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Image:  Mel Gibson, Oksana Grigorieva

Pop Culture

Celebrity scandals of 2010

From infidelity to plastic-surgery overload to racial slurs and criminal charges, celebrities made plenty of headlines for all the wrong reasons this year.

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Kardashian Kard

The three Kardashian sisters, Kourtney, Kim and Khloe, were quick to remove their name from a debit card when the card in question was called out by the financial press as having excessive fees.

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2nd Annual Rally For Kids With Cancer \"The Qualifiers\" Celebrity Draft Party

'Desperate' times

"Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria filed for divorce from NBA star Tony Parker in November after three years of marriage. Media reports said that Parker had exchanged hundreds of text messages with the wife of a former teammate, who is now also divorcing.

— Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images North America
Jonas Brothers Press Conference In Mexico City

Battling personal issues

Teen actress and singer Demi Lovato left the Jonas Brothers world tour in the fall of 2010 to enter a treatment center for reported emotional and physical issues.

— Victor Chavez / WireImage
2010 Women In Film Crystal & Lucy Awards: A New Era - Arrivals

A Hollywood breakup

Courteney Cox and David Arquette separated in October 2010 after more than 10 years of marriage and one daughter. They still maintain a friendship and business relationship.

— Jason Merritt / Getty Images North America
Image: Lindsay Lohan Probation Hearing

Lindsay Lohan's woes

2010 was a troubled year for actress Lindsay Lohan. She was cast as Linda Lovelace in the film "Inferno," but the role was later withdrawn while she was in court-mandated rehab. Lohan was criticized for wearing the obscene statement "F*** U" on her fingernails while in court but claimed it was not a message aimed at the judge. She served a 14-day jail term for violating probation, then after the rehab stint, failed a drug test. She later returned to rehab and is awaiting the next move in her court saga.

— Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images North America
Image: Paris Hilton, David Chesnoff

Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton is seen with her attorney, David Chesnoff, in court in September 2010. The hotel heiress had a number of run-ins with the law in 2010. She was caught with marijuana at an airport in Corsica in July. In August, she was arrested for cocaine possession and tried to claim the purse the drugs were in did not belong to her, later admitting she lied. She was put on probation and was refused entrance to Japan because of the drug crime.

— Julie Jacobson / AP
Image: 2010 MTV Video Music Awards - Show

Lady Gaga's meat dress

Singer Lady Gaga always draws attention for her outrageous outfits, but none were more controversial than this dress, made out of real meat. Gaga wore the dress (and shoe wraps, and headpiece) to perform at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 12, 2010. Animal-rights organization PETA was, naturally, furious.

— Kevin Winter / Getty Images North America
Image: Nicole Polizzi

Snooki

Nicole Polizzi, better known as "Snooki" from the MTV show "Jersey Shore," went to court on a disturbing the peace charge for bothering others at a beach. She pled guilty and was sentenced to a fine and community service. The judge in the case called her "a Lindsay Lohan wannabe."

— Mel Evans / AP
Image: The cast of the Bravo Network's reality series 'The Real Housewives of Washington D.C.' are shown in this undated publicity photo released to Reuters

Any parties left to crash?

Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Washington, D.C." launched in the summer of 2010. From left, the cast includes Catherine Ommanney, Stacie Scott Turner, Mary Schmidt Amons, Lynda Erkiletian and Michaele Salahi. But Salahi, who with her husband crashed a White House state dinner in the fall of 2009, is by far the most controversial. Even before the show premiered, the other women were griping about all the attention paid to Salahi.

— X80001

Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston

Although Levi Johnston said some nasty things about Sarah Palin, he and the former Alaska governor's daughter, Bristol, anounced their engagement to be married exclusively in UsWeekly in July 2010. The engagement was short-lived and was called off weeks later after Johnston reportedly told Palin that he may have fathered a baby with another girl. Palin and Johnston's son, Tripp, was born late in 2008. Bristol Palin then joined the cast of "Dancing With the Stars" while Johnston announced he would be running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, and would be filmed for a reality show. Palin got all the way to third place on "Dancing," causing many viewers to claim fans of her mother were stuffing the ballot box for political reasons.

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Image: Bristol Palin, Mark Ballas

Voting scandal

After her called-off engagement, Bristol Palin appeared on "Dancing With the Stars," where she and partner Mark Ballas placed third. Fans of the show went so far as to complain to the FCC, saying that political supporters of Palin's mother unfairly stuffed the ballot box for Bristol.

— Adam Larkey / ABC
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Stamos in court

Two people were convicted of conspiracy and extortion in a July 2010 case involving actor John Stamos. The couple allegedly tried to blackmail Stamos by saying they had photos of him with cocaine and strippers and would sell the photos to the tabloids if he didn't pay up. Stamos says the photos never existed.

— Danielle Lehto
Image: File photo of actor Mel Gibson and Oksana Grigorieva at the Spanish premiere of the film \"Edge of Darkness\" in Madrid

Horrible breakup

Actor Mel Gibson left his wife for Oksana Grigorieva, who gave birth to their daughter in 2009. Now the couple has split, and ugly recordings have emerged of what appears to be Gibson ranting and cursing his ex-girlfriend. He uses racial and sexist slurs, as well as violent threats.

