2008 Year End Recap: The Best Celebrity Scandals of the Year

Paring down the best celebrity scandals of 2008 was no easy task. There were more celebrity breakups than I can count and the revolving door of rehab didn't seem to slow down for a minute. Let's just get to the list of celebrity scandals, shall we? Here are the Top Five Celebrity Scandals of 2008.

Celebrity Scandal #1: Miley Cyrus Naked, Semi-Clothed and/or Draped

Good gravy, for a girl who has yet to get a driver's license, Hanna Montana's Miley Cyrus sure did cause heads to turn in 2008. The first Miley Cyrus naked pics were revealed on her MySpace page in January. There was Miley curled up in bed in her underpants, Miley pulling down her tank top to reveal her nubile bee-stings, there are the hot-tub Miley bikini photos, and that was just the start of the nude Miley Cyrus pictures burning up the internet. She certainly came out of the 2008 celebrity scandal gate running!

Three months later this celebrity scandal heated up even more as Miley posed nude for Vanity Fair magazine. Outrage erupted among Hanna Montana fans and their moms, all of them decrying Miley Cyrus as a bad role model for tween girls. The mayhem that ensued forced Miley to comment about how embarrassed she was (but more likely it was Disney who strong-armed her into that retraction). Also in April, photos appeared on the internet of a scantily clad Miley Cyrus sprawled out on the lap of some guy on some couch. All this ill repute surrounding Disney's cash cow was bad news, so Miley dropped out of the spotlight for a while allowing Disney to promote the talent lurking in her shadow. Was it by choice or did Disney lay down the law the way her daddy Billy Ray Cyrus should have? We'll never know but it sure was the celebrity scandal of the year.

Celebrity Scandal #2: The Divorce of Heather Mills and Paul McCartney

So, yeah. Nobody saw this celebrity scandal coming when Paul McCartney married Heather Mills, 26 years his junior, in 2002. Heather Mills proved to be the most psycho ex in history when she just couldn't control her mouth or her emotions during her divorce proceedings with Paul McCartney. She demanded $26,000 to cover first class airfares, claimed that while living with McCartney she endured "18 months of abuse, worse than a murderer or pedophile," and she threw water on McCartney's attorney, among other acts of crazy.

In the end of this celebrity scandal came in March when she was allotted $50 million, the second costliest divorce settlement in UK history. Part of the settlement included a $1.2 million allowance each year and $5 million to buy a new home.

Celebrity Scandal #3: The Death of Heath Ledger

In one of the most tragic celebrity scandals of 2008, Australian actor Heath Ledger died in January of an accidental drug overdose. The New York medical examiners office said Ledger was killed "by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine". That's a serious cocktail of pain killers, anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping pills.

This celebrity scandal plot thickened as it was learned that he died in Mary-Kate Olsen's apartment. His body was found by a massage therapist who didn't bother calling 911, but called Mary-Kate instead. It was all very strange and sad, especially since he left his baby daughter behind.

Celebrity Scandal #4: The Stumbling Disaster That is Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse is a hugely talented singer, too bad her talent is overshadowed by her bad behavior. In 2008, a video of Amy Winehouse was circulating on the internet in which she was allegedly smoking crack cocaine and spoke of taking valium and ecstasy. Her record label stopped promoting her and she entered rehab at the end of January. In March it was rumored that she was back in rehab. She deserves a sash and tiara for celebrity scandal of the first quarter.

By mid-2008 the scandal grew as 25 year old Winehouse was diagnosed with emphysema due to chain smoking cigarettes and abuse of crack cocaine. She married a heroin addict, she was denied a US visa due to narcotics issues, she had an outbreak of impetigo on her face, and this fall she was spotted with cuts on her arms and legs, a telltale sign of self mutilation.

Her poor family must think she's the walking dead. Sadly, the problems that should remain within her family are played out before the entire world revealing the Amy Winehouse tragedy as one of the ugliest celebrity scandals of 2008.

Celebrity Scandal #5: Madonna and Alex Rodriguez are "Close Friends"

This is a celebrity scandal that is still evolving, but apparently Madge and A-Rod have been canoodling before the ink is dry on either one of their divorce papers. Madonna refuses to give her ex Guy Richie a red cent in the split, and some internet gossip columns are saying A-Rod left his kids high and dry so he could spend Thanksgiving with Madonna.

There is a good chance that this celebrity nibble could become a full blown celebrity scandal by the end of 2008. No doubt, the divorce between Madonna and Guy Ritchie could turn out to be as ugly as Heather Mills and Paul McCartney. And no one would be surprised to hear all the dirty laundry between Alex Rodriguez and his ex Cynthia.

Celebrity Scandal Honorable Mention: David Duchovny Enters Rehab for Sex Addiction

Hmm, is David Duchovny really a sex addict or does his waning career need a little kick in the pants? I smell a publicity stunt.