A Central New York college graduate is the latest star to be honored by the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Bill Nye, best known as the host of the educational TV show “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” received the 2,821st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a ceremony held Monday. His star, given in the Television category, is located at 6357 Hollywood Boulevard.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which administers the decades-old Los Angeles landmark, said Nye was being recognized for his work “to make science accessible and entertaining for all ages.” He’s also an engineer, comedian, inventor, best-selling author and currently the CEO of The Planetary Society, the world’s largest and most influential non-governmental space organization, co-founded by Carl Sagan.
“What an honor to receive a Star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Recognition by one’s peers always means a great deal, but to have spent the morning with many people who have influenced my career, contributed to my work, encouraged me, and supported me through all my ideas, was extraordinary,” Nye wrote on Facebook Tuesday.
Nye thanked TV star Joel McHale, comedian Ross Shafer, and NBA star Jaylen Brown for attending and speaking at his ceremony. He also praised his family, friends, colleagues and supporters.
“I love science. I love comedy. I love television, which was invented with science. Science is the best idea humans have ever had. I became a mechanical engineer because of it, and then entered the world of comedy too, which led me to my show that gave me the opportunity to teach so many people about the life changing world of science. All of my work has been a celebration of the passion, beauty, and joy of science – coupled with the Art of television and the moving image,” Nye said. “It’s been the experience of a lifetime spreading the lessons of science to people around the world and I know we all have the power to change the world because of it.”
Nye, 69, hosted the Emmy-winning television show “Bill Nye the Science Guy” from 1993 to 1999 and a Netflix series of the same name. He has also appeared on other movies and TV shows, including “Dancing with the Stars” and “The Big Bang Theory,” and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in January.
He graduated from Cornell University in 1977 with a mechanical engineering degree and has frequently returned to his alma mater in Ithaca, N.Y. He was a Frank H.T. Rhodes Visiting Professor from 2001 to 2005, donated a sun clock (the Bill Nye Solar Noon Clock) to the school in 2011, and addressed graduating students as Cornell’s convocation speaker in 2019.