The Photo-Trickery Merits of Madame Tussaud's

Madame Tussaud's Hollywood is the kind of attraction few L.A. locals would ever think of visiting, other than when the in-laws or other relatives are in town. But having stopped by over the weekend, FishbowlLA has some important holiday season news: if you're struggling to come up with a kitschy photo for your 2010 Christmas card, this place is a goldmine! When William Shatner was inducted into Tussaud's, he reportedly exclaimed of his drip-doppelganger, “There's wax in his ears!” Per the image below, that's your trusty FBLA correspondent, wishing you a very Vulcan Xmas from the bridge of Starship Tussaud's. (For good measure, it also says "Merry Xmas!!!" on my forehead.) We learned many interesting things during our Tussaud's trek, starting with the fact that anyone who lives in Los Angeles County can receive ten dollars off admission, which brings it down to $15 for adults and $10 for kids. Here are some other factoids gleaned in between hanging with Captains Picard and Kirk: - Each wax figure costs between $300,000 to $500,000 to manufacture. Celebs are photographed over 300 times on a special turntable, which is often brought to them. For example, in the case of Justin Bieber, Tussaud's sized him up in Memphis. - Every morning, the hair of most wax figures needs to be re-styled after the wear and tear of the previous day's traffic. - Befitting Tom Hanks’ status as (still) mayor of Hollywood, he is the only person with two figures at the attraction. One as Forrest Gump, one as himself. - For locals and tourists alike, the biggest thrill during the Tussaud's walk-through has to be the ability to walk right up to a famous person and gauge how tall they are in real life. We were pleasantly surprised. - There is no mention on young Mel Gibson’s plaque of older Mel Gibson's travails, while the clubs in wax Tiger Woods’ bag (because they can be handled by visitors) are of the lowest, hacker variety. Let's hope Eldridge never gets that hard up for cash or sponsors. - At $15, the chance to photo-opp with a fake Kobe Bryant like a floor seat VIP is a lot cheaper than what this same privilege would cost at Staples. - While Lady Gaga is slated to visit a distant Tussaud's in Europe on December 9 for the multiple-site unveiling of her effigy, we will get the next best thing: Perez Hilton.

Fishbowl

The Photo-Trickery Merits of Madame Tussaud's

Richard Horgan

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Richard Horgan