Top Celebrity Stories Of 2011
By: Michelle Write, CNN
Updated: December 27, 2011
2011 kicked off with a new beginning for the queen of talk. Oprah winfrey launched the cable network "OWN" on new years day.The final episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" aired in may.
Another much ballyhooed fare-thee-well came from longtime talk show co-host Regis Philbin.
Philbin's final "Live With Regis and Kelly" show aired in November.
Actor Charlie Sheen found himself jobless in 2011...So he hit the road. After a hospitalization and subsequent stay in rehab, Sheen's show "Two And A Half Men" went on hiatus. But when Sheen lashed out in a series of interviews, he was fired. The actor then embarked on a cross-country tour called "Charlie Sheen Live: My Violent Torpedo Of Truth."
Also causing a stir in 2011was Lindsay Lohan. The actress showed up for a February court date wearing a tight, white dress. Lohan was charged with stealing a necklace and violating her probation.She was sentenced to 30 days jail time but only spent a few hours behind bars due to prison overcrowding.
Harry Potter cast a final spell over movie-goers as the last film in that series, "Deathly Hallows" hit the big screen, Raking in more than 168 million dollars in its opening weekend which was a new record.
Beyonce's baby bump became the center of attention at the MTV Video Music Awards and set a new twitter record with the most tweets per second.
Country music duo Sugarland was moments from taking the stage at the Indiana State Fair when high winds caused the entire structure to collapse. Seven people in the crowd died and dozens more were injured. Sugarland made an emotional return to Indiana for a special memorial concert.
Families of some of the victims filed a lawsuit against the group saying the band should have canceled the concert due to inclement weather. A rep for Sugarland had no comment.
Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the pop star's death and sentenced to four years in jail.
The year's biggest celebrity wedding was the talk of the tabloids. Reality star Kim Kardashian and NBA player Kris Humphries exchanged vows in an over-the-top ceremony only to file for divorce 72 days later.







