Person of The Year: The Runners-Up

Each year since 2001, when NYPD Blue sexpot-turned-CNN anchor Andrea Thompson received the honor, the Tabloid Baby team of journalists, producers, TV viewers and tipsters around the world has come up with the person who best exemplified the spirit of tabloid: the Tabloid Baby Person of The Year.

This year is no different.

The Tabloid Baby Person of the Year for 2005 is about to be announced.

But first… the Runners-Up:

Pat O’Brien: There but for the grace of God go so many of his peers. As Pat’s dirty voicemail messages provided endless hours of entertainment, his shattered career received instant rehabilitation through the most bizarre and humiliating public flogging in network television history. His session with Doctor Phil was 2005’s greatest hour of television. Its producers should be forced to live in the Big Brother house.

Howard Stern: He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day.

Beth Twitty: Natalee Holloway’s mother manipulated the media like an expert and dictated the cable news agenda until her story was washed away by Hurricane Katrina. She showed how even ordinary folk can call the shots when it means you can broadcast from Aruba. Sadly, she still hasn’t gotten her daughter back. But who’s been leaving those phone messages?

Dr. Franklin Ruehl: The nuclear physicist turned public access cult hero is television’s most indefatigable and optimistic personality. On the brief and lamented return of A Current Affair, he led a groundbreaking and historic Bigfoot expedition, and brought celebrity coverage to new heights. Dr. Ruehl is one of a kind, and television nabobs will one day realize it.

Bill Hudson: Goldie Hawn’s ex stood up against the Hollywood machine when he called out Goldie for mischaracterizing and demeaning him in her recent autobiography. A veteran musician, performer and producer, he is the Howard Beale of Malibu: Mad as Hell with a sense of humour.

And the Tabloid Baby Person of The Year is…