Seattle’s Bill Nye the Science Guy is among the stars.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has awarded Nye a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, cementing his cultural impact in terrazzo and brass among the likes of Michael Jackson and Marilyn Monroe.
Nye is one of eight honorees to earn a star this year in the television category. The chamber of commerce also awarded stars in motion pictures, live theater/live performance, radio, recording and sports entertainment.
“Each honoree truly embodies the essence of excellence in their respective fields,” said Peter Roth, chairman of the Walk of Fame Selection Committee, in an online announcement.
Other honorees include Jessica Chastain, Colin Farrell and Jane Fonda in the motion pictures category, a posthumous star for Prince in the recording category and a sports recording star for David Beckham.
Between 24 to 30 stars are inducted once a year in June, according to the Walk of Fame website. The committee receives an average of two hundred applications each year.
Before he was “The Science Guy,” Bill Nye came to Seattle in the 1970s to work as a Boeing engineer. An astronomy class with Carl Sagan at Cornell University had stoked his appreciation for science.
Nye entered the world of comedy after winning a Steve Martin look-alike contest. A relationship with John Keister got Nye working on “Almost Live!” in the ’80s, and a canceled guest allowed the classic KING-TV sketch show to shine a spotlight on Nye for the first time.
After cutting his teeth on the Seattle comedy scene, Nye’s energetic blend of entertainment and education struck a chord in “Bill Nye the Science Guy.” The show appeared before Saturday Night Live and later on Comedy Central, winning 19 Emmy Awards during its 1993-1998 run on KCTS-TV.
Beyond serving as CEO of The Planetary Society and on the board of the Mount St. Helens Institute, Nye has appeared on countless TV programs and written more than a dozen books for kids and adults.
Material from The Seattle Times archives was used in this report.