Michael Jackson Dominates 2009 Album Sales

Michael Jackson had planned a 50-show comeback in London in the summer of 2009. Thanks to Dr. Conrad Murray, he never got a chance to perform.

Just the same, his untimely death made the King of Pop as popular as ever. He ranked as the top-selling artist of 2009 with 8.2 million albums sold.

According to Nielsen SoundScan, that's nearly double No. 2 finisher, Taylor Swift, who at least beat all living musicians with a huge 4.6 million sold.

Jackson died June 25, just weeks before he was to return to the stage. His rehearsal footage has been made into a double CD and film, This Is It.

Michael Jackson dominated 2009 music sales after passing away.

Rounding out the top five were The Beatles (3.2 million), Susan Boyle (3.1 million) and Lady Gaga (2.8 million). Other interesting year-end figures:

• Boyle's I Dreamed a Dream just missed being the #1 album of 2009, falling 100,000 copies behind Swift's Fearless. MJ's Number Ones was third.
• Lady Gaga's The Fame was the overall top-selling digital album, selling 461,000 units online alone (and 2.2 million in all, the fourth best of '09).
• The Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" was the top digital track, with 4.7 million downloads, followed by their "I Gotta Feeling," at 4.4 million.
• In total sales of the 2000s, Eminem won with 32.2 million, beating out The Beatles, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith and Britney Spears at Nos. 2-5.

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Rozlyn Papa Bashes The Bachelor, Denies Sexual Affair with Crew Member

Following shocking Bachelor spoilers about her alleged hookup with a crew member, Rozlyn Papa has come forward to deny rumors of "inappropriate behavior."

"I did not have a sexual relationship with a producer on the show," the 28-year-old model, who is believed to be get the boot next week, told Radar Online.

Promos for The Bachelor tease (and ABC has even sort of addressed) the scandal that will lead to the dismissal of a contestant on the January 11 episode.

But Rozlyn Papa insists she did nothing wrong.

"What they mean by inappropriate relationship is not what inappropriate relationship means in the real world," she said. "I did have a relationship with someone on [The Bachelor] that didn't benefit them. We remained close but we are not dating."

"This is a TV show and made for entertainment, but it is a far cry from reality," Rozlyn continued. "I know that things on television weren't always as they seemed, but I really had no idea the extent of the show manipulation."

COME TO PAPA: You'd get a rose from us any day, Rozlyn!

A couple of days ago, ABC dropped the bomb that an unnamed female contestant had an "inappropriate relationship" with one of The Bachelor's producers.

We hear the single mom became livid with the show for not letting her talk to her son, and the "affair" was manufactured as a means of cutting her loose.

Sources say Rozlyn Papa did become close with a producer on the reality show, and that he even admitted feelings for her. But nothing actually happened.

As usual, the network will use crafty editing to make the situation appear worse than it actually was, and is issuing vague statements about the episode:

"It was an incident that we've never had to deal with before. It was tough for everyone, crew members, the women and Jake," host-pimp Chris Harrison said.

"Hopefully we can quickly move past this and it won't dominate the season. But definitely everyone will see what happens." Yes, definitely everyone will.

He did not mention Rozlyn Papa by name.

For her part, Roz says she has no regrets about her conduct, and certainly has nothing against the show's star, hunky pilot Jake Pavelka: "He is SO cute!"

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Courtenay Semel "Devastated" Over Death of Casey Johnson, Source States

When Casey Johnson died last week, her and ex-girlfriend Courtenay Semel weren't on the best of terms.

The latter socialite had recently claimed that the 17-carat ring Johnson gave Tila Tequila for their engagement was 1. fake; and 2. the same ring Casey had given Courtenay during their relationship.

Moreover, Semel was the individual that turned Johnson in last November when she was arrested and charged with stealing jewelry, shoes, legal documents and clothing from a British model.

Still, despite these differences - and despite the scathing words Tequila had for Semel just a couple weeks ago - sources say Courtenay is distraught over Johnson's passing.

"Despite the current state of their relationship, Courtenay is devastated," an insider told E! News. "I know their relationship was true love. They were super close and understood each other's socialite background."

Last night, Semel (pictured above with Casey when the pair were dating) Tweeted: "LOVE U CJ FOREVER AND EVER…C U in my dreams X CJS."

Meanwhile, the same source quoted above adds of the former flames:

"They were so in love that they were working on a reality show about their relationship called Love Is in the Heiress. The show didn't end up working out because they broke up."

