It was announced yesterday that Peter Jackson, acclaimed director of The Lord Of The Rings, will be receiving the honor of knighthood in the new year.

Peter called the news an "incredible moment" and explained, "I didn't think anything would surpass the 2004 Academy Awards, but I was wrong."

Congrats Peter!

[Image via WENN.]

Who were the big winners of 2009 in the music industry and who failed miserably???

Among the top tier of '09, we've got all the usual suspects - Lady GaGa (selling 2.3 million), Taylor Swift (5.3 mil, including record sales of 2008) and SuBo, who can't be torn down from her #1 spot on the charts, selling 2.9 million records!

But for every big album released, there's a bomb right below it!

Britney's greatest hits collection only managed to sell a measly 90,000 copies, but Mariah's numbers are even more embarassing!

Mimi only sold 375,000 copies of Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel in '09, even though her 2008 release, E=MC2, sold 463,000 copies in its first week.

Yikes.

Check out the entire list of 2009's hits and misses below!

BLOCKBUSTER
Taylor Swift 5.3 million (including 08 sales)
Beyonce 2.7 million (including 08 sales)
Susan Boyle 2.9 million
Lady GaGa 2.3 million + 500,000 more of the EP
Andrea Bocelli 2.1 million

BIG HITS
Jay-Z 1.5 million
Alicia Keys 700,000 (after TWO weeks)
Black Eyed Peas 1.7 million
Miley Cyrus HANNAH Sdtrk 1.8 million
Miley Cyrus TIME OF OUR LIVES 1.2 million
Michael Buble 1.2 million
P!nk 1.5 million
Michael Jackson THIS IS IT 1.3 million
Rascal Flatts 1.2 million & Greatest Hits 850,000
Carrue Underwood 1.2 million (and just getting started)
Eminem 1.7 million

DISAPPOINTING
Adam Lambert 419,000
Rihanna 457,000
Whitney Houston 900,000
Jonas Brothers 600,000
Bon Jovi 400,000
Kelly Clarkson 800,000
Norah Jones 600,000
Barbara Stresisand 450,000
Sting XMAS CD 450,000

BOMBS
Mariah Carey 375,000
Britney GREATEST hits 90,000
Madonna CELEBRATION 175,000
Janet Jackson # 1's 85,000
Leona Lewis 150,000
One Republic 90,000
Shakira 200,000
Rod Stewart 300,000
Kellie Pickler 350,000
Kris Allen 219,000
Robin Thicke 184,000 (and DROPPING)
Chris Brown 219,000
David Archuleta XMAS 200,000
Harry Connick Jr 250,000

[Image via WENN.]

The company joins Accenture and Gillette in cutting ties with the golfer

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That thing is huge!

Hulk Hogan's MUCH younger fiance Jennifer McDaniel showed off her big ole diamond engagement ring poolside at a South Beach hotel with her friend/future step-daughter Brooke Hogan.

We wonder if Brooke will be the maid-of-honor, too.

What a trashy, blonde and tanned affair that will be!

Speaking of trashy, what's Linda Hogan been up to these days?

[Image via Mavrix Online.]

Filed under: Exclusives, Tiger Woods

Rachel Uchitel may be spending her New Year's Eve with a bunch of people who enjoy hitting balls with sticks ... but fortunately for Elin Nordegren, we're told Tiger Woods isn't one them.TMZ has learned Uchitel has her choice of end-of-the-year ...

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Filed under: Celebrity Justice

Walt Disney's grandson pled not guilty to 24 felonies in Van Nuys Superior Court today -- which is officially the number of charges it takes to make DMX blush.As we first reported, Patrick Disney Miller was arrested earlier this month after cops ...

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How cheesy cute!

Nick Cannon and wifey Mariah Carey like to send a little holiday cheer to friends and family around this time of year.

They especially like to send out these cartoonish Christmas cards.

This year, the cards were illustrated by J. David McKenney and included the whole family, which includes their four dogs J.J., Cha-Cha, Dolomite, and Jack.

How come we didn't get one, Mimi???

Can you think of a better way to end the decade than gazing upon the beauty that is Brooke Hogan sunbathing in a bikini? Yeah, we didn't think so. Check out the video below, if you dare, of the Brooke Knows Best star and budding songstress, catching some rays with her daddy Hulk's girlfriend, Jennifer McDaniel, in Miami Beach on Thursday. If you look closely, you can see the Hulkster peering at them through the bushes behind them. (Just kidding; he was probably up on the balcony of his hotel room, observing them through a pair of binoculars.) Happy New Year, everyone!

On Tuesday, we mentioned that former boybander J.C. Chasez had a tax lien placed against him by the state of Mississippi.

Now his manager is speaking out because he wants everyone to know J.C. isn't broke.

His manager explains that "This is a dispute between 'NSync and the state of Mississippi that stems back from an 'NSync performance in the state. Since 'NSync no longer exists, the state is going after each member individually."

And since J.C. "was the principal member of 'NSync, the front guy, so they are going after him first. This is still an open dispute with 'NSync as a whole and 'NSync is looking to get it all resolved."

Glad to see his manager dragging all members into this $206,965 mess.

Even if you divide that by 5, Justin Timberlake is probably still the only one who could pay for it and have money left over.

P.S. Since when was J.C. the "front guy" of 'NSync??? Guess it depends on who you ask!

[Image via WENN.]

Well, they could have said worse things!

Van Morrison's website was hacked and the offenders created the false statement about the Irish singer fathering a child with his manager, GiGi.

Morrison has said that the announcement was completely untrue and "utterly without foundation." He also stated that he is happily married to his wife Michelle Morrison.

This is the second time his website has been hacked!

Sheesh, who has it out for Van Morrison of all people?!

[Image via WENN.]