Some of the year's biggest stories revolved around the dysfunctional family lives of tabloid stars. One family in particular has done its best to corner every potential story line or plot twist the tabloids can come up with. If there was an award for sheer tackiness or pure shamelessness they'd be a shoo-in. Even now that their little blockbuster is busted and broke they still trade on her name to open doors. It's no wonder she can't get far enough away from them.

Then there's the family who did pretty well for themselves. They always lived well on account of their baby's success and then she up and decided to be a grownup and get married. When the marriage didn't last and her mental health deteriorated, the family was able to step in and take control of her life, for which they've all been handsomely compensated. She yearns to be free, and they all collect a fee.

There's the family that let their underage child carry on with an adult lover to keep that payroll love flowing. There was the family that was back in the news for the drugs again, and the family who went public to get Dad to dry out. Not that Mom was much better.

There was all those and more, all examples of what life could be like in a famous family. But it wasn't all grief and shame in '08. The Clan Jolie-Pitt grew to eight, with the birth of the wonder twins. Suri became a household name. The world said hello to Bronx and Henry and Nahla and Zuma and Sunday Rose, among others. Twins were definitely in this year.

What will become of family ties in 2009? It's hard to say. I think there will be less of a market for such name-dropping this year - there's no bombshells on the horizon, no major scandals or elections in the works. All those freeloaders and carpetbaggers may have to go out and find real jobs.