One Sings, the Other Doesn't
By Tod Hunter
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The main streets of tourist Hollywood, Calif. — Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street — have black terrazzo sidewalks covered with pink stars. Called "The Hollywood Walk of Fame," the stars celebrate stars of movies, TV, radio, music and live performance.
The stars are often the site of impromptu memorials after a star dies. "Honorary Mayor of Hollywood" Johnny Grant was very prompt in placing wreaths on tripods over recently-deceased stars before his own death in 2008.
Thursday's death of singer Michael Jackson added a macabre, ironic twist to this tradition.
Michael Jackson's star is in the sidewalk in front of the iconic Grauman's Chinese Theatre at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard. On Thursday, the street in front of Grauman's was closed for a movie premiere. The area was cordoned off and the sidewalk covered with red carpet.
Mourners were directed to the star for The Jacksons at 1500 Vine Street, a comfortable 15-20 minute walk away, near the corner of Sunset and Vine. (For more details, punch the addresses into a map site.)
Now —
Across the street from the star for The Jacksons, at 1541 Vine Street, there is a star for a local L.A. radio personality also named Michael Jackson. He ran a successful talk radio show for more than 30 years, and he has a British accent so nobody who heard him on the radio thought he was the singer.
The mourners, seeing the name Michael Jackson on the sidewalk and not noticing the little radio microphone medallion in the star, started putting their flowers, posters and "We love you Michael" signs on the radio guy's star.
The tributes were still there Friday morning, even though the sidewalk in front of Grauman's was open by then.
Go figure.
