Thanks to General McChrystal, the commander in Afghanistan, President Obama finally sent more troops and devoted more resources to that war. One of the few holdovers from the Bush administration, Gen. McChrystal has shown foresight as a leader and had the courage to keep national attention on the conflict without alienating the president. And while he revealed that he and Obama have only spoken once since the president took office, he was full of praise this month after Obama agreed to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Now McChrystal says he believes “we will absolutely be successful” in our mission there. We have to be.
Gerald Herbert / AP Photo
Kathryn Bigelow is the Golden Globe-nominated director of The Hurt Locker—one of my favorite films of the year, and easily the best movie made about the war in Iraq. The film is an early Oscar favorite, and Bigelow could make Academy Awards history by becoming the first woman to win for Best Director. Making things even more interesting is that she could potentially be up against her ex-husband, Avatar director James Cameron.
Joel Ryan / AP Photo
Who would have guessed that a year after the inauguration of President Obama, Hillary Clinton would have higher approval ratings then the president? It’s been an uneven year for the secretary of State—arguably, her most famous moment occurred when she snapped at a reporter in the Congo who had asked her husband’s opinion on an issue—but she has shown incredible strength. No matter what you think of her politics, I think she has added even more cracks to that political glass ceiling.
Nicholas Kamm, AFP / Getty Images
Speaking of glass ceilings, finally there is late-night comedy for women. Chelsea Handler has singlehandedly upended the talk-show boys’ club by being not just the funniest woman in late night, but the funniest person. A two-time bestselling author, Handler is fearless each night on E!’s Chelsea Lately. She will dare to say all the things Conan, Craig, the two Jimmys, and even Dave may think but would never utter. And by using a roundtable to discuss the day’s events, she not only showcases her own talents but also up-and-coming comics. And despite the fact that Handler never pulls her punches—she once told Danity Kane singer Aubrey O’Day, “you’re a lot less stupid than I thought you were going to be.”—she scores big guests (from Jim Carrey to Adam Lambert to Jennifer Aniston) and consistently does revealing interviews. If Howard Stern were pretty enough to pose for Playboy, he’d be Chelsea Handler.
What didn’t Neil Patrick Harris do this year? He was everywhere—hosting the Tonys and the Emmys, all the while earning a Golden Globe nomination for his day job playing the callow and shallow Barney on How I Met Your Mother. New York magazine proclaimed that Harris is a “Hollywood first: an out gay actor who can host awards shows, play a womanizer, walk the red carpet with his boyfriend, and then get cast in movies as a straight dad.” His popularity is based on his talent as both an actor and comedian and his sexuality is simply an afterthought. Doogie Howser fulfilled the promise he showed when he was young.
Kevin Winter / Getty Images
The first time I heard of Florida Rep. Alan Grayson was for his outbursts on the House floor that have become so popular on YouTube. He has a string of infamous quotes, including, “If Barack Obama has a BLT sandwich tomorrow for lunch, [Republicans] would try and ban bacon,” and asking Dick Cheney to “STFU” on Chris Matthews' show. He has been in office less than a year and has already become notorious for his eccentric behavior. In an era where every single move of most politicians and President Obama could not be more calculated, Grayson has quickly made himself one of the most entertaining congressman serving today. Basically, Grayson is the Democratic Party’s version of Michele Bachmann, and I am sure he will continue to bring the crazy to both the House floor and YouTube in 2010.
Evan Vucci / AP Photo
Zach Galifianakis has been notorious on the standup circuit for years but made his mainstream breakthrough this year by stealing The Hangover and portraying Jason Schwartzman’s best friend on Bored to Death. But for my money, his most hilarious performances have been his awkward talk show, Between Two Ferns, on Funny Or Die, like this excruciating interview with Natalie Portman.
Warner Bros.
Once again, Kelly Clarkson proved that the original
American Idol winner is still the best one. With her fourth album,
All I Ever Wanted, Clarkson had four top 100 Billboard singles. She is also pushing the boundaries of pop music, covering songs from The Black Keys and The White Stripes
in concert.
She also pushed back against criticism of her weight (particularly against Self magazine and their shameful
airbrushing of her body). Don’t mess with Kelly Clarkson. I know
my life would suck without her.
The Tea Party Patriots was begun by people who strongly oppose the priorities and massive spending of the Obama administration, and it’s one of the most intriguing and divisive movements in the country. They have been a powerful force in this year’s elections and are sure to be just as noisy in the upcoming midterm elections. Whether you agree with them or not, their presence and passion is affecting real change in America.
Douglas Healey / AP Photo
These two men have revolutionized social media—and the world itself—140 characters at a time. Whether it’s Ashton Kutcher showing naughty photos of Demi, or students in Iran tweeting about the election, Twitter has completely changed the way we communicate. And brought the world closer together. Love it or hate it, Twitter’s impact is undeniable.
Jeff Chiu / AP Photo
