The year 2001 saw a wide variety of entertainers vying for our attention. Some of them, like Johnny Knoxville and Tom Green, were willing to do anything to entertain us. Others, like Halle Berry, did a little above the norm. Some others, like Sandra Bullock and Matt LeBlanc, pretty much did what they are capable of doing and did it solidly. Some didn't do a damn thing to entertain anyone. Like, how is Tim Allen considered an entertainer? Can we vote on that? Anyway, here is our list of the 10 who, for a variety of reasons, provided us with the most and best entertainment this year:

Mariah Carey

In a time when publicity machines protect stars and keep their dirty laundry private (come to think of it that probably includes, oh, the whole twentieth century as well as today) how refreshing it is to see a superstar deteriorate right before our very eyes! Having a flop album and movie in the same year is an impressive feat. Sure, the fact that the disc was the soundtrack to the film (Glitter in case you don't remember it from the week it was in theaters) lowered the degree of difficulty for that feat. It also provided a kind of synergistic disaster-one of the first great failures in this age of consolidated media and "cross-promoting." It was like the album and the movie each made the other one worse.

Wimping out of the Baba Wawa interview may have been a good move-it preserved her mystique for a little while longer. However, Mariah still completed the trifecta of media failure at year's end with a widely panned and little-seen holiday television special. Notice we haven't even mentioned the whole MTV fiasco yet, in which she appeared to meltdown faster than the ice cream she was passing out. Can Mariah possibly have a year as bad as 2002? One would doubt it, but she's already starting it off on a bad foot by guest-starring on…Ally McBeal.

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David Letterman

In his first night doing The Late Show after the terrorist attacks, showed class and dignity that reflected well not just on him, but on the whole industry. More importantly, he provided an outlet for everyone who was unsure of how much to emote or whether it was OK to do it on TV or when watching TV. And after saying that it is totally classless and unnecessary to say this, but let's face it, he still kicks Leno's ass.

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George Clooney

This guy somehow managed to become one of the biggest movie stars around despite:
  a) being in a lot of really bad TV for years,
  b) being on a really good show but defining himself in that role for years, and then
  c) not being in a lot of really successful movies, when you think of it.

The guy's only acting achievement this year was Ocean's Eleven – but what an achievement. He brought a cool swagger to a movie that would have sunk if it had seemed self-conscious or forced. He brought all sorts of buddies along to make it an all-star cast. he has constantly used his clout and power to get the ball rolling on projects like that and seemingly dozens of other cool projects he's developing.

Lots of cool, hip projects, are being done with his involvement. Plus he is linked with half the hot actresses in Hollywood…and guys still don't hate him for all this. Oh, and he fought the good fight raising money for victims of the September 11th attacks. And how can you hate a guy who is humble enough to constantly make fun of himself for killing the Batman franchise? Ask Bill O'Reilly how--we don't have any problem with George.

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Huey Freeman from "The Boondocks"

Even before September 11, Aaron Magruder's comic strip "The Boondocks" stood out. First of all, it is rare to see any African-American points of view in the comics. Also, it is increasingly rare to see any kind of political content. This strip, however, featured commentary on world events, black culture, culture in general, values, and just simple regular funny things about everyday life. Leading the way is Huey Freeman, the highly intelligent-and opinionated-youngster who ripped on everything this year. After the attacks, Huey did not suddenly change his beliefs, pointing out threats to civil liberties and poking fun at the feds during a running gag about an investigation of Miss Cleo. Of course, the Miss Cleo story was another way to comment on what Huey sees as some of the things that are ludicrous about African-American culture (others who Freeman scorns include Eddie Griifin and Vivica A. Fox-you won't see "For Better of For Worse" lobbing shots at THOSE targets). Many days The Boondocks is simply a few kids talking to each other, but Huey makes it all work.

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Toby Keith

OK, 'fess up, Toby-are you trying to be Ray Stevens? Seriously, maybe someone who knows more about country music can enlighten me, but this guy seems to be developing one heckuva comedy act. His ridiculous "How do you like me now" song still got some airplay this year, and then the cowboy-hatted one outdid himself with his latest hit, "I Wanna Talk About Me." If you've ever wondered if there was a place in music for country/rap fusion…you were probably detained and put somewhere you wouldn't be able to hurt yourself. But they'll have to release you because Toby Keith has actually done it. Just try to get Jay-Z to throw down a line like "We talk about your nana down in Muncie, Indiana…We talk about your grandma down in Alabama."

Then there are those goofy-ass long distance commercials. Do you think that somewhere underneath that big ol' cowboy hat and amiable "Aw, shucks" grin lurks a cold-blooded desperado who might shoot a man just to watch him die? Of course not. But that Terry Bradshaw? Him, you have to look out for.

