My plan was to grab the president’s crotch. I was intrigued with doing something I could never get away with in the real world. But as I stood next to Mr. Obama, it seemed disrespectful. So I grabbed his leg. I wasn’t the only one taking liberties with these wax folk: A guy posed with his hand on Britney Spears’ breast while his girlfriend snapped a photo. Simon Cowell sits in a corner, with freaking scary eyes. In fact, here’s a good freak-out that works with all the figures: Stare directly into their eyes and move your face extremely close to theirs (like an inch or so away) — you’ll swear the figures are gonna start screaming or bite your nose off. It’s spooky. Steven Spielberg is the most amazingly real figure in the place. Others don’t quite cut it: Clark Gable looks like the real Clark Gable’s mentally challenged twin brother. Jennifer Aniston’s right eye is positioned significantly higher on her face than her left one. Mel Gibson doesn’t look much like the real deal, but his Hitler mustache is a humorous touch. (Just kidding.) And Joan Rivers’ face looks more realistic than the one belonging to the real person. No surprise there. 6933 Hollywood Blvd., Hlywd. (323) 798-1670, madametussauds.com. —Todd David Schwartz

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.