Country singer Alan Jackson is set to get his Hollywood star next year. If you are not a country music fan, you probably couldn’t care less. For those who are into country music, however, this should prove to be interesting.

There are over 2,000 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame already. They first started putting stars in their in 1958 and each year, worthy celebrities are awarded their own stars. Year in and year out, people from all over the world come in droves to visit Hollywood, and guess what is one of the most visited places in Tinsel Town? You got it – the Walk of Fame.

Alan Jackson is not the only person to be receiving his star in 2010. There are many other categories for the stars and the Times Herald lists down more of them:

Jackson is nominated in the recording category — along with Bryan Adams, The Funk Brothers, Chaka Khan, Van Morrison, Marco Antonio Solis, Ringo Starr, ZZ Top and — posthumously — Roy Orbison.

In addition to Thompson, motion picture nominees were James Cameron, Russell Crowe, John Cusack, Colin Firth, Gale Ann Hurd, Alan Menken, Randy Neuman, Adam Sandler and Mark Wahlberg. Nominated in the television category were Graves, Chris Berman, Jon Cryer, Jimmy Kimmel, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Bill Maher and Sam Waterston.

The year is not really half way done but I am sure that the awardees are already beside themselves with excitement. As for us mere mortals, we can hope to be there during the formal ceremony.

After seven years of being officially “dead,” Laserium is once again opening in Hollywood. This time, its new home is the much loved Vine Theatre.

Never heard of Laserium? Well, it is a laser light show, which has withstood the test of time, becoming an icon in its own right. For more than three decades, this laser light show has wowed millions and millions of people in 46 cities. Um, it also gained somewhat of a reputation for being a rite of passage for stoners.

According to Marla Maples, one of the new people behind the light show, she is well aware of this reputation but she also promises that there will be no smoking in the new Laserium. In fact, she is trying to turn things around with regard to the show’s reputation. She is working on a program that will send some money down the way of charities. Her goal is to have one fourth of the group-ticket sales to be given to a good cause.

So what is in store for you at the new Laserium? Expect to see the 3D versions of the classic shows: Beatles, Stones, and Zep. There are new shows as well, including LightDancer Experience, wherein viewers can become participants and control the lights with body movements. In addition to these, live acts are also slated to perform, incorporating the lights into their sets.

For more information, visit the Laserium web site and book your tickets now!

In spite of the fact that marijuana (weed or pot or whatever other name you call it) is illegal, we know that it is being used widely across the country. Hollywood is no exception. In fact, weed may even be used here more than in other parts of the country.

If the LA authorities are to be followed, however, weed is soon going to be harder to come by in the area. City inspectors are currently targeting what is known as medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles. One by one, these dispensaries are being inspected – the first step towards shutting them down. The orders come from the City Council, which is now regretting its decision to allow the shops (hundreds of them) to operate.

Naturally, shop owners are not happy with the developments. Anthony Folsom is one of the owners of Bulldog Café, one of the medical marijuana dispensaries. He is quite unhappy with the City Council’s move as he believes that they (the shop owners) are in the business for the right reasons. He also stated that if this crackdown does not stop, all those people with good intentions are going to disappear and that at the end of the day, the city will be left with illegal drug dealers.

He does have a point and the City Council realizes this. They are having a hard time getting their way and many members acknowledge how difficult and potentially dangerous the road they are taking is. In the meantime, shops which are still in business are being frequented by their loyal patrons.

With a name like Cirque Berzerk, this circus is sure to raise some eyebrows. Yes, it is not your every day family circus. For several days now, a gigantic red and white big top tent has been spied in the Los Angeles State Historic Park area. For the locals, this area is also known as the Cornfields.

So what is the Cirque Berzerk all about, and why isn’t it a “family circus?” The LA Times says:

But parents be warned: this is no kid-friendly elephants-and-acrobats fare. Sexy, scandalous and wholly unsuitable for children, this is Cirque Berzerk. Last summer, Cirque Berzerk ’s debut show, “Beneath,” introduced L.A. to its nouveau mix of burlesque beauties, daring aerialists, fire-dancers and freak show artists to sold-out audiences.

