Big Deal: Howie Mandel Gets a Star

You'd think being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is the ultimate accolade for an entertainer. Alas, like all things Hollywood, there's even a power struggle at play when it comes to getting a star. It's not so much about simply joining these ranks as it is about where your star joins the ranks. While the Charlizes and Halles of the world get prime sidewalk real estate in front of Oscar's own Kodak Theater, and the Winonas and Johnnys party it up for eternity outside the Roosevelt hotel, TV "personalities" (even those with top-rated shows) get slightly seedier neighborhood plots. Take Howie Mandel, host of NBC's Deal or No Deal and this morning's honoree. As I approached the block, at Hollywood and Cahuenga just past Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits and the Hollywood Suit Outlet (3 suits for $99), I realized Howie was getting a bad rap. Even the Mayor of Hollywood felt inclined to apologize, mumbling something about Howie being deliberately clustered with the stars of other comedians, while Howie's eyes glanced doubtingly at the ViCE nightclub sign beside him. I guess it was that spot or no deal.

– Text and photo by Steven Corfe

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