15 Guilty-Pleasure stories from 2009

By By CLARISA GERLACH Media General News Service
Published: December 25, 2009

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OK, enough with serious year-end lists about healthcare, economy and swine flu. What were the stories that appealed to your inner paparazzi? There were plenty of guilty-pleasure stories in 2009 and we worked very hard narrowing them down to 15. In no particular order:
Balloon boy – The world sat riveted watching video of a balloon flying in the sky, but the real fun began when the Heene family hit the national TV circuit.
Jon and Kate – They were hot at the beginning of the year, and their reality show's season premiere drew a record number of viewers. Raise your hand if you still care.
Tiger Woods – Just when you thought Tiger news is slowing down, AP names him Athlete of the Decade. Where does the count stand now?
Susan Boyle – The British singing sensation had the most-watched YouTube video of 2009 with more than 120 million views worldwide.
Levi Johnston and Sarah Palin – Palin goes on Oprah and rips Johnston for selling his body; Johnston says "she's full of it."
Adam Lambert – Who won "American Idol" again? Lambert mania hit again later in the year after his American Music Awards performance.
Bo the dog – The nation held its breath waiting to see what type of puppy would be appointed first dog. The winner? A Portuguese water dog.
Michael Jackson – The mega pop star died in June. Five months later, a homicide investigation is still under way and his brothers are starring in a reality TV show.
Octomom - Nadya Suleman's birth to octuplets through in vitro fertilization created controversy, and news of her collecting public assistance outraged many taxpayers.
White House party crashers – Did they or didn't they? Either way, the Salahis got their 15 minutes.
Michael Phelps smokes pot – The bong photo seen 'round the world. Soon after a British newspaper published it, the Olympic gold medalist admitted to "regrettable" behavior and vowed it wouldn't happen again.
Letterman sex scandal – Before Tiger there was Dave. The late-night TV host handled things a little differently, though, by admitting his affairs on the show.
Gov. Mark Sanford – The Yale Book of Quotations lists "The governor is hiking the Appalachian Trail" as one of the top quotes of the year.
Kayne West – That the rapper has a big ego is no surprise, but interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech might have made him the most hated man in America. Well, for a day or so, anyway.
The Bolleas – The Hulkster writes a book; Nick Bollea's filming a movie; lawsuits; a divorce settlement. It was a busy year for Hulk Hogan and the Bollea family.