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The casket is pictured during memorial services for pop star Michael Jackson in Los Angeles - Source: Reuters -
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When reflecting back on the entertainment news of 2009 there is one event which stands out from the rest and will forever go down in history - the death of Michael Jackson.
However, Jackson's death was not the only one to dominate headlines around the world as 2009 was a year full of high-profile celebrity deaths.
But while death was the prevalent theme throughout the year, there was other entertainment news that captured the world's attention. Vampires took over the globe, celebrities started tweeting up a storm and the bad behaviour of the famous had us soaking up the gossip.
Yes, it was the year of the good, the bad and the dead.
The good
There is always an endless supply of good news to come out of the entertainment world and 2009 was no exception.
This year the living dead seemed to rocket their way to newfound stardom. Vampires have gained a cult like following, thanks in the most part to Twilight.
Those who do not know what Twilight is by now must have been hiding under a rock for the whole of 2009, as this series of movies and books took the world by storm.
Gracing the covers of countless magazines, the stars of the hit movies in the Twilight saga have reached super-celebrity status. The debate of whether or not you are Team Edward or Team Jacob has generated much discussion worldwide. And then there is the constant gossip over whether Twilight stars Robert Pattinson and Kirsten Stewart are dating in real life.
After the success of Twilight the anticipation for New Moon was huge, which led to box office records being smashed all over the world.
Vampires aside, 2009 also gave the world the wonderfully eccentric Lady Gaga who provides hours or entertainment as people debate her gender and discuss her many outrageous outfits.
Susan Boyle was also thrust into the spotlight this year. Everyone loves the story of the ugly duckling and true to form her debut album has skipped to the top of the charts, giving the likes of Beyonce and Madonna a run for their money.
Our fascination with celebrities has always been strong; hence the existent of so many tabloid magazines and gossip blog sites, but the rise of Twitter has taken this to a new level. With celebs now tweeting their every move, fans can really get to know what goes on in the lives of the rich and famous.
The bad
Unfortunately, where there is good, there is always bad, and that is the case with the world of entertainment in 2009.
Perhaps the most shocking of the news this year was the attack on Rihanna by her boyfriend of the time, Chris Brown. While the rumour mill did the rounds after the photo of Rihanna's injuries emerged, it was a long process before the world learnt the truth of the event. Rihanna eventually broke her silence and spoke of the attack and the events that followed. In the end Brown pleaded guilty and Rihanna emerged stronger, singing about her struggle on her latest album.
The second shocking incident of the year involved Kanye West storming the stage at the MTV Awards, stealing a shocked Taylor Swift's thunder as she accepted the award for Best Female Video.
Now, the birth of a baby is usually a joyous occasion, but some of the baby names that have come out of Hollywood this year leave a lot to be desired. Sparrow, anyone?
And what would a year in entertainment news be without a sex scandal? There was the David Letterman scandal which shocked fans of the popular show, but leaving this for dead is the recent Tiger Woods sex scandal. With a small car accident leading to revelations of multiple affairs, this world champion golfer with a squeaky clean image was knocked down and knocked down good.
The dead
The death of so many celebrities in 2009 is perhaps what the year will be remembered best for. It was Hollywood's summer of death.
The death of Hollywood golden girl Farrah Fawcett after a long battle with cancer dominated headlines around the world. However it was short lived as the death of the King of Pop was to stop the world in its tracks only hours later.
The shocking and sudden death of Michael Jackson had the world at a standstill. In the midst of rehearsals for his final set of concerts Jackson was once again back in the limelight. But it is in death that his fame was to soar to a whole new level. Fans mourned around the world and the detail of all things Jackson were examined in the media. The scandal around the circumstances of his death still dominates news today.
In the aftermath of Jackson's death the movie This Is It emerged and Jackson was able to show the world what he could do one more time.
Another star to lose the battle with cancer in 2009 was star Patrick Swayze . Tributes flowed for the star of Dirty Dancing and Ghost as the world mourned the loss of another great entertainment icon.
Also laid to rest in 2009 were Kiwi music legend Sir Howard Morrison, British actor Edward Woodward, DJ AM, the son of John Travolta, director John Hughes, reality TV star Jade Goody, actress Natasha Richardson and actor David Carradine.
But while these may be the main events that dominated the entertainment headlines of 2009, they only begin to scratch the surface of what went down in the lives of the rich and the famous this year.
