The CES Red Carpet: Must-See Celebs, Musicians and Sports Stars

Akon

While CES is mostly known for being the breeding ground for the latest and greatest in high-tech consumer gadgets and gear, vendors sign on celebrities, athletes, musicians and other well-known figures to draw attention to their products and brands. CES 2009 in Las Vegas is no exception, with nearly 25 notable names making appearances for a host of companies through the show's run this week. Here are 20 celebs to see in Las Vegas as CES kicks off.

International R&B superstar Akon will make an appearance Wednesday, Jan. 7, in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center as part of the Billboard Digital Music Live! Conference Session. At 3 p.m., Akon, along with Rio Caraeff, will outline how art meets commerce in the digital age.

Akon also will stop by the SanDisk booth (#30659) from 2:30 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8.

Soulja Boy Tell'Em

Also appearing at the Billboard Digital Music Live! Conference Session is rapper Soulja Boy Tell'Em, who used the Internet to plot a lightning-fast rise to stardom. Using the Web, Soulja Boy Tell'Em recorded disc tracks on YouTube and raked in ringtone sales. During the event, he will discuss how today's digital world helped him reach his dream and will discuss his strategies during a 10:55 a.m. presentation in the Las Vegas Convention Center's North Hall.

Alex Trebek

Answer: This well-known television game show host will make an appearance at CES 2009 along with Sony Pictures Television to tape daily episodes of his classic show in celebration of its 25th anniversary.

Question: Who is Alex Trebek?

That's right, the Jeopardy! host will be on hand taping daily episodes of Celebrity Jeopardy! on a specially built set on the CES show floor. Eleven episodes will be recorded throughout the show on a 16,000-square-foot stage in front of an audience of 600.

Dr. Oz

Riding his meteoric rise to super-stardom, which had a little help from Oprah, cardiothoracic surgeon and medical author Dr. Mehmet Oz also is expected to appear in the Sony Pictures Television booth (#14200) in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Brian Williams

NBC Evening News anchor Brian Williams also will appear at CES with NBC Universal, the show's official broadcast partner, which will be broadcasting live from the show floor.

Maria Bartiromo

CNBC business news anchor and Joey Ramone song subject Maria Bartiromo also will be on hand with the NBC Universal crew.

Prince Fielder

As in past years, Sharp is swinging for the fences with appearances from some of today's hottest young athletes at its booth, #11024 in the Central Hall of the convention center. First up is Milwaukee Brewers All-Star first baseman Price Fielder, the youngest ever to hit 50 home runs. Fielder will pop by the Sharp booth from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8.

David Ortiz

Five-time All-Star and Red Sox slugger David "Big Papi" Ortiz also will swing into the Sharp booth from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8. Hopefully, he'll be wearing one of his two World Series rings.

John Maine

Last but not least, Sharp will welcome New York Mets pitcher John Maine to its booth from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, proving once again why Sharp is the official HDTV of Major League Baseball.

Ryan Theriot

On day two, Sharp will bring a new crew of MLB sluggers to its booth in Central Hall. First among them will be Chicago Cubs infielder Ryan Theriot from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Hanley Ramirez

Hanley Ramirez of the Florida Marlins, 2006's Rookie of the Year, 2008 All-Star and Silver Slugger, will be in the Sharp booth from noon to 1 p.m.

Joba Chamberlain

New York Yankees hurler Joba Chamberlain will make an appearance in the Sharp booth from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Matt Holiday

Rounding out Friday will be Oakland A's All-Star and Silver Slugger Matt Holiday. The left fielder, recently traded from the Colorado Rockies, slides into the Sharp booth Friday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Clyde Drexler

While Sharp is bringing out MLB's best, Haier America is bringing a trio of NBA Hall of Famers to its booth from Jan. 8 through Jan. 10. The hat trick of all-stars will appear all three days from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. in Haier America's booth (#11017) in the convention center's Central Hall.

First up is Clyde "The Glide" Drexler, the 10-time All-Star and Olympic gold medalist who took the Houston Rockets to the NBA Championship promised land in 1995.

Bill Walton

Known within the NBA as the "Big Red Head," Hall of Famer-turned-commentator Bill Walton also will join the crew in Haier America's booth (#11017) in the convention center's Central Hall.

Robert Parish

Robert "The Chief" Parish, who wore #00 during the Boston Celtics most memorable era, also will swing by the Haier America booth from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. from Jan. 8 through Jan. 10.

Johnathan Wendel

Known throughout gamer circles as "Fatal1ty," Johnathan Wendel made his name as the world's first-ever full-time professional gamer. The 27-year-old has reportedly made huge sums of money from professional competitions and has received numerous product partnerships with his company Fatal1ty Brand.

Wendel will take on attendee gamers in competition at the Creative Labs booth in South Hall (#30651) every day of the show.

Sarah Fisher

Indy car and Indy 500 pilot Sarah Fisher will drive full-throttle into the SimCraft booth in South Hall 2 (#25311) from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday. In 2000, Fisher became the youngest woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500 when she was just 19.

Will.I.am

Black Eyed Peas front man Will.I.am, who is nominated for a Global Media Award, will be at the awards program starting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Venetian in the Bellini Ballroom.

Stevie Wonder

Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Stevie Wonder and some of his technology friends will be at the Sands Expo and Convention Center to show examples of electronics blind people use in contrast with the many they cannot. The sessions will show how minor design improvements can add millions of blind and visually-impaired customers to certain markets. The exhibition is sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind and Sendero Group.