Thousands of readers voted and the results are in!
From births to deaths, hook-ups to break-ups, photo scandals to nanny scandals, the first half of 2008 was filled with action and salacious news. Check out what you voted as the best of the rest (so far) in OK!’s Half-Year Poll.
Most Scandalous Story
Heath Ledger Dead at 28 - 39.8 %
Britney Spears 4-Hour Police Standoff - 31.7 %
Miley Cyrus’ Revealing Vanity Fair Photos - 9.6 %
Lindsay Lohan & Samantha Ronson — More Than Friends? - 7.5 %
Amy Winehouse’s Substance Abuse - 4 %
Rob Lowe Nanny Scandal - 3.3 %
Clay Aiken to be a Father - 3.0 %
Tatum O’Neal Drug Arrest - 1.1 %
More than a third of you picked the Aussie’s shocking and untimely death — which brought a masseuse and Mary-Kate Olsen in to the fold — as the juiciest story of the first six months, beating Britney Spears‘ crazed four-hour standoff that kicked off 2008. Heath passed away in his SoHo apartment on Jan. 22 from a prescription drug overdose. His final completed film, The Dark Knight, for which he is generating Oscar buzz as The Joker, opens July 18 and is projected to be one of the biggest films of the second half of the year.
Saddest Split of the Year (So Far)
Shania Twain & Mutt Lange - 33 %
Pink & Carey Hart - 16.2 %
Owen Wilson & Kate Hudson (again) - 12.5 %
Liv Tyler & Royston Langdon - 11.2 %
George Clooney & Sarah Larson - 9.4 %
Chace Crawford & Carrie Underwood - 8 %
Mario Lopez & Karina Smirnoff - 6.5 %
Anne Hathaway & Raffaello Follieri - 3.2 %
It wasn’t "Forever and For Always" for Shania and Mutt, which didn’t sit well with 33 percent of you. Seeming to have defied the odds, as the singer sang in "You’re Still the One," the couple surprised many when they announced their split after 14 years of marriage in May, reportedly caused by "another woman" — Shania’s longtime secretary and house manager. One split you aren’t upset about though? Anne and Raffaello’s — the actress ended her four-year relationship with the embezzling Italian just weeks before he was arrested.
Hottest New Couple (So Far)
Jennifer Aniston & John Mayer - 41.2 %
Kate Hudson & Lance Armstrong - 16.2 %
Paris Hilton & Benji Madden - 12.7 %
Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon - 11.4 %
David Cook & Kimberly Caldwell - 9 %
Cameron Diaz & Paul Sculfor - 6.5 %
Tommy Lee & Pamela Anderson (again) - 3 %
John and Jennifer are still going hot and heavy and you’re loving it! The two first turned heads in April when the Grammy winner splashed in the pool with the actress in Miami. But this wasn’t no spring fling. Showing they’re definitely more than Friends, the couple have taken their love from Miami to L.A. and now to Europe, where John is currently on tour. Double-J even trumped the newest hook-up on the list, Kate and Lance, who are putting the P in PDA these days.
Coolest First-Time Moms of (the First Half of) 2008
Halle Berry - 21.5 %
Nicole Richie - 21.4 %
Jessica Alba - 17.8 %
Christina Aguilera - 12.8 %
Jamie Lynn Spears - 12 %
Jennifer Lopez - 10.5 %
Jodie Sweetin - 4 %
It was a tight race, but Halle narrowly edged out Nicole for top mom honors by he slimmest of margins — one-tenth of a percent. The Oscar winner finally saw her maternal dreams realized when she delivered daughter Nahla Ariela on Mar. 16, the first child for her and boyfriend Gabriel Aubry. With her June 19 birth of daughter Maddie, Jamie Lynn just makes the cut and places fifth with 12 percent.
Most-Anticipated Birth for the Rest of 2008
The Jolie-Pitt Twins - 67 %
Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban’s Baby - 14 %
Ashlee Simpson & Pete Wentz’s Baby - 10.4 %
Baby #2 for Gwen Stefani & Gavin Rossdale - 7.2 %
Minnie Driver’s Baby - .2 %
Will Arnett & Amy Poehler’s Baby - 1.2 %
Was this even a contest? The unborn Jolie-Pitt twins led the way, taking 70 percent of the vote. Their closest rival? Nicole and Keith’s bundle of joy, due this month, whose birth 14 percent of you are most looking forward to. You’re all going to have to wait a little longer before the newest members of the Jolie-Pitt clan arrives though. While Angelina has been admitted to a hospital, the actress isn’t due to deliver the babies for a few more weeks.
