George Lopez Becomes First Member of Nokia Theatre Hall of Fame
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
Comedian George Lopez was made the first member of the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live Hall of Fame on Tuesday, after selling 100,000 tickets to 20 shows in the venue.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Comedian George Lopez is one of 2,400 people and characters with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, but he's in much rarer company on the sidewalk outside L.A. Live's Nokia Theatre. Lopez became the inaugural member of the Nokia Theatre Hall of Fame on Tuesday, having sold 100,000 tickets and grossed $8 million for the venue.
With only 7,100 seats inside the venue, 100,000 tickets takes a lot of shows. On Friday, Lopez starts a six-show run that will bring him to 20 nights inside the theatre.
A granite plaque commemorating the achievement was installed in front of the Nokia Theatre box office, just across the street from the statues in Staples Center's Star Plaza.
"I'm proud to be directly across the street from another great hero, Oscar de la Hoya," said Lopez. "It's an honor for me to share the same street and to be immortalized with one of my heroes and one of my good friends."
The ability to sell out so many shows comes from not just Lopez' talent, but also his care for the community, said AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips. "[That] is a reason he's able to do the undoable, which is this many shows in one market," said Phillips. "I mean, I guess in many ways what Michael Jackson was to London, George Lopez is to Los Angeles."
"George has done the undoable not just only Latinos, but for a lot of comedians," said Actress Eva Longoria Parker. "There's such a community that supports George, and it's not only the Chicano, it's not only the Mexican-Americans, it's everybody."
crewest
lacitabar
lastreetcar
DtownBurgerBar
FIDMMuseumShop
David Kennedy on December 15, 2009, at 01:30PM – #1
This is just smart marketing in a Latino-majority town. How often do I hear clever people dismissing L.A. Live as some kind of inauthentic place. Meantime, the Latino masses make the place their own. Sounds like a reprise of the constant grousing of the 'sad' state of Broadway.
By the by, are you guys really talking with Eva Longoria?
Joe on December 15, 2009, at 04:11PM – #2
George Lopez is not funny or clever.
Much like Carlos Mencia, he relies on a finite stable of jokes rooted in stereotypes he knows his "community" will laugh at. His appearance at the CNN Heroes awards presentation was a prime example.
It makes sense why he's being commemorated at corporate Downtown City Walk -- to get those brown dollars into the Yard House and nothing more.
Ravi on December 15, 2009, at 06:00PM – #3
Totally aside from the information in the above post: At the Latin Awards show that Ms. Longoria Parker and George Lopez hosted, I really noticed that there was an emphasis on pronouncing her name corretly in Spanish. So on Desparate Housewives and tabloid TV, she's "eeevah Longorrreeah Parker", but at the show she was "Ayvah Longoddehah Pardker". I'm curious how she was introduced at the event above.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on December 15, 2009, at 06:38PM – #4
Ravi: Parker was introduced by AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips, who used a standard English pronunciation, though it was "Ayvah" and not "eeevah."
Jon on December 15, 2009, at 06:50PM – #5
Having grown up in Pacoima, I love George Lopez. But I guess he sucks even though he brought 100,000 people downtown.
JM on December 15, 2009, at 11:44PM – #6
I don't get the negativity. Lopez is one funny man. He's just got funny bones, and we as Angelenos and Downtowners should be proud of his accomplishments here. To put him in the same sentence as Carlos Mencia is just crap. Personally, I'm really looking forward to the upcoming shows and I love the fact that he can affect people from all races and walks of life.
General Jeff on December 16, 2009, at 10:37AM – #7
Congratulations to George Lopez!
I think he is a truly funny comedian and multi-talented person. With numbers like that, he has set the bar for other entertainers to follow if they want inclusion into "his" new club.
Also, I hope that AEG continues to recognize Michael Jackson for his talents and includes his statue at Staples Center.
This would be a fitting place to honor the Ki ng of Pop where he last made "magic"!
What???? Don't get uptight cause I didn't work "Gretzky" in.
Ohhhh, not like that- I'm talking about the guys with statues.
Get your mind out of the gutter. This is a family show!
And please don't respond with "I also heard that Eva likes to watch guys play with balls".
Stop it. Don't go any further.
Leave the comedy to George Lopez.
Afterall, it's "him" that's in the Hall of Fame, not "you".
sebas on December 16, 2009, at 11:29AM – #8
Is this going to be like the Hollyood walk of fame. With stars on the sidewalk. Ripoff. Do something different.
Lisa Sanchez on December 16, 2009, at 05:05PM – #9
I married a non-Latino and his entire family LOVES George Lopez...probably as much or more than my Mexican family. He is the best comic working today of any ethnicity! GO GLO!!!
Jon on December 17, 2009, at 12:44PM – #10
Too late, sebas. There are already Grammy "stars" on LA Live sidwalks.