Instrumental Saxophone musician Dave Koz, who I have been a fan of for many years (ever since my marching band days in high school), was on hand here in Hollywood today to receive the 2,389th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a ceremony that took place in front of the Capitol Records building. Now, I’m sure 99% of you do not know who Dave Koz is but I can assure you, he is an extremely talented musician and I couldn’t be more happy that he received this honor today. Here are a few photos from Dave’s Walk of Fame ceremony today and some deets about his career accomplishments:

In a career spanning two decades, Dave Koz has established himself as a platinum-selling artist, humanitarian, entrepreneur, radio host, and instrumental music advocate. A six-time Grammy® nominee, the list of artists he has played with bears testament to his talent and includes such musical luminaries as Burt Bacharach, Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, Kenny Loggins, U2, Barry Manilow, Michael McDonald, Luther Vandross, and Rod Stewart. Many of his own hits – smash singles such as “You Make Me Smile,” Koz’s signature song, “Castle of Dreams,” “Can’t Let You Go” featuring the late Luther Vandross, “Together Again,” “Honey-Dipped,” “All I See Is You,” and “Faces of the Heart,” which was the theme song for “General Hospital” for more than 10 years – were collected in his first-ever retrospective album, Dave Koz – Greatest Hits, which bowed at No. 1 on both Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and iTunes’ Jazz Album chart in September 2008. “Life In The Fast Lane,” one of four new songs included on the album, spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Smooth Jazz chart and “Bada Bing” hit No. 2. Koz’s latest single, “And Then I Knew,” produced by Rob Cavallo (Dave Matthews Band, Green Day) just went to radio … Koz also serves as the host of a weekday afternoon radio show that’s nationally distributed on the Smooth Jazz Radio Network; and, on weekends, as the host of the Dave Koz Radio Show, now in its 15th year and syndicated in approximately 120 markets. As an entrepreneur, Koz founded Rendezvous Entertainment. As a philanthropist, he has served for 17 years as global ambassador for the Starlight Children’s Foundation. He recently partnered with Vinum Cellars, a Napa Valley boutique winery, and Whole Foods Market® to introduce three types of KOZ wines. He is donating all his proceeds from KOZ wines – available exclusively at Whole Foods Market stores in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada – to help Starlight continue its vital mission. Koz completed a four-year term on the Grammy Foundation Artists Committee, has served as National Trustee for the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) and is an ongoing member of the Board Of Governors for the Grammy® Foundation.

I met Dave Koz at an in-store meet and greet many years ago while I was still in high school and his kindness and encouragement helped me remain steadfast in my music studies in school. He signed an autograph for me telling me that he would like to hear me play one of his songs, Castle of Dreams, one day and that alone inspired me to keep practicing. When Koz came out publicly as a gay man, his influence spoke to me even more. My good friend Sherri and I have seen Koz perform live in concert many times … and I’m just so happy that he has reached this level of success in his career. Much love and congrats goes out to Dave Koz on his big day. Instrumental jazz fans might want to check out Dave Koz’s albums … they’re really great :)

[Photo credit: Wireimage]

Yesterday afternoon Dino and I made our way to the Hollywood Walk of Fame to pay our respects to the late Michael Jackson at his star on Hollywood Blvd. As expected, the area was teeming with people who were trying to do the same. The entire block was cordoned off and fans were made to wait in line to get to his star. To be honest, it was hot and crowded … but well worth the wait:

I may not be the biggest MJ fan but I do respect the man for his important contributions to pop culture. I’m glad that I made the pilgrimage to pay my respects.

Afterward, I met up with my friends Tamar, Ollie and Caleb for a little hang out session at Tamar’s before we went out to see a laser show at the Laserium at the Vine Theater. After a few drinks and a great conversation, we decided to skip the show and just hang out for the rest of the night. We had a lovely time … we made the right choice.

This afternoon, I’m heading out to The Golden Apple Comics on Melrose Ave. here in LA for Milo Ventimiglia’s comic book signing. He is launching his new Berserker comic book series and is signing the first issue for fans. Not sure what plans are for tonight but … it looks like a great day thus far ;)

Cameron Diaz, actress extraordinaire, was honored with her very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at a ceremony here in SoCal yesterday afternoon. Diaz’s star is the 2,386th star on the Walk of Fame … here are a few pics from her ceremony yesterday:

