Hollywood, California

The city of Hollywood is doing a great job revitalizing the area around Hollywood Boulevard with the Kodak Theater being the jewel in the crown.  But with revitalization the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is busy honoring some of Hollywood's biggest stars with their star on the famed walk.  Still a little space for some of the biggest and brightest stars, last week my friend Halle Berry received the honor.  Halle was very grateful, as much as she was when a few years ago she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for "Monsters Ball."  Halle made history in Hollywood, being the first African American actress to win an Oscar for a lead category.   The only other black actresses  who won similar awards were Whoopi Goldberg and Hattie McDaniel.  Both for supporting work.  Hatte in 1939 for "Gone With The Wind."   

However, the week also brought news that over a decade ago when Halle divorced baseball star Daniel Justice that she considered suicide.  Why was this story rehashed again? Halle has always been very honest about her life at that time, but it was old news repeated because of a slow news week on the cable news shows.  You would think with British sailors being held hostage by a rogue regime in Iran that they would have been focused on more in the American media.  But oh no, it was Halle's story which they chose to pretend was recent and serious.  It was great to see this beautiful actress receiving such an honor.  Not since Rita Hayworth and Lana Turner have days in Hollywood been so elegant and it is wonderful seeing fans return to this district in Los Angeles feeling safe again and seeing the occasional superstar.   Last fall Ruta Lee had fans as far away as Canada and Lithuania show up to honor her and thank her for her years of entertaining us. 

Halle cried but still looked beautiful when thanking the people who honored her and her fans, showing a brave face when the occasional question ventured to her past.   However, holding her composure, she proved what a star she was and what makes her great.  She's one of the most beautiful and talented A-listers today and has some wonderful projects in the works.   Wouldn't it be great to see Hollywood honor John Gavin for his distinguished career in movies.  Spartagus, Imitation of Life and Psycho come to mind as three of his greatest pictures.

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