We're not entirely sure that starring in a reality show is a sign of being in love with each other, or with publicity. But our thoughts are still with those affected by Johnson's tragic death.

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People's Choice Awards Fashion Face-Off: Olivia Wilde vs. Jessica Alba

This one is for the fellas.

While female readers ogle Taylor Lautner and Kellan Lutz, prior to making an impossible decision between the pair, men can peer down below.

A pair of beauties also posed on the red carpet of the People's Choice Awards last night, as Olivia Wilde and Jessica Alba came out for the event. Neither took home any trophies, but each turned heads.

Which caused more neck pain for onlookers? That's for you to decide. We'd choose Wilde, even though her dress may be more boring than the House quotes her character utters on TV each week. It's still Olivia Wilde!

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Report: Loredana Jolie Alleges Tiger Woods Sex Romps ... with Men

Loredana Jolie, one of Tiger Woods' many mistresses, is supposedly writing a tell-all book about his wild sexual encounters. With her, and with other dudes.

The woman, who also goes by Loredana Jolie Ferriolo, claims she witnessed Tiger in gay encounters and that he "had sexual relationships with other men."

The shocking twist is something none of Tiger Woods' women have claimed so far, and there has been no evidence to suggest it's true. Still, scandalous!

According to reports, Loredana Jolie recently attempted to sell her story for $1 million and described group sex that included incidents of Tiger with men.

That sure would cast the "King of Swing" in a new light ...

Loredana Jolie claims Tiger Woods also had sex with men.

Loredana says she plans to spill about how she and Tiger "came about, his healthy appetite for arranged sex, threesomes, girls next door and girl-on-girl."

Awesome. She also promises to "answer rumors surrounding Woods' sexuality." We didn't realize there were any. Guy bangs waitresses, end of discussion.

We imagine the gay sex angle is part of Loredana's quest to score a huge publishing deal, how unlikely it seems. Not that he has much credibility either.

Loredana has kept a low profile since being named as a Tiger mistress but "is in talks with a number of publishing companies," according to reports.

The gorgeous blonde from Sicily, has told people she was "one of Tiger's favorite mistresses." She was a Playboy model and a rumored prostitute. Hot!

Quite the day for Tiger Woods gossip. Earlier, a woman named Susie Ogren told the Enquirer she saw Tiger doing ecstasy, but he didn't bed her, amazingly.

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Jayson Williams Drove Drunk Into Oncoming Traffic, Will Be Arraigned From Hospital

Drunk former NBA star Jayson Williams drove across four lanes of oncoming traffic before smashing his Mercedes into a tree after hitting the bars this week.

This according to a witness whose testimony is being used in court against the ex-Net, who was already facing a retrial of a 2002 manslaughter charge.

Guess you can tack a DUI onto his court docket.

Police are accusing Jayson Williams of two counts of drunk driving for his Tuesday morning car crash, which left him in the hospital with a fractured neck.

Williams will be arraigned from bed later today.

The unnamed witness told cops he or she saw Williams get into his black 2007 Mercedes and operate his large SUV "in an unsteady and abrupt manner."

Moreover, "the vehicle crossed four lanes of oncoming traffic and crashed into a tree on the sidewalk." Tiger Woods and a few others can probably relate.

The officer who first responded to the crash saw Williams "bleeding from his face and the that [Williams] had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath."

While he was found in the passenger seat and allegedly said he wasn't driving, witnesses say he was the only one in the car and definitely was driving.

Between this and the suspension of Gilbert Arenas for packing heat in the locker room, the NBA has had better weeks as far as PR goes.

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Richard Heene: Balloon Boy Hoax Not a Hoax!

We thought the book was closed on Richard Heene. We should be so lucky.

Sadly, none other than Balloon Boy's dad is back in our faces again, denying in an interview with Larry King that his infamous hoax was a hoax at all.

What an ass clown.

In the interview with Larry King set to air Friday, Richard Heene insisted that he truly believed son Falcon was inside the runaway homemade craft.

In other words, the Balloon Boy hoax was not a hoax. Yeah, right.

"We had searched high and low," Heene said, pretending to get all choked up. "I knew he was in the craft. In my mind, there was no other place."

Richard Heene begins a 90-day jail sentence Monday.

