A Tourist In My Own Town (My First Job: Part II)

Having written an article about my “first job” as an usher for the world famous “Mann’s Chinese Theatre” in Hollywood, I was compelled to visit my old stomping ground. I went there today (Nov. 18, 2007) and wow! Everything has changed, yet nothing has changed! The last time I was in the area was about three years ago when I saw a play at the Kodak Theatre. Unfortunately, I only saw the inside of the theatre, and didn’t get a chance to walk the boulevard. I also ran on the boulevard during the mid to late nineties when the LA Marathon’s route went right by the theatre. I ran the LA Marathon from 1995 to 1999, then again in 2005, but that’s another story. Today, I saw what I had been missing from Hollywood, and I was very proud to see the changes!

The very first thing that entered my mind when I stepped onto the Walk of Fame sidewalk was: “I’m a tourist in my own town!” Then I thought: “I have never really left Los Angeles!” The furthest I’ve lived away from Hollywood/LA was about twenty miles away! So that means that I just have not visited the boulevard enough! I am really proud of the people who are responsible for the improvements on Hollywood Boulevard! Whoever you are, great job! It looked like someone finally cared about the place! I would be very proud to show it off now, unlike during the eighties, when I was pretty much “embarrassed” to give visiting friends and family the Hollywood tour!

I just vacationed to Manhattan, New York just about two months ago, and I stayed in the heart of Times Square. It kind of felt like I was on Times Square! As I walked from the Hollywood and Highland Mall, where the huge parking lot as well as the Kodak Theatre is located, the area was full of tourists, way more people than 1984 when I worked there! In front of the Kodak Theatre, it felt a little like Halloween meets Disney, with peddlers dressed up for photo ops. There was Darth Vader and a Storm Trooper working the crowd. Spiderman, Superman, and Batman all hung out together side by side, surrounded by young kids. There was Elmo, Chucky, (yes, Chucky!), Barney, Sponge Bob, and I can’t remember the other characters. Later on I saw Michael Jackson walking with a ghetto blaster going towards the front of the Kodak Theatre. As I was walking towards the Chinese Theatre, I can see from the distance (about a block away) that Andre’s Pizza was still there. I used to buy a slice of pepperoni pizza from there for ninety-nine cents, way back in 1984, during my lunch hour. I noticed that directly across the street from the theatre, the Hamburger Hamlet is gone, replaced by various restaurants and big name coffee houses. Very nice “corporate” set-up! Also just to the left of the restaurants, I remembered a small bar called “The Seven Seas” was also gone. I don’t exactly know when it closed, but I’m guessing it was a long time ago. Also to the left of that was the El Capitan Theatre, where they shoot The Jimmy Kimmel Live show. Also the El Capitan Theatre shows all Disney movies, with some live show treatments. I assume that Disney owns the theatre, since there is also a “Disney” restaurant/store to its left.

As I walked towards the front of the Chinese Theatre, I noticed the front of the old “Twin Theatres” has completely changed! It now has a Virgin Megastore and from what the Starline Bus Tour guy was saying, there are now six theatres in that location! I was very impressed! It all looked very well organized and architecturally beautiful. As I got to the front of the theatre, I noticed that the ticket box office and the awning leading to the front entrance of the main theatre were completely gone. The first thing I wanted to see was the front entrance to the theatre. Yes, there was a young guy standing there with a red jacket and black pants. He had no white gloves on. I’m not sure if he just forgot, or maybe they rid away with the white gloves. I didn’t bother to ask. I also looked for Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne. Yes, they’re in the same place I saw them last! As I stood on John Wayne’s cement, a guy with a Southern accent taps me on the shoulder and asks me to kindly move, so he can take a picture. I kindly obliged and as he was taking a picture, he comments to me: “I got to take a picture of the Duke!” I then ask him: “Did you find Marilyn Monroe over there?” “Oh. Yes! We can’t miss that.” It was really eerie. It felt like it was still 1984!

After soaking in the nostalgia and the memories, I proceeded towards the Roosevelt Hotel, kitty corner from the Chinese Theatre, to get some coffee from the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. After the much needed hot Mocha, I walked towards the El Capitan Theatre, and then walked across the street to the Madame Toussaud’s Wax Museum. That area hasn’t changed much, but I can tell tourists want to stick around the boulevard because it just looks so clean and pleasant. I can totally feel the “buzz”, just like Times Square! As I waited for the walk signal to turn, to cross the street back towards the Kodak Theatre, a black woman probably in her twenties starts to recite one of the Gospels from a Bible on her hand. “Absolutely everything has changed, yet nothing has changed!” I thought. Then to really bring me back to 1984, as if time stood still, as I walked towards the front of the Kodak Theatre to go back to the parking structure, there was a crowd gathered in a circle, and three or four young guys were “break dancing” right in front of me! Just about the very same spot I saw break dancers for the very first time, right in front of the Kodak Theatre. Only in 1984, that entire block was an empty lot! Talk about dejavu all over again.

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