Characters on the boulevard are so much a part of the area that they make multiple appearances in Joseph Wambaugh’s 2006 LAPD novel Hollywood Station. I dare you to read this book and not laugh out loud at the mere mention of “Smellvis”, the hygienically challenged Elvis impersonator.

Locals aren’t spared. I once walked into the Hollywood & Highland post office to find myself in line behind The Cat in the Hat. I was also in line at a Hollywood Boulevard drug store recently when Captain Jack Sparrow came in to stock up on eyeliner. The guy wears more makeup than I do.

Another time, I witnessed Mr. Incredible and Elmo cuffed and leaning against a black and white, their “heads” removed and sitting on the car’s hood, after LAPD busted them for bullying tourists about tips despite having been repeatedly warned by law enforcement against doing just that. I still wonder if any kids present that day are still traumatized by the experience of seeing these characters exposed as just guys in costumes.

Although I see them constantly, one thing I’ve never tried to do with this cast of characters is get any closer to them than passing them on the street. It’s hard to take them seriously; I think of them as a bunch of aspiring actors who aren’t talented enough to wait tables. I always have an overwhelming desire to inform them that McDonald’s is hiring. Sometimes I even feel kind of embarrassed for them.

The 2007 documentary Confessions of a Superhero profiled four of these people — all aspiring actors — who earn their living dressing up and mingling with tourists on the Walk of Fame. I can’t say it was the best documentary I’ve ever seen, as there were a few moments when it dragged a bit, but I can recommend it as something worth watching at least once, especially if you live in the area, are thinking about visiting, or if you’re just fascinated by unapologetic crazy people.

Jennifer Wenger is a small-town homecoming queen who always loved performing. She came to L.A. and works the starred sidewalks as Wonder Woman. She’s very pretty, seems to be a decent actresss, based on what we see in Confessions and, in my opinion, is the one of the four who could actually make it in this town. In fact, I’m kind of surprised she agreed to be part of what could be viewed as a freak show exposé. It probably has something to do with the adage “no such thing as bad publicity.” She’s definitely the most obviously normal of the four.