Well even if I was rich, I wouldn't care if my name was on a star that people walked on. I could most definitely put that money towards something better.
Yeah, but if someone said to you "wanna star on the walk of fame?" Would you not just go "fuck it why not"?
I would. It's £35K. I could donate 65K more to charity and be only 1/10 of a way through a million, £35K is worth nothing at that level
Walk of fame stars are overseen by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Anyone can apply- even you reading this or me. But the chamber votes each year on adding applicants- if you aren’t famous they generally won’t even look at your application. You must apply in a category like “TV,” “Music” etc. generally you must have been famous for at least 5 years to be seriously considered. You can’t just nominate anyone either- any request has to be accompanied by a statement from the actual celebrity that they WANT a star. Next, is a contract. You must agree to certain terms such as that you’ll show up for the ceremony and bring fans and famous friends.
Lastly comes the fee. It’s roughly $35k give or take at last checking. The star itself is made of materials like brass and the tile flakes are terazzo- a durable but expensive material. The person being honored foots the bill for the star and the construction (it’s a city works sidewalk construction program and those aren’t cheap-) and that takes about half the money. The rest of the money goes as a donation to the Hollywood historic trust, who does things like look after the walk of fame. So basically you’re pre paying the construction and upkeep of the monument instead of tax payers footing the bill to honor you. For the city the event and having the walk generate tourism dollars and notoriety. For the honoree the committee still has to approve them for a star- they don’t simply get a guarantee that $35k buys them a place on the walk.
Tl:dr- you have to be nominated and want a star to get one. You still have to be selected for the award by the chamber of commerce for Hollywood. The $35k pays for the star and sidewalk construction, then what’s left is a donation to the Hollywood Historical Trust and pays to maintain your star in the future. Basically instead of making tax payers foot the bill to honor celebrities, the city makes the celebrity pay IF they are chosen. Tourists bring money for the city, the celebrity is immortalized- it’s all a win win mostly.
*it isn’t technically the nominee who “has” to pay. Someone has to agree to pay. The chamber of commerce generally holds the etiquette that the person who PLACED the nomination should pay- but ultimately of the celebrity wants the honor and no one else will sponsor their star it’s up to them to pay the bill or walk away with no star.
I would. It's £35K. I could donate 65K more to charity and be only 1/10 of a way through a million, £35K is worth nothing at that level