So why, if he's so virtuous, would Heene plead guilty to felony charges and accept jail time for the stunt? Well, because it's all his wife's damn fault!

Richard said he copped a plea protect wife Mayumi Heene, who would have faced deportation back to Japan if she had been convicted of a felony.

Instead, as part of the plea agreement, the Balloon Mom ended up pleading guilty to misdemeanor - making a false report - and got 20 days in jail.

"I'm not disputing the fact that I did have to plead guilty, and when I say I have to, I had to do it to save my family and save my wife," Richard said.

If he were innocent, no one would be convicted of anything, of course. Details.

Unfortunately for this waste of oxygen, his "revelation" comes just days before he's due to report to jail, meaning no more interviews. How tragic.

Follow the jump for a clip of Heene lying through his teeth and attempting to milk a 16th minute of fame on Larry King Live if you can stomach it:

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Spotted Strolling: Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus!

Yesterday, we made fun of a recent interview Miley Cyrus gave in which she complained about life in the spotlight.

We stil believe she could have sounded more grateful about the fame and fortune that has come her way as a result of living/working in Los Angeles.

But it's also not hard to imagine how annoying it can be to go on a simple coffee date with your boyfriend... and suddenly be joined on it by a wave of celebrity gossip photographers.

That's exactly what happened to Miley and Liam Hemsworth this week. To their credit, both are smiling and seemingly taking the intrusion well. Heck, Cyrus is even wearing an age-appropriate outfit!

Click on the following photos for for larger images, while we re-evaluate our lives in light of these positive traits we're assigning to Cyrus. It feels very strange to do so...

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Courtenay Semel Calls Out Tila Tequila for Attention-Craving Tweets

While Casey Johnson's death has caused heartbreak for her friends and loved ones, it's also caused an ex-lover's tiff between two of the socialite's former girlfriends.

Since Johnson passed away last week, Tila Tequila has sent out over 75 Twitter messages. They've grown uglier over time, as Casey's fiancee has found herself under fire from many of Johnson's friends and family members.

Yesterday, for example, Nicky Hilton and Bijou Phillips came over to take Casey's dogs away from Tila. She called the police on them and has since Tweeted allegations that the two friends have put the canines to sleep.

"I guarantee that those poor little doggie has been put to sleep as I type this.... If any1 is an animal lover like me, putting a dog to sleep before it's time is just wrong & that's what they did."

Hilton and Phillips both deny they have any intention of taking this action against the animals.

Courtenay Semel and Tila Tequila were once happy and in love. But that was a long time ago.

Meanwhile, Tila has also typed out against those that claim she took advantage of Johnson, essentially making up their engagement for the sake of publicity.

"Casey Picked ME Over Her Family & Thats Why They R All Badmouthing Me in Press Cuz She Loved Me More," Tequila wrote. "I Can't Bring Her Back Now But At Least I know the Love Between us WAS REAL & They CAN NEVER TAKE THAT AWAY!"

Courtenay Semel isn't trying to take anything away.

But the ex-lover of both Johnson and Tequila is sick of the manner in which Tila is exploiting this tragedy. She told People magazine:

"The thing I find the most sickening is that the media is giving [her] the one thing she craves: attention. Tila, you knew her for a week."

Just a couple weeks before Johnson died, Tila went off on Courtenay, referring to her as a vile and evil person. Upon the death of their mutual acquiantance, it doesn't seem like this feud will be resting in peace any time soon.

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Jon Gosselin Dating Chick Named Morgan

Fresh off a much-publicized apartment ransacking by Hailey Glassman, Jon Gosselin is back to doing what he does best - chasing skirts - once again.

According to reports, the officially divorced King of the D-bags already has a secret new girlfriend - a 25-year-old cutie known only as Morgan.

"Jon met Morgan over Thanksgiving while snowboarding in Utah. They've been inseparable," said a source. "They talk and text throughout the day."

"Morgan flew to New York right after Christmas to be with him. Jon is so into Morgan that he is thinking about moving to Utah to be closer to her."

Still, Jon, who's at odds with ex Hailey, and whose split from Kate (who just debuted new hair extensions) was just finalized, is trying to take it slow.

Yeah, sure he is. Because that's just how he rolls ...

"Jon adores Morgan and is trying to keep her out of the spotlight while he tries to figure out his life," said the insider, talking out of his/her a$$.

Might Morgan have played a role, indirectly, in Hailey trashing Jon's apartment? According to a source, Morgan had flown to NYC to be with Jon.