US actress Cameron Diaz has received the 2,386th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where she attributed her successful career to “the eternal love my mom and dad shared.” “It was what has given me the strength and courage to live this extraordinary life and it is what powers the light that burns inside of me, bright enough for me to be honored today with this star on the Walk of Fame,” Diaz said. Diaz, 36, who earned a whopping 20 million dollars for her role in the film version of “Charlie’s Angels,” will return to the silver screen Friday for the premiere of “My Sister’s Keeper,” in which she plays a mother of two girls, including a cancer patient. Her father died of pneumonia at the age of 58 in April as she was nearing the end of filming for the drama by director Nick Cassavetes. The actress, who is especially known for her role in the 1998 feature “There’s Something About Mary,” attended Monday’s ceremony in front of the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, north of Los Angeles, before hundreds of adoring fans. She was also joined by friends and fellow actors Tom Cruise, her co-star in “Vanilla Sky,” his wife Katie Holmes, and Lucy Liu, who starred with Diaz in “Charlie’s Angels.” Born on August 30, 1972 in San Diego, southern California, Diaz began fashion modeling at the age of 16 and made her big break in acting with the 1994 hit “The Mask,” alongside Jim Carrey. Since then, she has been considered one of Hollywood’s top comedians, with an average salary listed at about 10 million dollars per film.

Ah, Cameron Diaz … I’ve traveled the long road of her stardom with her. There was once a time that I was not her biggest fan (longtime old skool readers may recall “Zitty McPussbags”) but I’ve since softened my stance on her (her performances in the Charlie’s Angels movies helped a lot). While I may not always agree with the awarding of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I’m sure fans of the lucky celebs who receive these stars are very happy and appreciative for the celebs they love so dear. I suppose congrats are in order for Ms. Diaz. She will now be a part of Hollywood history for all time now that she is a part of the Walk of Fame … and that is no small feat.

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]

CSI: star William Petersen was on hand to be honored with the 2,379th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a special ceremony here in Hollywood, CA yesterday afternoon. Altho Petersen has *just* been written out of the CSI: storyline, he was the principal star of the top-rated series since it debuted on CBS back in 2000. Here are a few photos from yesterday’s WoF ceremony:

William Petersen will receive the 2,379th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, 2-1/2 weeks after his final appearance on the hit CBS series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” Marg Helgenberger, Petersen’s “CSI” co-star, and William Friedkin, who directed Petersen in the 1985 film “To Live and Die in L.A.” and the 1997 television version of “12 Angry Men,” was scheduled to join Petersen in speaking in the late-morning ceremony in front of the famed Musso & Frank restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard. “Billy Petersen created, in Gil Grissom, a man of such brilliance and curiosity that it stimulated curiosity in all of us who watched him,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” executive producers Carol Mendelsohn and Naren Shankar said in a statement. “Because Billy can say more with a look than most actors can with an entire monologue, Grissom’s humanity always shined, whether he was bringing closure to a victim’s family, sharing a meal with a bug, or an intimate moment with Sara Sidle. From the moment he picked up his crime scene kit, Billy didn’t just play Grissom, he was Grissom. And that is the magic of Billy Petersen.” Born Feb. 21, 1953, in Evanston, Ill., Petersen discovered acting while attending Idaho State University on a football scholarship. He left school in 1974 with his wife, Joanne, and followed a drama professor to Spain’s Basque Country, where he studied as a Shakespearean actor. Petersen has an extensive list of movie, television and stage credits. He appeared in the films “To Live and Die in L.A.,” “Manhunter,” “Cousins,” “Young Guns II,” “Fear” and “The Contender.” His television credits include the mini-series “The Kennedys of Massachusetts” and “Return to Lonesome Dove” and the made-for-television movies “12 Angry Men” and “The Rat Pack.” Petersen made his Broadway debut in the 1996 revival of Tennessee Williams’ “The Night of the Iguana.” He has appeared in regional stage productions of “A Dublin Carol,” “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “The Time of Your Life,” “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “Fool for Love” and “Speed-the-Plow.” Petersen left “CSI” last year after 8 1/2 seasons, in part to concentrate more on the theater, although he remains one of its executive producers.

Despite Petersen’s respected theater credentials and his previous film work, he is really only known for his role as Gil Grissom on CSI:. I am a newer fan of CSI: (having only started watching in the past couple of years) but I have watched all of the seasons in full (thanks to Spike TV) and remain a fan of the show. Laurence Fishburne has been added to the cast of the show in place of Petersen and while I’m a Fishburne fan, I’m still warming up to his character on the show. BUT, I’m getting off track. Fellow CSI: castmates Marg Helgenberger, Jorja Fox (who, too, has been written off the show) and Eric Szmanda were among the guests on hand at yesterday’s ceremony to honor Petersen. Congrats are in order, I think. Since someone as singularly known as William Petersen is worthy of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, who do y’all think should be the next person to get one?

