Hollywood's Walk of Fame

68 years after "The Wizard of Oz" hit theaters, the goddamn Munchkins finally got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

They dragged out seven of the original members, all well into their 80's and 90's, to Grauman's Chinese Theatre to receive the 2,352nd star on the Walk of Fame.



The Walk of Fame is maintained by the self-financing Hollywood Historic Trust but did you know celebs are responsible for the upkeep of their Walk of Fame stars? A good portion of Hollywood and Vine, the avenues where the stars line, is still pretty seedy for by the late '60s, Hollywood Boulevard was rather glamourless -- a haven for hookers and druggies.

These days, this glamorous symbol of Hollywood dreams-come-true is very much a business arrangement. Star-dedication ceremonies are usually timed to big movie openings or record releases, and famous folks, or their studios or sponsors, pay $20,000 to see their name in salmon and brass.

So if you've got $20,000 and a sprinkling of fans, you could have your very own star.

David Rossi of New Jersey (naturally) created the Weird Al Yankovic Star Fund in 2003 to raise money for a possible Yankovic star.

It took him three years to collect $15,000 from fellow fans but he will have to wait at least another year. Yankovic was not one of the 23 honorees named for 2007, but applications are good for two years.

I think last time I was in Hollywood I saw a homeless guy taking a shit on Patrick Stewart's star.