— Juan Medina / X01625
Image: Jeffrey Jones

Trouble for Jones

Actor Jeffrey Jones, who played dean of students Ed Rooney in 1986's "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," was arrested in June 2010 for failing to register as a sex offender in Los Angeles. Jones' sex offender registration is required because he was convicted in 2003 of taking nude photos of a 14-year-old boy. He pled guilty and was sentence to community service and probation.

— Chris Weeks / R-WEEKS
Image:  Conan O'Brien

'Tonight's' not the night for Conan

Conan O'Brien hosted "The Tonight Show" on NBC for just seven months. The network had moved former "Tonight" host Jay Leno to an earlier time slot and when ratings were poor, decided to put Leno back behind the "Tonight" desk. O'Brien's final "Tonight Show" aired Jan. 22, 2010, and he later announced a deal with TBS. Fan support fell heavily on O'Brien's side. He reportedly earned $45 million in his exit deal, with $12 million designated for his staff, who moved from New York to Los Angeles specifically to work on the show. His new show, "Conan," began airing in the fall of 2010.

— Paul Drinkwater / NBC
Image: Tiger Woods apologizes

Can Tiger change his stripes?

Golfer Tiger Woods is seen on Feb. 19, 2010, making his much-covered public apology after his reported infidelities were revealed. Woods' scandal began on Thanksgiving night, 2009, when he was in a one-car accident at his Florida home and refused to speak about the reasons for his crash. He took a 20-week break from golf and returned to the sport in the 2010 Masters on April 8, 2010. He and wife Elin Nordegren divorced in August.

— Joe Skipper / X00507
FILE - Sandra Bullock and Jesse James arrive at the Vanity Fair Oscar party on in this March 7, 2010 file photo taken in West Hollywood, Calif. Sandra Bullock has canceled her appearance at the London premiere of \"The Blind Side\" scheduled for Tuesday March 23, 2010 almost two weeks after winning a Best Actress Academy Award. In a statement released by Warner Bros UK., the 45-year-old actress says she can't attend the event for \"unforeseen personal reasons.\" (AP Photo/Peter Kramer, File)

PHILADELPHIA - MAY 06:  Michelle  \"Bombshell\" McGee attends the Celebrity Wrestling 1 Press Conference at South Philly Bar and Grill on May 6, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Photo by Bobby Bank/Getty Images)

Blindsided

Sandra Bullock and husband Jesse James looked happy enough on March 7, 2010, when Bullock won the best actress Oscar for her role in "The Blind Side." But it was later revealed that James allegedly had cheated on Bullock with tattoo model Michelle "Bombshell" McGee (inset photo), even while Bullock and James were in the process of adopting a baby boy. Their divorce was finalized in June 2010, and Bullock continued the adoption of her son, Louis, without James.

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Image: John Mayer

Playboy interview backfires

Singer John Mayer, seen performing in New York on Dec. 11, 2009, found himself in the headlines in February 2010 after he gave an interview to Playboy in which he used a racial slur and compared his penis to white supremacist David Duke. Mayer tearfully apologized later. In September, Mayer shut down his Twitter account, which he had used to defend some of his actions and statements. The account had 3.7 million followers.

— Jason Szenes / EPA
Image: Kate Gosselin and Tony Dovolani,

Kate's last dance

Kate Gosselin was a contestant on "Dancing With the Stars" spring 2010 season. The mom of eight didn't prove to be a natural dancer, but she also didn't do herself any favors by snapping at professional dance partner Tony Dovolani in taped footage shown on the show.

— Adam Larkey / Disney ABC Television Group
Image: Corey Haim

An early exit

Corey Haim, seen here in a scene from "Crank: High Voltage," was a 1980s teen heartthrob thanks to his roles in "Lucas" and "The Lost Boys." His career was blighted by drug abuse, but his death on March 10, 2010, at age 38, was ruled due to pneumonia and other causes, not drugs.

— Justin Lubin / Lionsgate Entertainment
Image: Charlie Sheen arrives at court

Family woes

Charlie Sheen arrives at the Pitkin County Courthouse in Aspen, Colo., on March 15, 2010. Sheen was arrested on Christmas Day 2009 after his wife, Brooke Mueller, called 911 and said he threatened her with a knife. Later in the year, in October, police were called to the Plaza Hotel in New York, where Sheen had damaged a room. An escort, Capri Anderson, was locked in the bathroom and some reports said Sheen had accused her of stealing his watch. Days later, Sheen filed for divorce from Mueller.

— Rick Giase / EPA
Image: Mo'Nique

A childhood secret

Actress Mo'Nique won the best supporting actress Oscar for her role as a sexually and physically abusive mother in "Precious." The actress' brother later admitted that when Mo'Nique was between the ages of 7 and 15, he sexually abused her. The two are no longer in contact, and Mo'Nique was reportedly unhappy about his decision to talk about the abuse on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on April 19, 2010.

