1. Hollywood couple Penelope Cruz and Matthew McConaughey, for teaming up with a group of troubled youths for a new photography project. The Spanish actress, who shot delinquents at the famed San Fernando, California hostel, says she was introduced to the Pacific Lodge boys by her Texan beau. She plans to show her photo skills in an upcoming exhibition.
2. The record labels that turned away Britney Spears‘ aspiring rapper husband Kevin Federline, for refusing to invest in his talents. The world, sadly, still isn’t safe. Federline has vowed to release his debut rap single “Popozao” himself.
3. Pop star Nick Lachey, for putting his heartache behind him to play Santa to sick kids over the Christmas break. The former Newlywed hunk teamed up with actor pal Wilmer Valderrama to visit children at Los Angeles’ Cedars Sinai hospital during his first Christmas sans Jess.
4. TV talk show goddess Oprah Winfrey, for grabbing the number one spot on the Entertainment Tonight’s Most Watched Stars of 2005 list.
5. Stars who sunbathe naked a la Brad Pitt , for being naïve enough to believe no one is looking. Pitt was sunbathing naked on the balcony of his Los Angeles home recently, when an unknown paparazzo snapped a photo of him. Earlier this month, Jennifer Aniston filed an invasion of privacy suit against paparazzo Peter Brandt after he photographed the her sunbathing at her Hollywood Hills mansion.
6. Rapper Eminem, for is making good on his promise to reunite with his ex-wife Kim Mathers. The couple is planning to exchange vows again on Jan. 14.
7. Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg, for planning to remake classic 1960s musical Mary Poppins. Richard Eyre, the director of the London stage show of Mary Poppins, has been approached by Spielberg to helm a new version of the 1964 movie.
8. Rapper Kanye West’s latest album Late Registration, for been named the best of 2005 by USA Today. We also appreciate USA Today’s dishonor list: Crazy Frog’s “Axel F” (Dumbest Song), Fiona Apple (Overrated Comeback) and Hefty Fine by Bloodhound Gang (Unplayable Anywhere Album).
9. British comedian Ricky Gervais, for having the good sense to turn down a one-off Christmas edition of his Emmy-winning TV show The Office. Gervais immediately dismissed the idea of a seasonal episode set in Spain, adding, “Put David Brent in the Costa Del Sol and he’s allowed to behave like an idiot, isn’t he? The comedy’s gone.”
10. The basketball documentary Hoop Dreams, Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street, and high school slacker pic Fast Times At Ridgemont High, for being among the 25 new entries into America’s National Film Registry. Every year the Library of Congress names a group of “significant movies” they preserve in the National Film Registry. The 2005 selections bring the total number of films being preserved by the Library of Congress to 425.