Most Entertaining Celebrity Feud
Charlie Sheen vs. Denise Richards - 30.7 %
Britney Spears vs. Kevin Federline - 15.3 %
Hulk Hogan vs. Linda Hogan - 13.8 %
Paul McCartney vs. Heather Mills - 12.4 %
Jessica Simpson vs. Carrie Underwood - 11.5 %
Lauren Conrad vs. Audrina Patridge - 7.7 %
Michael Lohan vs. Dina Lohan - 4.5 %
Clint Eastwood vs. Spike Lee - 4.1 %
Is there more bitter split out there than Denise and Charlie’s? The estranged duo’s duel reached new heights (or lows?) this year with even more he-said-she-said blows, from him claiming Denise requested a sperm donation from him to her saying Charlie told her he hoped she gets cancer. Who knows what’s the truth? One thing’s for sure though. Charlie, who tied the knot with Brooke Mueller on May 30, is done saying Denise’s name — he now refers to her as "whats-her-face."
All-Star Family of the Year
The Spears Family - 30.5 %
The Jonas Brothers - 23 %
The Cyrus Family - 14 %
The Simpsons - 13.4 %
The Maddens - 11.5 %
The Osmonds - 5.3 %
The Hilton Family - 2.6 %
In six months, the Spears family has given us a stand-off, conservatorships, custody trials, bad fake British accents, hospitalizations, fender benders, sitcom stints, vacations with Mel Gibson and of course, a baby — little Maddie Briann. It’s no surprise then that the Kentwood, L.A.-bred clan topped the list with 30.5 percent. On on the side of the spectrum, the once-hot Hiltons brought up the rear with 2.6 percent.
Male Star of the Year So Far
Brad Pitt - 33.7 %
Will Smith - 28.2 %
Robert Downey Jr. - 17.6 %
George Clooney - 13.1 %
Harrison Ford - 7.4 %
Iron Man, Indiana Jones, Hancock and, um, George Clooney, are no match for Mr. Pitt! He hasn’t released a movie yet this year, but that hasn’t stopped Angelina Jolie’s other half from winning over your votes. The actor has had quite a stellar year so far though — what could beat expecting twins?
Female Star of the Year So Far
Angelina Jolie - 46.9 %
Jennifer Aniston - 25.5 %
Sarah Jessica Parker - 18.8 %
Charlize Theron - 5.2 %
Gwyneth Paltrow - 3.6 %
Team Jolie or Team Aniston? It was the former for 46.9 percent of you! The actress and humanitarian was your pick for the mid-year Female Star. With two box-office smashes — Kung Fu Panda and Wanted — and twins on the way, life really can’t get better for Angie.
Who Should Get Married Next?
Reese Witherspoon & Jake Gyllenhaal - 45.2 %
Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie - 27.5 %
Jim Carrey & Jenny McCarthy - 15.7 %
Jessica Simpson & Tony Romo - 6.9 %
Jennifer Aniston & John Mayer - 4.7 %
Jennifer and John may be your hottest new couple and Angelina and Brad are your Stars of the Year (So Far), but you don’t want either couple to get hitched as much as you do Reese and Jake! After dating for a year, it’s time for the Rendition co-stars to swap some vows, 45.2 percent of you believe. But with her divorce finalized just last month, is another stab at holy matrimony too soon for Reese?
Villain of the Year So Far
Sam Lutfi - 38 %
Nick Hogan - 32.6 %
Adnan Ghalib - 16 %
Blake Fielder-Civil - 7 %
Jeff Archuleta - 6.4 %
There is no greater evil-doer in Hollywood than the mysterious Sam Lutfi! The former "manager" of Britney Spears is officially the baddest of the baddies, reeling in 38 percent of the vote. Before the singer’s parents stepped in, Sam had been controlling every aspect of Brit’s life, which included putting her in a drugged stupor. For all his psychopathic ways, Sam was served with a restraining order against Brit…and has seemingly disappeared.
