Best & Worst 2008: Searching for meaning (top searches)

2. WWE

We can’t get enough: Wrestling is like cartoons for teenage boys. “Tom and Jerry” for older kids. A strong worldwide touring biz, social network and TV product all keep the franchise wildly popular. This past week, an episode of “Monday Night Raw” was watched by 5 million. On USA Network. (Do you even know what else is on USA? Besides “Monk”?)

What it says about us: All the world’s a stage, and for a good number of dudes, a war movie and the History Channel have nothing on the testosterone drama of a good (fake) wrestling match. Ultimate Fighting? Boxing? Football? None of it makes the list. Bring on the sweaty men in Spandex.  (Mike Groll / Associated Press)

3. Barack Obama

We can’t get enough: Buoyed by a strong outpouring of support from young people, 53% of voters made history when they elected the Illinois senator president of the United States; he’ll be the first African American to serve in that position.

What it says about us: An improvement in race relations? Maybe. Renewed respect for young people? Definitely. Not everyone’s just sitting around watching “The Hills” on rerun. Twenty-three million people between the ages of 18 and 29 turned out to vote -- up 3 million from the 2004 elections.  (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

4. Miley Cyrus

We can’t get enough: Even though she has all but shed the “Hannah Montana” image, Cyrus is still at the top of the tween mind. Her second album, “Breakout,” debuted at No. 1 in July and has gone platinum. The singer-actress was named one of the year’s most fascinating people by Barbara Walters.

What it says about us: We don’t like all our young girls to be sweetness and light. Sixteen-year-old Cyrus is going out with 20-year-old model Justin Gaston, posed nude (but covered up) for Vanity Fair, publicly slammed her Disney Channel brethren and has bared her bra more than once in risque photos leaked online.  (Peter Foley / EPA)

6. Jessica Alba

We can’t get enough: Alba starred in just two movies this year: the horror thriller “The Eye,” which grossed $31 million, and the very small comedy “Meet Bill,” which took in just $62,597 from 36 theaters. She also spent the first half of the year pregnant. That hasn’t deterred her loyal male following from making her pictures some of the most trafficked online.

What it says about us: Pretty people never go out of fashion.  (Vittorio Zunino Celotto / Getty Images)

8. Lindsay Lohan

We can’t get enough: The last time Lindsay Lohan starred in a movie you actually might have heard about was in July 2007, when she released the Razzie-tastic “I Know Who Killed Me.” (Or you may not even have heard of that one.) She had also calmed her party-hard ways by the end of last year, but when she fell early this year for U.K. DJ Samantha Ronson -- after dating a string of guys, including Aaron Carter and Wilmer Valderrama -- she became permanent tabloid fodder.

What it says about us: We don’t need celebrities to have, you know, careers to stay interesting. Going gay (or whatever LiLo is calling it these days) works just as well.  (Thibault Camus / Associated Press)

9. Angelina Jolie

We can’t get enough: ... of those lips. Their power is unyielding.

What it says about us: Big eyes, big lips -- they don’t work only on Brad Pitt.  (Dan Steinberg / Associated Press)

10. “American Idol”

We can’t get enough: Fox’s singing competition still reigns over all U.S. TV. There is no show more watched, and that’s been the case for the last several years. Even though some “Idol” winners have disappeared quickly back into obscurity, the devotion around the show has yet to dwindle in any significant way.

What it says about us: Karaoke will never get old. Simon Cowell love runs deep. And, given this year’s final two contenders, America might need its ears checked.  (Frank Micelotta / Getty Images)