— Kevin Winter / Getty Images North America
Actor Michael Douglas and his former wife Diandra Luker  leave New York Federal Court  April 20, 2010 after their son, Cameron Douglas was sentenced to 5 years for possession of methamphetamines with the intent to distribute. AFP PHOTO/TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

FILE - In this April 27, 2009 file photo, Cameron Douglas, son of Michael Douglas, arrives at the premiere of the film \"Ghosts of Girlfriends Past\" in Los Angeles. The son of Michael Douglas pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges he peddled large quantities of methamphetamine out of a trendy Manhattan hotel. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

Sins of the son

Michael Douglas and his ex-wife, Diandra, are seen leaving court in New York on April 20, 2010, after their son, Cameron, 31, was sentenced to 5 years for possession of methamphetamines with the intent to distribute. Michael Douglas took some of the blame for his son's actions, saying he was more focused on his acting career than on his family when Cameron was young. Michael Douglas was later diagnosed with advanced throat cancer.

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Image: Justin Bieber Performs At \"Sunrise\"

Bieber Fever boils over

Teenage singing sensation Justin Bieber has seemingly taken the music world by storm, but not without incident. These fans were showing their support for the singer before a planned outdoor concert in Sydney, Australia, on April 26, 2010. But the show was canceled after 5,000 people camped out waiting for the performance and several fans were crushed by crowds and had to be hospitalized.

— Graham Denholm / Getty Images AsiaPac
(R)CENTURY CITY, CA - JUNE 07:  Jenna Jameson attends the Cedars Sinai Medical Center's 24th Annual Sports Spectacular held on June 7, 2009 in Century City, California.  (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Cedars-Sinai) *** Local Caption *** Jenna Jameson

(L) Former Ultimate Fighting champion Tito Ortiz cries as his attorney Chip Matthews speaks to the media Monday, April 26, 2010, at the Firenze Osteria restaurant in the North Hollywood section of Los Angeles. Ortiz had been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence towards his girlfriend Jenna Jameson. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)

Behind closed doors

Former porn star Jenna Jameson and former Ultimate Fighting Champion Tito Ortiz made headlines in April 2010 when Ortiz was arrested for domestic violence against Jameson, the mother of his year-old twin sons. After the incident, both parties recanted the abuse allegations. .

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Image: File photo shows U.S. television personality Larry King and wife Shawn Southwick at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in West Hollywood

King of divorce?

Talk-show host Larry King and his seventh wife, Shawn Southwick, filed for divorce in April 2010, but reunited and called it off in May. This would have been the 76-year-old King's eighth divorce, as he married and divorced one woman twice.

— Ethan Miller / X00643
Image: David Boreanaz

Yes, I cheated

"Bones" star David Boreanaz announced May 4 that he had been unfaithful to his wife, Jaime Bergman. Alleged Tiger Woods mistress Rachel Uchitel says she had an affair with Boreanaz, that he was the one who pursued her, and that she has a video he made in which he professes his love for her.

— Matt Sayles / AP

Plastic is fantastic

Heidi Montag is just 23, but "The Hills" star told People magazine that she had 10 plastic surgery procedures done in one day and called herself "obsessed" with cosmetic surgery. She has said she wants to enlarge her breasts even further, from an F-cup to an H-cup. Montag and husband Spencer Pratt have also been in the news for other reasons, including a May 2010 report of Pratt calling Montag's mother "just a vagina," and charges that Pratt is keeping Montag almost as a prisoner in an unkempt home. In July 2010, she reportedly filed for divorce after 15 months of marriage, only to call it off in September.

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Image: Lawrence Taylor, Arthur Aidala

Trouble for L.T.

Former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, who has appeared on "Dancing With the Stars," appears in Ramapo Town Court in Suffern, N.Y., on May 6, 2010. Taylor was arraigned on rape and prostitution charges in an assault on a 16-year-old runaway who police said was brought to his suburban New York hotel room against her will. His lawyer has said "Lawrence Taylor did not rape anybody."

— Seth Harrison / Pool, The Journal News
Image: Lil Wayne

Keeping the beat behind bars

Rapper Lil Wayne served eight months in jail after pleading guilty to a gun charge. He got in trouble with jail officials on May 13, 2010, after they found a charger and headphones for a digital music player hidden in a potato-chip bag in his cell, but was still released four months early.

— Louis Lanzano / FR77522 AP
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Troubled couple

Actor Randy Quaid and his wife Evi Quaid have been in and out of court in 2010. First came charges that they defrauded a California inn out of more than $10,000. In September, the pair were charged with illegally living in a California home they once owned. They were released on bail and later sought protection in Canada. They have made numerous paranoid-sounding statements, including that "star-whackers" are after them and that Heath Ledger and David Carradine were also murdered by this same supposed conspiracy.

— Steve Malone / SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS
Image: Celebrity Sightings In New York City - December 2, 2010

The rules apply to everyone except me

Actor Josh Duhamel was kicked off a flight in December 2010 for refusing to turn off his BlackBerry before takeoff. The actor reportedly laughed at the flight attendant who asked, and eventually an entire planeload of travelers was delayed as the aircraft had to turn around on the runway to return to the terminal so Duhamel could be removed. He later apologized, saying "lesson learned."

— Ray Tamarra / Getty Images North America
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