News.blog: Costner tops CES celeb list

Do you really think of Kevin Costner when you think about wireless communications?

The actor/director and his band performing at the CEA Wireless Communications Division reception is just one example of the curious intersection of tech and celebrity that will take place from 7-10 January at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), which puts on the show, announced on Friday a preliminary list of celebrity performances and appearances taking place throughout the week of CES.

Indy car driver Danica Patrick will be at the GoDaddy.com booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center, while Mad Mike from the MTV car show Pimp My Ride will be at the Mitek's booth.

John Lennon widow and artist Yoko Ono, Black Eyed Peas band member Will.i.am, and Pat Monahan from the band Train will be at the John Lennon Education Tour Bus event. David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox will make an appearance at the Sharp booth, while filmmaker/actor Michael Douglas is scheduled to be at the Venetian hotel for the XStream HD press conference.

Singer Mary J. Blige will headline the Monster Cable concert at the Paris Hotel along with musician Sheila E., who is also "expected to be in attendance", according to a CEA statement.

CES is famous for its announced and unannounced appearances of big and small screen names. In 2006, actor Tom Cruise saved then-Yahoo CEO Terry Semel from an embarrassing demo glitch that prevented him from showing off the company's Go TV. Ellen DeGeneres spiced up Semel's keynote with jokes about her own tech foibles. That same year, actor Tom Hanks and filmmakers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer popped up at Sony's panel discussion on its HD filmmaking equipment.