17 Celebrity Events That Were The Biggest News In 2006

Paris, Lindsay, Britney, and Nicole ruled the headlines.

1. Nicole Richie was arrested after driving under the influence of drugs:

Handout / Getty Images

Richie was arrested for driving under the influence after two 911 callers saw her driving on the wrong side of the highway. Richie admitted to taking Vicodin and smoking pot.

2. Paris Hilton got arrested for a DUI:

AP

Hilton was arrested for driving under the influence, with a blood alcohol reading of .08. Hilton blamed the reading on not eating all day, and drinking one margarita - she was allegedly on her way to In-N-Out when she got pulled over.

3. Lance Bass came out to People magazine:

People

Lance Bass came out to People magazine in 2006 but later said he felt forced by Perez Hilton and other bloggers.

4. Angelina Jolie confirmed she was pregnant with Brad Pitt's child:

Fabrice Coffrini / AFP / Getty Images

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt confirmed the impending arrival of their first biological child in 2006 and the world collectively lost their shit.

5. Seinfield actor Michael Richards went on a racist rant while doing stand-up:

Michael Schwartz / Getty

youtube.com

During a stand-up performance at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood, Richards went on a racist rant after losing his temper on stage. He later apologised on The Late Show With David Letterman.

6. Ashlee Simpson's nose job got a lot of publicity:

Getty

Simpson neither confirmed nor denied her nose job, but according to People instead laughed when asked about it. "I'm like OK, whatever. It doesn't bother me."

7. A pregnant Britney was caught driving with baby Sean Preston on her lap:

Jamie Mccarthy / WireImage / Via Getty

Britney later said she was trying to dodge the paparazzi and that she was "terrified" at the time.

8. Later that year, Britney filed for divorce from K-Fed:

Vince Bucci / Stringer

Two months after the birth of their second son, Britney decided enough was enough, and filed for divorce from K-Fed... who said he was left completely blindsided by the decision.

9. And K-Fed released a CD:

Federation

Look, it didn't do that well.

10. Eddie Murphy doubted he was the father of Mel B's baby:

John M. Heller / Getty Images

Gregg DeGuire / Getty Images

Murphy disputed he was the father of Brown's unborn baby, stating in an interview in December 2006, "I don't know whose child that is, until it comes out and has a blood test." A DNA test in 2007 confirmed Murphy was indeed the father of Brown's daughter Angel Iris.

11. Anna Nicole Smith gave birth to a baby girl, and lost her son:

Win McNamee / Getty Images

Anna Nicole Smith gave birth to her daughter Danielynn in September of 2006. Three days later her 20-year-old son Daniel tragically died. Smith had a commitment ceremony with her lawyer Howard. K Stern later that month, who was listed on her daughter's birth certificate as the father. However, entertainment photographer Larry Birkhead contested that he was the biological father, which was proved in 2007, two months after Anna Nicole Smith's death.

12. The A Million Little Pieces memoir was proven to be not so autobiographical:

OWN / Via oprah.com

After Oprah lauded the ~memoir~ A Million Little Pieces by James Frey and included it as part of her book club in 2005, it was discovered early 2006 the work was in fact semi-fictitious. The Smoking Gun published an article about the fabrications in the story, and Oprah had Frey come back on her show. Needless to say she wasn't happy.

13. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had a baby and got married:

Wireimage House / WireImage

The media rollercoaster that was Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes continued in 2006, with Holmes giving birth to their daughter Suri and the kooky couple tying the knot later that year. What a time that was indeed.

14. Eminem filed for divorce... again:

Scott Gries / Getty Images

Eminem and his ex wife Kim Scott, briefly remarried in January 2006, after divorcing in 2001. The union wasn't meant to be however, and the couple only made it to April before Eminem filed for divorce once again.

15. Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe separated:

Evan Agostini / Getty Images

Hollywood darlings Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon released a statement October 2006 saying they had decided to separate. Witherspoon filed for divorce in November not long after the initial announcement.

16. Lindsay Lohan stated Paris Hilton hit her:

youtube.com

Lindsay told paparazzi that Hilton hit her and poured a drink all over her and that it was "not OK." She also called her a c*** in a separate incident.

17. Then Paris, Lindsay and Britney all hung out the next night like nothing happened:

youtube.com

Before getting in the car Lindsay states "Paris never hit me, she's my friend."

Basically sums up the craziness of the whole year that was 2006 to be honest.