The question of whether a Hollywood star can be removed for just any old reason is pretty simple to answer: no, it can’t. Realistically it can be removed by a physical act since Donald Trump’s star was nearly torn out entirely with a pickaxe, and other stars have been vandalized in the past, but actually prying the thing up and removing it is something that has to be agreed upon by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which means even if there is an outpouring of emotion when it comes to a single star, it’s not going to be removed simply because people want it to be. Getting into a discussion such as this can get messy since there are some stars out there that have done a number of horrible things and those that have been accused but never formally tried for their alleged crimes. But a Hollywood star isn’t based on a person’s indiscretions, it’s based on what they’ve contributed to Hollywood over the years, and as such it’s based on their triumphs and successes, which is the line that determines whether or not they even get nominated for a star. It might interest people to know that out of all the nominations only a small percentage of people even get a star on the walk of fame since otherwise there would be hundreds more with every ceremony.
Getting a star isn’t all about being nominated and being invited to the ceremony. The actor has to agree to the nomination, has to agree to a date for its induction, and then has to cough up $40 grand in order to maintain the star. For a Hollywood celebrity that’s probably not a lot of money, especially when one is talking about the truly famous and insanely rich. But there are actors that have turned down a star on the walk, for their own reasons to be certain, since to them it’s not quite worth that much. To be honest, while it’s considered a great honor to be on this particular walk, one has to think that at some point it’s just another name that’s being walked on, a monument that people might look at in awe now and then but otherwise just tread upon as they go about their way each day. That’s kind of a cynical way to look at it, but seriously, a star that’s set into the ground is something that feels a little vain, not to mention less likely to last as long as a feature or a memory ever could. But maybe that’s my opinion and others feel differently. It’s allowed after all.
It could be that the notion of having your name on a star on a walkway is vastly important to some and means the world because…well because it is vanity in a very big way since if one really takes into consideration how many places celebrities get to see their name, one star on the walk of fame is getting extraneous in a big way since the whole idea of ‘look at me’ is won when they’re on TV, in a movie, or are recognized for their work behind the scenes. The other form of appreciation, a larger than life paycheck that grants them a life that a lot of people are envious of and would love to have, is something that a lot of people would agree is more than fair considering that a lot of celebrities make more on one job than many people will make in the next decade. Some folks might not think that it’s okay to take off after actors when it comes to what they earn, the lives they lead, and so on since to be honest a lot of them are hardworking and do have their own issues in life to deal with, and they do their best. But when it comes to being congratulated on what they do, it does feel as though actors might need to be reminded that being congratulated for absolutely everything in so many different ways becomes redundant after a while. They have their own businesses, their career, their reputation, their numerous award shows, their massive paychecks, their sponsors, their residual earnings, and so on and so forth. Is a star on a walkway really going to make that big of a difference?
So just to clarify, no, a Hollywood star can’t just be taken off the walk, since this action needs to be approved of by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, who maintains the stars. In another handful of decades, perhaps in a century, if these stars are still this important, it might appear funny to those that walk along this avenue, and it might even be considered time to move on from the past and take care of the present. But for now, the stars are going to shine where they are.
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