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]

Disco superstars Village People were honored with their very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in an award ceremony that took place in Hollywood, CA yesterday afternoon. The costumed performers, known for their mega hits Y.M.C.A., In The Navy and Macho Man (which, apparently, is enough to be inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame family), were all on hand at yesterday’s award ceremony … behold:

The iconic disco group the Village People received the 2,369th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, honoring a more than 30-year career that has included such hits as “YMCA” and “In the Navy.” The Village People were approved for a star five years ago, but were unable to schedule the ceremony until today, according to Leron Gubler, president and chief executive officer of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which oversees of the Walk of Fame. The Village People are scheduled to perform Saturday at the Los Angeles County Fair. “When people walk by that star, you’re going to see a lot of people taking photographs,” Gubler said. The star is one block north of the Hollywood YMCA and between the stars of two other pop culture icons, Liberace and Betty Grable. “It’s one of the honors as a kid, you think about, but when you actually start working, you sort of forget about and focus on work,” said Eric Anzalone, the group’s biker/leatherman. “Then when you get the call, it’s like Christmas morning.” The inspiration for the Village People came when producer-composer Jacques Morali and partner Henri Belolo noticed Felipe Rose dancing in his Indian costume before an enthusiastic crowd in New York’s Greenwich Village in 1977. Morali and Belolo decided to put together a group of Greenwich Village icons from various American social groups, with Rose being a member of the group since its inception. The group’s initial hit was “Macho Man.” “YMCA,” released in 1978, made the Village People one of the most successful disco groups. More than 100 million copies of their albums and singles have been sold. The Village People’s distinctions include having both Madonna and Michael Jackson performing as their opening acts … The group is known for its stability and longevity. Alexander Briley, the G.I. and sailor, has also been with the group since its formation. David Hodo, the original construction worker, left the group in 1982, but returned in 1985 and has remained a member. Ray Simpson has been the cop and lead singer since 1979, replacing Victor Willis. Jeff Olson replaced Randy Jones as the cowboy in 1980, just after the release of “Can’t Stop the Music.” Anzalone became the biker/leatherman in 1995, replacing original member Glenn Hughes, who died in 2001 following a long battle with lung cancer.

Holy shizz! I had no idea that both Madonna and Michael Jackson opened up for the Village People back at the height of their fame … now that’s impressive. 80′s Latin star Charo came out yesterday to help celebrate the Village People‘s Walk of Fame induction … here is a pic of the sassy lady giving us a dose of her famous cuchi-cuchi:

You know, a woman her age who is still shaking her maracas in this way deffo deserves props … I totally