Besides revamping their staple acts – burlesque, fire-dancing, and clown, contortion and aerial numbers – seven new acts are set to premiere. As if playing with fire and dangling from tissue weren’t daring enough, they’ve added bungee and trampoline acts, as well as a jaw-dropping two-person contortion act. Headed up by Michael “Tex” Redinger, who’s come to some fame for what he calls “stilt-jumping”, this unique double trampoline piece requires bouncers to clear (or land on) a high platform or suffer a major fall.

These acts will surely help you forget your woes for a while.

For more information (and to go get your tickets!):

Where: Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1245 N. Spring St. When: Shows run from June 18 through July 5, times vary. Two shows per day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Price: Ticket prices, $25, $45, $60, $80. Info: cirqueberzerk.com

Photography buffs in LA, here is an exhibit that I am pretty sure you would like to visit. Dubbed Barack Obama: The Freshman, the photo exhibit will be running M + B, a gallery located at 612 North Almont Drive in Los Angeles. It started last week, on the 28th of May and will run till the 18th of July, giving you plenty of time to drop by and see the President when he was still in college.

If you have not heard of it yet, the photo exhibit showcases Barrack Obama as a college freshman. While we all have photos of when we were freshmen in college, the photos of Barrack are not incidental things. They were in fact taken by Lisa Jack, who was a student of photography back then. She had to choose a subject for a portrait project, and she chose Barrack. Lisa chose him for the simple reason that he was charismatic. After the shoot, the photos remained hidden – they had served their purpose.

Lisa Jack had no way of knowing that Barry – Obama’s nickname – would ever be the leader of the country one day. Well, he did, and she was dared by a friend to unearth those photos. At first, she was worried that they could be used against the President. But she knew that there was nothing wrong with them and so decided to launch the exhibition.

If you are far from LA, you can see some of the photos at M+B’s web site.

Prop 8 has got to be one of the most controversial pieces of legislations ever. It has got people from all sorts of backgrounds speaking their minds. And of course, in Hollywood, most everyone has joined the fray. The general consensus – as was to be expected, I think – is that upholding Prop 8 is not right.

USA Today featured some quotes about Prop 8 from prominent Hollywood figures. Here are some of the more interesting AND sensible ones. (Yes, everyone is having their say but some of them just do more harm to Prop 8, I think.)

George Clooney to E!: “This just should invigorate people to get it back on the ballot in 2010 and 2012 and every two years until all people are allowed a basic civil right.”

Yep, this was voted on. Those who didn’t vote do not have a right to complain.

Charlize Theron to E!: “I am deeply disappointed by the (California) Supreme Court’s ruling on Prop. 8 today. I don’t agree with homophobia or discrimination of any kind. I will continue to fight this fight for equality and speak up for the basic civil rights of all Americans.”

I don’t agree with homophobia or discrimination either. Then again, the issue runs deep and touches faith and beliefs. It’s not that simple.

Demi Moore: “There’s no room 4 judgment it only creates separation & i’m pretty sure we R all equal in God’s eyes. luv is luv in whatever form! … Amazing the country that likes 2 pride itself on liberty & justice 4 all can continue 2 fail certain groups!”

That’s on Twitter, and she does have a point on liberty and justice.

So is Hollywood right on this one? What’s YOUR say?

Hollywood is home to the rich and famous, and it is the breeding ground of a lot of controversy as well. Just the other night, Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin was a guest on the Letterman Show and he apparently made a gaffe, which has offended a lot of Filipinos.

So what did he say? You know how Letterman conducts his interviews – they jump from topic to another. Somewhere along the way, Baldwin said that he was ‘”thinking about getting a Filipina mail-order bride … or a Russian.” He went on to say that he “didn’t care; he’s 51.”

I suppose it was the mail-order bride tag that many found offensive. And I suppose the fact that Letterman added his own “Get one for me, for later” didn’t help either.

Now, the Philippine government is demanding for a public apology from the producers of the show and from Alec Baldwin. They want the concerned people to “express deep concern over the derogatory remark.”

