Oh hey 2011, boy you sure came and went in a hurry!  Do we really only have three weeks to treasure you before we have to transition into 2012 – potentially the last year we’ll have on this green Earth? 

While I secretly obsess over the Mayan prophecy of apocalypse in 2012, I think I’ll honor the greatness that 2011 brought to pop culture by basically ripping off Barbara Walters’ “10 Most Fascinating People” list.  To mix it up slightly – and to avoid being sued – I’m going to focus on the 10 stars/pop culture events that 2011 birthed and really took the year by storm.  

To remain en vogue with the current rapid social media culture, I’ll only be devoting 140 characters to each because, let’s face it, anything longer would be a waste of our both our times.  Without further ado, here are the (or just my) 10 biggest breakout stars of 2011.

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10.  2 Broke Girls’ Kat Dennings & Beth Behrs: The most watched new show of 2011, 2 Broke Girls has charmed viewers with the deadly funny & raunchy combo of Denning’s wit & Behrs’ naïveté.

9.  Marvel Superheroes:  Thor, X-Men & Captain America were huge summer hits. The Avengers and Spiderman are up next. No love for Comet Man? (He’s real, Google it). 

8.  Foster The People:  The little indie band that was a huge Top 40 hit.  You would’ve had to “run run, faster than my bullet” to avoid hearing “Pumped Up Kicks.”

7.  Rubber Man from American Horror Story:  That black latex suit (and the man inside) was the breakout star of the deliciously horrifying FX series. And when the mask came off: #whoa

6.  Anthony Weiner:  Not really a celeb, but boy did a certain appendage of his become a national joke. Seriously, you can’t write this kind of hilarious irony.

5.  Nicki Minaj:  Yes Ms. Minaj had been around, but “Super Bass” skyrocketed her to fame, along with her myriad of alter egos.  We love you Roman & Martha!

4.  Melissa McCarthy:  She won an Emmy for her role on Mike & Molly & stole all the laughs from Kristen Wiig in Bridesmaids.  She could make calculus funny.

3.  Sasha Fetus:  This unborn chap has become arguably the most famous baby in showbiz, and all he/she has done is chill in Beyonce’s womb for about 7 months.

2.  Ryan Gosling (and his abs):  With Oscar buzz surrounding his role in Ides of March, the Crazy Stupid Love scene-stealer easily wins “Most Famous Torso” of 2011.

1.  Tiger Blood and #Winning:  If you told me in 2010 that Charlie Sheen would be responsible for two of 2011’s most inescapable phrases, I’d have laughed. Sadly, I’m not.

So when people ask you what tiger blood, rubber, abs and an unborn fetus all have in common, now you’ll clearly be able to answer that they’re the biggest breakout stars of 2011.  And if these things don’t have you on pins and needles in anticipation for what 2012 could bring, I don’t know what will.  So sayonara 2011, thank you for being incredibly weird and all-around entertaining.  2012 has a lot to live up to.  Hmm, maybe that’s why it’s planning that end of the world shindig.  Play fair 2012, play fair.