Well, that was interesting. That's about the best — and worst — you can say about 2009, a year that seems to have had twin personalities: one of them profound and somber, the other a goofy distraction from the important stuff.

It was a year marked by the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama, continuing struggles with the economy and unemployment, a battle over health care reform and the H1N1 flu. It's also been 12 wacky months of media frenzy over Jon and Kate Gosselin, the balloon boy, real housewives, Lady Gaga, vampires and more.

Um, 2009, we'd like to introduce you to 2009. Can you two get your act together and figure out how to be more cohesive by 2010? It's been exhausting keeping up with both of you. Here's a look at some of the people and events that rocked the pop culture world this year, from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Fastest fall from grace: The good news for Tiger Woods? He's the Associated Press athlete of the decade. The bad news? Every other recent story about him. The scandal involving the world's best golfer has prompted an avalanche of jokes about his infidelity and alleged mistresses. But is there anything funny about instantly going from a hero to a punch line?

Most unexpected overnight fame: The last time someone became famous for looking like a middle-aged British woman in a dowdy housedress, it was Monty Python. But a video clip of Susan Boyle performing a ballad from "Les Miz" became a global Web sensation. Talk about dreaming an online dream.

Most unwelcome overnight fame: Can someone tell White House party-crashers Tareq and Michaele Salahi their 15 minutes are up?

Most riveting tribute: Michael Jackson's death in June prompted a feeding frenzy of cable coverage, speculation and rumor . But the songs and tributes at the Staples Center memorial service brought humanity to an entertainer who emerged, tragically, as the most talked-about star of the year.

Worst attempt to get attention with a Jiffy Pop look-alike: Remember the day when everyone was sick with anxiety at the thought of a little boy flying around in the sky in a crazy homemade balloon? Well, let's try to forget it — if only to remind fame-seeking parents like Richard Heene that hoaxes like this won't get you a reality show.

Best interruption: Capt. Chesley (Sully) Sullenberger's spectacular impromptu jet landing in the Hudson River, which turned a potential disaster into a slight change in flight plans.

Worst interruption: Kanye West's uninvited impromptu remarks during Taylor Swift's win at the MTV VMAs. Even if he had brought Sully onstage with him, no one would have clapped.

Most persuasive argument for keeping your mouth shut at work: The audiotape of Christian Bale's expletive-spewing meltdown on the set of "Terminator: Salvation."

Most persuasive argument for keeping your mouth shut when the president is talking: Rep. Joe Wilson shouting "You lie!" during President Obama's speech on health care.

Least intriguing couple who kept trying to be the most intriguing: Can anyone recall why celebrity journalism was once obsessed with Jon and Kate Gosselin's marital breakup? Ah, yes, that was the pre-Tiger era.

Worst activity to pretend you're doing when you're really in South America and having an affair with your "soul mate": As the married South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford discovered, it's hiking the Appalachian Trail.

Most surprising moment for a late-night host: It seemed like just another weeknight on a talk show until David Letterman dropped a bombshell out of the blue. Describing an alleged extortion plan against him, the "Late Show" host candidly shared the details and admitted that he had slept with female staffers. At least he didn't turn the revelation into a Top Ten list.

Most disappointing ratings for a not-so-late-night-anymore host: Jay Leno's NBC show at 10 p.m. ET debuted to about 18 million viewers in September, but the audience plummeted in the months that followed. One bright spot? He's moved "Headlines" back to its rightful place after the monologue.

Best attempt by a movie to deal with the economy: "Capitalism: A Love Story" was more specifically about the financial meltdown. But "Up in the Air," a funny movie about a guy who flies around the country firing people, is just as deep in its own way (and features cameos from real people who've been laid off).

Hottest supernatural creatures: Sexy vampires ruled at the box office with "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" and on TV with HBO's "True Blood" and CW's "The Vampire Diaries." But let's hear it for werewolves (also in "New Moon") and zombies (in the "Zombieland" flick and the "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" book) for being almost as scarily popular.

Hottest controversy with an "American Idol" connection: Although Paula Abdul leaving the show was an early contender, Adam Lambert's racy performance at the American Music Awards turned out to be much, much more buzz-worthy.

Trends you couldn't ignore (as much as you tried): Bravo's "Real Housewives" franchise, people yelling at town hall meetings, weird celebrity beards (Joaquin Phoenix and Brad Pitt especially) and Megan Fox mania.

Best nickname: Octomom.

Worst nickname that we're actually starting to like: The Situation from MTV's "Jersey Shore."

Most delightful meeting: After out-Madonna-ing Madonna with her daring high-concept costumes and groovy dance hits, Lady Gaga capped a successful year by being introduced to Queen Elizabeth.

Weirdest stunt that wasn't worth it: Sacha Baron Cohen got free publicity when his Bruno character put his derriere cheeks next to Eminem's facial ones at the MTV Movie Awards. But his "Bruno" film still disappointed at the box office.

Nicest conclusion to a fake romance: Pam and Jim getting hitched on "The Office."

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Meanest conclusion to a fake romance: After Jason Mesnick proposed to Melissa Rycroft on "The Bachelor," he dumped her for the runner-up, Molly Malaney. But Rycroft had the last laugh — she competed on "Dancing With the Stars" and just got married to another guy.

Best TV reunion: Larry David brought together the cast of "Seinfeld" on "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

Best TV fresh start: The Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce agency that was launched during the stellar finale to the "Mad Men" season. If Don Draper is starting a new business, maybe there is hope for the job market.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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