New Kids on the Block Finally Get Their Hollywood Star

Associated Press

Lest there be any concern that their fame might finally fade, The New Kids on the Block have made official and permanent their place in American pop culture. On Thursday, they received that lauded cement seal of approval: a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The boy band appeared at an unveiling ceremony in Los Angeles to christen their star. They are the 2,530 star on the walk, thus making them—yes, this joke is happening so just close your eyes and it will be over soon—the literal new kids on the block. (Sorry.)

So there you go. Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood, and Joey McIntyre are forever a piece of show business history. How did they qualify to get on the Walk, you might wonder? Well, according to the Walk of Fame website, they had to do something notable in entertainment. They had to have done it for over five years. (Definitely check.) Someone had to nominate them. (Check, clearly.) They had to agree to appear at the unveiling ceremony. (A fun fact from Wikipedia: Barbra Streisand is the only person to get a star without showing up after agreeing to, which … sounds about right.) Finally, the committee had to choose them as one of the 20 or so stars that get added each year.

In NKOTB’s case, it seems to have taken the committee a while. They’ve been around for more than five years, after all. Plus, there’s this quote from Ana Martinez, producer of the Walk of Fame ceremonies:

“Fans have been asking for quite a while now when the New Kids on The Block were going to get their star. We want to thank them for “Hangin’ Tough” for waiting patiently to hear the announcement of their favorite boy band star ceremony.”

You’re welcome, Ms. Martinez. Fans were getting worried there. But now we can sleep peacefully, knowing their names will stay in our hearts, and under our feet, and those of countless tourists each year.