But, after finding his place had been ransacked, "he immediately drove to Pennsylvania with Morgan, and they crashed at a hotel in Reading."

"Later, they went back so Jon could figure out the apartment situation. Morgan helped keep him calm, and he was thankful to have her there."

Morgan, an attractive brunette, is a ray of sunshine in the 32-year-old father of eight's otherwise messed up life, according to alleged friends.

"Jon is going through a really rough time," said the source close to him. "He and Morgan are becoming very close, but he's being really cautious."

Follow the jump for a pic of Jon Gosselin's new girlfriend Morgan ...

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Stephanie Pratt Cops Plea in DUI Case

Stephanie Pratt, annoying sidekick on The Hills and sister of Spencer Pratt, reached a plea deal with Los Angeles prosecutors in her DUI case Thursday.

The 23-year-old was sentenced to three years' probation, completion of a 12-week alcohol education program, as well as three AA meetings a week.

She must also pay a fine in addition to the above stipulations.

Once she does, Stephanie Pratt's DUI charge will be dropped in exchange for her no contest plea to one count of misdemeanor "exhibition of speed."

Stephanie Pratt celebrates! [Photo: PacificCoastNewsOnline.com]

On the issue of whether Steph attended rehab, as was reported, "Ms. Pratt voluntarily sought help from a doctor regarding substance issues but the doctor recommended that she didn't need rehab," Pratt's lawyer Jon Bryant Artz said.

Pratt called the October 18 arrest after Holly Montag's birthday party, "the worst thing to happen to me and, at the same time, the biggest blessing."

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Tori Spelling to Pen Third, Useless Memoir

It's one of the most embarrassing facts we've ever come across:

Each of Tori Spelling's first two memoirs ranked on New York Times-bestsellier's list, with Mommywood and sTORItelling combining to sell over 800,000 copies.

While our staff racks our brain to come up with a single reason why anyone would care about this washed-up actress' take on family life, we're sad to report that she isn't done. A third book, tentatively titled unchartered terriTORI, is scheduled to hit stores in June.

"I love sharing my stories and experiences with people and connecting to them on both a humorous and emotional level," Spelling told People. ""Whenever something happens that makes me laugh or if I remember something in the middle of the night that I want to share, I jot the experience down."

Expect the nauseating tome to cover tabloid scrutiny of Spelling's weight; her contentions relationship with mother Candy; and life with husband Dean McDermott.

Other rumored titles for the book include:

• TORIble: My Guest-Starring Stint on 90210
• Self-ExplanaTORI: Stuff I should have said in my previous two memoirs
• DefamaTORI: A shameless attempt to cash in
• An ObligaTORI Attempt to Remain Relevant
• Downward TrajecTORI: My Career in a Nutshell
  

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Gilbert Arenas Gun Standoff: Caught on Tape?

Surveillance cameras may have caught the Christmas Eve standoff in which basketball star Gilbert Arenas pulled a gun on his teammate, Javaris Crittenton.

The Washington Wizards have told District of Columbia police that they have locker room surveillance video but are having trouble downloading the footage.

Computer technicians are assisting the organization with the matter today.

If you think the video problems are a ruse so the Wizards can protect their star, think again. A source says the team is almost "over cooperative" with cops.

A TMZ source says it's "almost as if they want Arenas to go down," and "there is a better than 50/50 chance the U.S. Attorney will issue a felony warrant."

The NBA has suspended Arenas indefinitely.

AGENT ZERO BRAIN CELLS: What the heck was Gilbert Arenas thinking?

He has no license for the guns, and if he is charged with a felony, the Wizards could cite the morals clause in Arenas' $111 million contract and void it.

As for what caused the standoff, a law enforcement says it was all over a card game known as Bourré. Arenas allegedly owed Crittenton some money.

Crittenton apparently threatened Arenas to make good on his debt. Two days later, Arenas laid out his guns as a prank, telling him to collect the debt.

Instead of diffusing the tension, Crittenton became enraged and both NBA players ended up drawing on each other ... in the locker room. Astounding.

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Jersey Shore Cast: Already Signed For Season 2?

Jersey Shore just premiered like a month ago, but what we're hearing is that the cast of MTV's new hit will be back for another summer in Seaside Heights.

Vinny Guadagnino let it slip this week that he and the fist-pumping, beer-guzzling Italian-Americans we've come to laugh at with will be back next summer.

