California Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Draws Celebs, Pols

Share | |

CPR photo/Ben Adler

The Oscars it wasn’t, but Sacramento had its very own red carpet ceremony Tuesday night, with celebrity sightings galore: James Cameron, Clint Eastwood, Betty White and, of course, the state’s outgoing celebrity governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Permalink

Listen now:

Click to Listen

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Announcer: "As you can see, people are waiting - you guys excited about tonight?"
(crowd screeches)

The rain tapered off just as the celebrities showed up, and outside the California Museum in Downtown Sacramento, the lines along the Red Carpet were several people deep. Barbra Streisand and some other inductees were popular. But it seemed like everyone was there for…

Crowd member #1: "Betty White."
Crowd member #2: "Betty White."
Leticia Wilfong: "Betty White."

That last voice was Leticia Wilfong from Citrus Heights.

Leticia Wilfong: "She's just amazing, I love her to death."

(crowd whoops and cheers)

Ben: "And the first person goes by on the red carpet - it's Merle Haggard. And is this turning out to be the so far, at least, the experience you're hoping for?
Leticia Wilfong: "So far, yes - I'm just surprised how many people are here."

Leticia's mom Teresa came along too. Teresa was born and raised in the capital region, and says this event has a lot of potential for Sacramento - a city trying to grow up.

Teresa Wilfong: "It's taken baby steps to be here. It's another pretty big step for Sacramento, because Sacramento really doesn't have a lot for actors/actresses, that type of scene. So I think it's definitely a step in the right direction."

Some of this year's inductees stayed off the red carpet - like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. But celebrity-watchers did get to shriek at director James Cameron and tennis star Serena Williams. 2006 inductee Clint Eastwood showed up, as did prominent politicians like former governor Gray Davis and former assembly speaker Willie Brown. And, of course, there was First Lady Maria Shriver, who created the Hall of Fame, and her husband.

Schwarzenegger: "This is why I always say, California is the greatest place in the world. You just have to look at the people. Pay no attention to what's going on here at the Capitol. Every Capitol has problems; everyone has budget crises and all of those things. But the people of California are extraordinary."

Governor-elect Jerry Brown attended too. His father, former governor Pat Brown, was among the inductees. It'll be up to Jerry Brown, and the next First Lady, Anne Gust, whether to continue the California Hall of Fame.

AND NOW, THE POLITICS...

On the red carpet, Governor Schwarzenegger singled out a couple of inductees - but the Republican saved his highest praise for a Democrat, former governor Pat Brown:

Schwarzenegger: "He's another one of those guys who I've admired for many years. Because he had a great vision, and today that's not common in politics."

During the ceremony, which aired on Comcast cable, Schwarzenegger referred to Jerry Brown as his "friend." And Brown took a brief moment to praise his father, calling him a "go-getter."

Brown: "Just keep going, keep pushing, and that was my father. He was always going, and it's amazing."

Pat Brown is known for his work to build California's aqueduct, freeways and universities.