Mind you, this is not the first time that Hollywood has been targeted for this kind of racial gaffe. A few years ago, Teri Hatcher said something about a spurious medical degree obtained from the Philippines. This was uttered in one episode of Desperate Housewives. The producers of the show were asked to apologize and they did.

The question is: what will the producers of the Letterman show and Alec Baldwin do? Their statements were clearly in jest, but some were offended. Let’s see what happens.

Forrest Gump may have been a ping pong sensation back in the day, but that did not really propel the game to the top of the list of “cool” games. Many many years later, it seems that the game has gotten the break that it deserves, for it is now the “in” past time of Hollywood celebrities.

The Independent – a UK newspaper of all things! – recently ran a feature on this phenomenon:

It has to be one of the unlikeliest Hollywood pastimes yet, involving two people, a couple of vaguely S&M wooden paddles and a hollow plastic ball. Whisper it: ping-pong is cool.

Forget scout huts and church halls – on Saturday, the latest achingly hip New York table tennis venue will open its doors to an adoring star-studded following. SPiN New York will be an exclusive ping-pong parlour big enough to house the sport’s growing number of A-list devotees who turn up, bat in hand, at ping-pong social clubs around the city.

So who are the people who have been captivated by this sport?

Among the Hollywood elite captivated by the craze are the actors Ed Norton and Matthew Broderick, and the actress Susan Sarandon – who will be cutting the ribbon at SPiN’s glitzy launch. Even the rapper 50 Cent wants to be seen at America’s cult table tennis parties.

You know what? Call me nerdy or call me cool – it doesn’t matter to me. I love ping pong. It used to be my sport of choice and now that these Hollywood bigwigs are playing it, I can’t help but feel a sense of vindication.

As if Hollywood were not already steeped in enough controversy, we are now seeing the world of the stars collide with another equally interesting sector: the world of technology. Last week, the trial between Hollywood studios and RealNetworks began.

The issue revolves around the product called RealDVD, which allows people to convert their DVDs into files that can be played on personal computers and other similar devices. Hollywood studios point out that this is basically hacking while RealNetworks maintains the stance that it is not a hacker’s tool.

For one, they say that the software maintains the DVD’s copyright protection. On top of this, RealDVD also adds another layer or protection by employing digital rights management that locks the converted file to the PC. The Guardian has this story:

RealNetwork’s defence is that RealDVD strengthens DVD copy protection. Some observers, such as Fred von Lohmann, a senior lawyer with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, think Hollywood is fighting a losing battle: “I’m not sure what alternate version of reality the MPAA is living in, but consumers have been able to copy DVDs for a long time, thanks to free, widely available DVD rippers,” he says.

Hollywood argues that it has introduced features to its discs such as Digital Copy, which allows users to copy DVDs on to a hard drive, although in much lower resolution and with DRM constraints.

So what’s it gonna be? Who knows? One thing we know is that the judge is the same one who presided over the Napster case, and that she ruled in favor of the music industry.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame recently got an addition to its already numerous stars. This time, it is a member of the British group, The Beatles. George Harrison was awarded the accolade on the 14th of this month.

Beatles fans would know that George Harrison died in 2001, at the age of 58. Cancer was the cause of his death. And while he might not have been the most popular member of the band, it cannot be denied that he contributed a lot to the band’s success. He was a school friend of Paul McCartney, and was actually a founder of The Quarrymen, the band which later on evolved into The Beatles.

George is actually the man behind many of the band’s most popular songs, including Here Comes The Sun, Something, and While My Guitar Gently Weeps. And when The Beatles disbanded, George Harrison’s career did not really take that much of a beating. In the 70s, he launched a solo career and managed to come up with a hit song, My Sweet Lord. Not unlike the songs he created and performed with the rest of the band, this solo song became a hit all over the world.

Now that he has passed away, George’s legacy remains alive in his work. As a matter of fact, award winning Martin Scorsese is working on a documentary about George’s life. In addition to that, Capitol/EMI are also pondering on releasing a new Harrison record. This is something to look forward to.