"They want us to do another season," he said at a Youth in Revolt after-party at La Pomme. Really, who can blame the network for wanting to run it back?

The self-proclaimed guidos have gained instant celeb status, becoming staples on TV, celebrity gossip sites and at various nightlife events around the U.S.

So which venues meet the criteria? Those that can cough up cash!

Jersey Shore is a virtual lock for a second season.

Getting the entire Jersey Shore cast to an event can cost $30,000, and it's not like that's an asking price that no one's biting at - these tools are everywhere.

Individually, they aren't any cheaper. Fist-pumping with Mike (The Situation) and DJ Pauly D costs $7,500 per tough guy. Vinny, meanwhile, gets $3,500.

Those interested in getting to know lovebirds Ronnie Magro and Sammi Giancola can take advantage of a special package deal: A modest $3,000! A steal!

As for the shore's resident drama queen, an event featuring the annoying Oompa Loompa Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi goes for as much as $7,500.

Fire and brimstone not included.

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Paula Sladewski, Former Playboy Model, Found Dead

Paula Sladewski has been found gruesomely murdered.

The 26-year old, a former Playboy model, has been identified by Miami authorities as the individual "burned beyond recognition" in a trash bin on Sunday.

Labeling the murderer a "monster," police are asking the public for any help they can provide on tracking down the culprit.

"It's so horrific. It's a dastardly act," North Miami police spokesman Lt. Neal Cuevas told CNN. "It's the most heinous thing that a person can do to another person."

Sladewski hails from Michigan. Her boyfriend, who has not been named, is considered a person of interest because he was vacationing with her in Florida.

The couple arrived in Miami on Thursday to celebrate New Year's Eve with a Lady Gaga concert. Cuevas said Sladewski's boyfriend confirmed they went to Club Space on Saturday and remained until early Sunday morning, at which point an argument ensued.

He was thrown out of the club, Sladewski stayed, and that was the last time her boyfriend saw her alive.

Said Sladewski's sister:

"She loved life, she was full of life. She went on a lot of vacations. She was a great person. I couldn't imagine anything like this happening. We can't even give her an open casket. We can't even see her again. She did not deserve to die in this way."

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Jay Leno Reportedly Returning to Tonight Show; Conan O'Brien's Future Uncertain

NBC is trying to squash rumors that Jay Leno will soon return to The Tonight Show stage.

According to various reports, the 10 p.m. time slot has been a failure for the comedian. These sources state his talk show will take a hiatus on February 1 and return in early March (after NBC airs the Olypics) - at 11:30 p.m.

What would this move mean for Conan O'Brien's future at the network? It's unclear. Ratings for his stint as host of The Tonight Show have been lower than expected.

With this rumor swirling, NBC has released the following statement, which appears to support Leno remaining in primetime, but doesn't guarantee it:

"Jay Leno is one of the most compelling entertainers in the world today. As we have said all along, Jay's show has performed exactly as we anticipated on the network. It has, however, presented some issues for our affiliates. Both Jay and the show are committed to working closely with them to find ways to improve the performance."

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Tila Tequila Mourns Casey Johnson with Staged, Sexy Photo Shoot

If Tila Tequila is truly broken up over the death of her fiancee, Casey Johnson, she has a strange way of showing it.

We're not even referring to the fact that she called the police on Nicky Hilton; made up a rumor that the socialite wants to kill Casey's dogs; and has Tweeted close to 100 messages since Johnson passed away.

Instead, we're talking about Tila's reaction to the paparazzi surrounding her home today.

Did she greet them with tears and a plea to leave her alone? Quite the contrary.

She brought her breasts out to play and posed seductively for the cameras. We know that's a reflex for Tila at this point, but you'd think the death of a loved one would cause her to act a bit abnormal at least...

How strong Tila Tequila must be to smile through her pain, expose her cleavage, put a flower in her hair, lead photographers around her house and expose her cleavage some more. [Photos: PacificCoastNewsOnline.com]

Meanwhile, Tila continues to Tweet her supposedly broken heart away. She wrote today:

"I was the ONLY one who was constantly checking on my Wifey cuz I knew something was wrong... Casey cut out a lot of 'bad' people from her past to be with me cuz I was a good influence on her. We were so in love."

Ah, so that's why Tequila is posing in this manner. Out of love. She just wants Johnson see her breasts from heaven.

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