The moment has arrived.
You've seen Nos. 81-100, 61-80, 41-60 and 21-40. Now it's time to unveil the final installment in my list of top 100 people of 2007. Can you handle the suspense? Is your heart pounding?
Here they are:
20. Stephen Colbert. The late-night host continued to sharpen his skewering skills, though some of us didn't realize just how valuable he was until the writers' strike snatched him away. Highlights of the year included the publication of I Am America (And So Can You!), the funny Tek Jansen comic, a short-lived presidential bid and, my personal favorite, the creamy Americone Dream from Ben & Jerry's. Mmm.
19. Kristen Bell. I'm still in denial over the cancellation of Veronica Mars -- I saw Wallace on a commercial and almost cried -- but it hasn't slowed down busy Bell, who snapped up a bad-girl role (or is it?) in Heroes, a voiceover part on the CW's Gossip Girl, the lead in romantic comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall and a so-nerdy-it's-sexy part in the upcoming Fanboys. What could make it better? Seeing her face in a Mars comic. Cross your fingers.
18. Tracy Morgan. Everyone on 30 Rock makes me laugh until YooHoo fliies out of my nose, but Morgan's lines come so fast and furious, I often have to hit the rewind button on my remote. Werewolf Bar Mitzvah may have pushed him over the edge -- from now on, I can't picture a Halloween without it.
17. Bruce Springsteen. Magic lived up to its name, and fans rejoiced when The Boss rounded up the E Street Band for another whirlwind tour. I attended my first Bruce show this year, and, despite never making eye contact with Clarence Clemons (oh, how I tried!), it was a night I'll never forget.
16. Michael Cera. Arrested Development fans already knew he was gifted, and, thanks to Superbad, Juno and Clark and Michael, thousands more are now in on the secret. From here, Cera can pretty much do whatever he pleases. I'd follow him anywhere, even if that path took him to, say, a Good Luck Chuck sequel or an episode of Ghost Whisperer (which it won't).
15. Kanye West. Was there any doubt who would win the Kanye/50 Cent sales battle? The rapper delivered another stupendous effort with Graduation, and Stronger and Can't Tell Me Nothin' were two of my favorite tracks of the year. Once again, West proved his brillance when it came to choosing collaborators, from Daft Punk to comedian Zach Galifianakis to artist Takashi Murakami. Sadly, the year ended with his mother's untimely death. There's no doubt she was his biggest fan.
14. Zach Quinto. At Heroes' peak, there were moments when it felt like Sylar could reach through the screen and shake us. It's hard to imagine Quinto playing any other character ... except Spock. We'll see him on the big screen in '08, when Star Trek beams into theaters. Between his eyebrows and the Joker's grin, it should be a year of memorable facial features.
13. The Police. News of their reunion prompted screams across the globe, and the resulting tour grossed an overwhelming $212 million and climbing. Hear that, Led Zeppelin? It's your move ...
12. Jenna Fischer. Pam Beesly may not take as many trips to Hooters or paper conventions as the rest of the Dunder Mifflin gang, but The Office couldn't survive without her. Watching Fischer's character pine last season was absolute torture, followed by sweet relief when love came her way. As for the actress' out-of-Office career, she surfaced in three comedies (Walk Hard, Blades of Glory, The Brothers Solomon) and kept smiling through a painful back accident.
11. Amy Winehouse. Forget the headlines about her personal life -- the singer stormed into the pop world with a soulful album and a bold beehive hairdo, and she deserves credit for the bombastic vocal talent that she is. I hope Winehouse works out her issues in '08 so we can hear more of that voice. It's way too cool to be wasted.
10. Katee Sackhoff. Our beloved Starbuck scared the frakkin' daylights out of us last season on Battlestar Galactica, then she stole Jaime Sommers' thunder on Bionic Woman within the span of, oh, three minutes. After BSG fades into the galaxy, casting directors better have the sense to pounce on Sackhoff like a pot o' cubits.
9. Flight of the Conchords. Though it took me a few episodes to get used to the concept, I soon grew to love the musical comedians and their awesome sweatshirts, bumbling manager and No. 1 fan. Bret and Jemaine have given me a new appreciation for the phrase "business time," and every night I pray for a David Bowie dream before I go to sleep.
8. Arcade Fire. Neon Bible wasn't just an album, it was an experience. The band continued to deliver amazing live shows, even inviting Springsteen into the mix. Most people I know appreciate this band, and for good reason: Even on a blustery December day, Win Butler and the gang are guaranteed to generate some heat.
7. Matt Groening. The Simpsons creator launched the king of all movie promotions when The Simpsons Movie arrived in theaters, and I'm still saying "D'oh!" for not grabbing a Squishee or some Krusty O's while I could. As for the movie, it turned out to be a satisfying Springfield adventure with one shocking bonus: nude Bart!
6. Seth Rogen. He looks like a dude you went to high school with, and now he's a hairy millionaire. Rogen topped his starring role in Knocked Up by penning Superbad, the year's other gross 'n' hilarious date movie. Considering the guy turned just 25 this year, it's a safe bet we'll be hearing much more from him in the years to come.
5. Feist. I don't even have to write anything, and you already have that song from the iPod commercial in your head, don't you? That goes to show what a year can do for the singer, who was still considered pretty unknown when her 2007 album, The Reminder, was released. Not anymore. Cue the dancers!
4. J.J. Abrams. Just call him the Baffler: From Lost's twists and turns to the mystery that is Cloverfield, we hung on every cryptic clue he threw in our direction. In a way, a clear-cut project like Star Trek may come as somewhat of a relief ... unless he's planning some sort of online "alternate reality" game with Bones and Uhura or something.
3. David Chase. Saying goodbye to Tony Soprano and his clan was murder, but, if it had to be done, Chase couldn't have written a more appropriate (or maddening) ending. Don't Stop Believin' will never sound the same again -- for me, Chase improved it.
2. J.K. Rowling. Fans anticipated and dreaded Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- after all these years of Potter-worship, saying goodbye to the gang would be just as hard as saying goodbye to, well, The Sopranos. When the book finally arrived, it made us laugh, gasp and weep. It stands as the best book Rowling has ever written, and, for some of us, our favorite reading experience.
And at No. 1 ...
1. Radiohead. The band still might've topped this list based on the quality of In Rainbows alone; the album was a critical success that appealed to fans of "vintage" records and the group's more recent, experimental sound. What put Thom Yorke & Co. over the top, however, was their determination to change the conventions of the music industry. By debuting Rainbows online and installing a "pay what you want" program, they launched fascinating discussions about what music is worth, and have opened the doors for more experimentation. It's too soon to tell just how much their work and business decisions will impact the culture, but they've already made a significant mark.
So, there you go. I hope you enjoyed this year's list, and I encourage you to leave feedback and suggest your own people in the comments. If you like, peek at my people of the year from 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. (Yes, I've been at this for a long time!)
Real name: Grant Linton
Real name: Jenn Thompson