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]

It would seem that PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has not eased up on their crusade against Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s love of wearing fur. The twins are protested against by the animal rights group at public events but it appears that that is no longer enough. The twins’ star (along with that of Sharon Stone) on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been defaced with the epithet FUR HAGS! … behold:

Stars of actresses Sharon Stone, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen on the Hollywood Walk of Fame have been smudged with the words “FUR HAGS!” by anti-fur campaigners. While Stone’s star, received in November 1995, was smeared with “OLD FUR HAG!”, the actress twins’ shared marker bared the words “FUR HAGS!”, reports the Daily Express. Many other celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Socialite Khloe Kardashian have previously found themselves at the centre of controversies for wearing fur. Activists supporting People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have been on their feet to discourage the use of fur and protest against the torture inflicted on animals under the name of fashion. And it has been commonplace to observe anti-fur demonstrations outside the A-listers’ signings and public appearances.

In addition to referring to the Olsens as Fur Hags, the animal rights group also refers to them as the Trollsen Twins … going so far as to set up a website where folks can play dress up with ghastly cartoon-versions of the girls on the site:

It is NOT absolutely certain that PETA had anything at all to do with the defacement of these stars on the Walk of Fame but, judging by the term FUR HAGS!, it’s likely. At the very least, the grafitti was done by a PETA/animal rights sympathizer … or mebbe just a hater.

[Source, Source]

Famed film and television actress Glenn Close, who can currently be seen in the FX drama Damages, was honored with the 2,378th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in an award ceremony in Hollywood, CA yesterday with many friends and much of her family in attendance. Here are a few photos of Glenn and co. at yesterday’s Walk of Fame star unveiling and award ceremony:

Actress Glenn Close was honored with a star on Hollywood’s “Walk of Fame” here Monday and said she was looking forward to having people walk all over her award. Close, 61, described the awarding of the 2,378th star on Hollywood Boulevard as a “wonderful, wonderful honor”, adding she was delighted to be sharing the famous stretch of sidewalk with some of her childhood heroes. But she invited movie fans who held a grudge against some of her on-screen personas, such as deranged stalker Alex Forrest in 1987’s “Fatal Attraction”, to feel free to abuse her award. “To be considered a star is one thing, but to be embedded in the sidewalk with life passing over us, that for me is the best part of this honor,” Close said at a ceremony to unveil her award. “Five-inch heels, flip-flops, Birkenstocks, dropped ice cream cones, the odd tobacco squirt, baby carriages, roller blades, skateboards, wheelchairs — bring it all on,” Close joked. “And if there are those who are really pissed off by … Alex Forrest, they can stomp on me to their heart’s content,” Close joked. “Like the Milky Way, this galaxy will expand, paying tribute to the artists who have formed the heart and soul of the world,” Close said. “And I can just see it years from this moment. Someone will wander by my star, dust off my name and think ‘Glenn Close? Glenn Close? Oh yeah, I remember. He was good.’” Close, best known for her film roles in “Fatal Attraction” and “Dangerous Liasions”, is currently the star of the US television drama series “Damages”.

Aww … this is great. Glenn Close was truly the driving force in the success of Fatal Attraction and has always been able to turn in amazing performance after amazing performance. She is truly a very gifted actress and I wholeheartedly endorse this honor. Damages is one of those series that everybody seems to love … I’ve been trying to catch up on season one so that I can jump right in and watch season two. Much love and congrats goes out to Glenn on this achievement, I honestly feel it is well-deserved.

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin; Source]

Cate Blanchett was honored with the 2,376th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame earlier today in a ceremony that took place here in Hollywood, CA. Here are a few pics of the ravishing Cate at her award ceremony just hours ago:

Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett receive[d] the 2,376th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Friday, 20 days before the release of her latest film, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” Steven Spielberg, who directed Blanchett in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”; David Fincher, the director of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” and one of its producers, Kathleen Kennedy, [joined] Blanchett in speaking at the late-morning ceremony in front of the Egyptian Theatre. The 39-year-old Blanchett, a native of Melbourne, Australia, won a best supporting actress Oscar for her portrayal of Katharine Hepburn in the 2004 Howard Hughes biography, “The Aviator.” She received best actress Academy Award nominations for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in the 1998 film “Elizabeth” and 2007’s “Elizabeth: The Golden Age.” Blanchett also received best supporting actress Oscar nominations her role in the 2006 drama, “Notes on a Scandal,” as a teacher having an affair with a student; and as a version of singer Bob Dylan in 2007’s “I’m Not There.” Blanchett’s other prominent credits include the role of High Elf Queen Galadriel in all three “The Lord of the Rings” films, “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and “Babel.”

I can’t think of a more deserving actress to receive this honor. Cate Blanchett is an incredibly talented actress who shines in every film she appears in. I’m usually very surprised at/grossed out by some of the folks who are chosen to be honored with Walk of Fame stars (*cough* the Olsen Twins *cough*) but this time I am fully on board. Cate is Hollywood’s jewel and she deserves this accolade and more! Much love and congrats!!

[Source]