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Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton

America's favorite couple-OK, our favorite couple-has to be on this list, and since they apparently can't bear to be apart for any longer than All the Pretty Horses, they go on our list as a tandem. You want to talk about how impossibly gorgeous Angelina was in Tomb Raider? Probably not, but we do. Want to talk about Billy Bob's outstanding performance in The Man Who Wasn't There? Or his lauded (but unseen here as of yet) work in Monster's Ball? All of that could put them on the list. The fact that Billy Bob had the nerve to release a crappy record helps, too. Some might call that move courageous, but we call it just not giving a damn-which is pretty cool. We don't need to talk about Original Sin or Bandits, but at least Angelina and Billy Bob, respectively, was each the best thing about those bombs. And as for the stories of blood vials, dungeons, all-orange diets, etc.-if even half of it is true, they deserve to be among the Entertainers of the Year. Our only disappointment: The breakup of Marilyn Manson and Rose McGowan shattered our dreams of seeing the mixed tag team match to end all mixed tag team matches.

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Gene Hackman

There is the work: Royal Tenenbaums, Heist-two really cool movies unimaginable without Hackman's presence. Heartbreakers-a surprisingly fun if fluffy movie that Gene's chain-smoking almost stole from Jennifer Love Hewitt's body. And he even boosted Behind Enemy Lines, a pretty routine action flick. And he was in The Mexican, too. And oh, yeah, his great French Connection movies were released in kick-ass DVD packages this year.

Yes, the work is tremendous…but we have to admit, the real reason he is on this list is for getting into a street brawl a few months back. Keep up the good work, street fighting man!

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Brad Pitt

The guy was in a ton of stuff this year. Quantity may not be enough if there isn't quality, of course. Ocean's Eleven was a great flick, and Pitt was really good in it. His comic mumble in Snatch, his loose attitude in The Mexican, and his easy ball-busting camaraderie with Robert Redford in Spy Game made entertaining performances in 4 movies, total-not a bad year at all. Plus there was the wacky if not entirely hilarious guest shot on Friends. We can't forget, either, his Hollywood marriage to Jennifer Aniston. They aren't exactly the glitziest, but they are pretty, and they're probably the number one celebrity couple out there right now. (Not to us-we still like Billy Bob and Angie-but to the general public and media) That's gotta count for something.

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Alyssa Milano

What a great year it was for Alyssa. Did she make her breakthrough into a prosperous film career? No, the movie where she plays an exotic dancer, Buying the Cow, is in limbo (trust us, we check often). Did she win an Emmy? No, Charmed was once again completely snubbed by the Academy of Television Bigwigs Trying to Prove Their Hipness. That is what it's called, right? Well, whatever it is, no one called Alyssa.

What she did do was bring a big round of "Ding dong, the witch is dead" to the WB by getting archenemy Shannen Doherty booted off Charmed, cleverly sliding her way into the sole "star" spot on the show, and managing to avoid the bad press Brenda got. Not only was this a good move for Alyssa, though-it was good for the American people, God bless us all. The clever power play improved the show's babe factor by bringing Rose McGowan factor aboard, and improved the industry's karma factor by sending Shannen Doherty back to the netherworlds of Lifetime movies and erotic thrillers co-starring Judd Nelson.

As if that wasn't enough, Alyssa captivated television viewers everywhere-except in those stodgy places where women aren't allowed to crusade for cheap phone calls in skintight clothes-in her recurring role in the Best Damn Series of Commercials of All Time--the Eva Savealot ads. Just think how much she has done for the economy, considering the vast numbers of TV viewers spreading an extra, oh, at least a buck or two, into various sectors of the economy.

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Britney Spears

This choice is a no-brainer. That's right, Britney Spears has no brains. Well, maybe that's harsh, but how else do you explain that stupid sock on her arm during the Super Bowl Halftime show? Maybe she was abducted by aliens. They might have also taken her voice, since we never actually hear her sing in her public performances. Or maybe the sock was some kind of secret love gesture to her dorky boyfriend-you know, the goofy guy from that goofy boy band? Or maybe it was a coded signal to her most famous groupie, Bob Dole.

If we can solve the mystery of the sock, maybe we can then solve the riddle of that dance with the snake at the MTV Awards. And then maybe we can move on to trying to figure out what the hell Jon Voight was doing on her HBO special. And then –

Well, maybe we shouldn't try to figure out Britney. Maybe we should enjoy wacky Britney and all the crazy stuff she does, and just wait for the inevitable day when she finally performs naked and then wonders "what all the fuss is about."