LAST WEEK, 2012 Walk of Fame honoree Marg Helgenberger (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) announced, on behalf of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the newest recipients of a “star” to be dedicated in 2013 on the legendary Walk of Fame – 24 to be exact.

In the motion picture category, Academy-Award winners Helen Mirren (The Queen), Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men), Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind) and master of make-up and effects, Rick Baker (7 gold statuettes including The Wolfman and Men in Black) will be immortalized along with Oscar nominees Viola Davis (The Help) and James Franco (127 Hours). For their work on the small screen, the names of Emmy winners Jane Lynch (Glee), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and talk show host DeGeneres will appear on the boulevard of dreams with Matthew Perry (Friends), Simon Baker (The Mentalist) and Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy and Married with Children). 2013 will hit high notes for boy bands from the 80s and 90s, News Kids on the Block and The Backstreet Boys as well as current chart-toppers, Grammy winners Jennifer Hudson and Usher. Alternative rock band Jane’s Addiction and Latin music sensation Thalia also made the cut. Posthumous honors will go to Janis Joplin and Luther Vandross who died in 1970 and 2005, respectively. Olympia Dukakis and the comedy duo Penn & Teller will take the five-pointed honor in for live theatre/performance and radio will be represented by Steve Harvey and “Shot Gun” Tom Kelly. A committee gathers every June to select celebrities eligible for a star and those who accept pay $30,000 in costs and fees covered by a variety of donors that range from fans to publicity machines of the networks, studios and record companies.

Nominating ballots are due today, Thursday, June 28, for the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards. The big drama is if four-time consecutive Best Drama champ Mad Men will receive a nomination (it will!) and, more importantly, a recordbreaking 5th Emmy as top drama in September. Other strong contenders include Breaking Bad, Games of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire and Downton Abbey, changing to drama category after winning the Best Mini-series/Television Movie top prize last year. Modern Family will go for its 3rd consecutive nomination (and win) against perennial favorites 30 Rock, The Office, Parks & Recreations, Glee and The Big Bang Theory. Will the Academy get tired of the same old names and faces, and inject some new blood into this year’s awards show? The nominations will be announced on Thursday, July 19 at 5:40 a.m. by ABC Scandal star Kerry Washington and NBC Parks & Recreation’s Nick Offerman. The awards will be handed out on September 23rd on ABC in a live telecast hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.

For more information on the Walk of Fame and the Emmy Awards, go to www.hollywoodchamber.net and www.emmys.tv.