat lie, we don’t care who tf is on it anyway.
[H/T Time]
