Top 25: biggest celeb scandals since '82 | Cover Story: Countdown | News + Notes | Entertainment Weekly | 1

Top 25: biggest celeb scandals since '82

"The 25 Biggest Celeb Scandals Since 1982 From Madonna to Pee-wee, Lindsay Lohan to Britney Spears (and no, none of them made it to No. 1), we count down the most shocking celebrity moments of the past 20+ years"

The astounding thing about celebrity scandals is that they rarely seem to hurt a celeb's career unless the scandal involves something really dweeby and pitiable like jerking off in a porno theater.

No harm to the careers of Madonna, Vanessa Williams, Hugh Grant, etc.

Paris Hilton is known ONLY because of scandals. Without them, she's nobody at all.

Lohan is a household name because of her scandals, not in spite of them. Without her partying she's just another one of those fungible young actresses whose names one can never remember. Of course, that fame gives her an opportunity, but she can't use her fame to skip rehearsals, miss calls, show up late for work, or anything like that. That's the point where scandalous behavior hurts one's career, as it will hurt Lohan's right now unless she gets under control sufficiently to show up for work 100% prepared, 100% of the time.