Celebrity of the Year Finalist #6: The Hills Cast

As 2007 draws to a close, it's time to reflect and pay tribute to the stars who made this a year to remember. On that note, The Hollywood Gossip is announcing its 10 finalists for its first annual Celebrity of the Year award.

They've given us their best, their worst and, in a more than a few cases, their naked pictures. Now it is time for us to give a little something back with this special feature, because without these celebrities, we are nothing.

We previously profiled High Schol Musical hunk Zac Efron at #7. Now, without further delay, we present Celebrity of the Year finalist #6 … The Hills cast!

In a manner of speaking, Lauren Conrad is the straw the stirs The Hills drink. At the same time, without Lauren's smarmy and sexy supporting cast, this Laguna Beach spin-off would never have been catapulted to its massive success.

In Season 3 of The Hills, the end of LC's friendship with Heidi Montag turned into to a public feud, with conflict outside the show spilling into the media.

A Year in The Hills: Star Lauren Conrad led her life, Spencer and Heidi staged a lot of pics, Jason Wahler went to rehab and jail, and Whitney Port sure looked pretty.

Amidst rumors of the Lauren Conrad sex tape, much of the season served as a mole hunt as Lauren had suspicions that the (false) sex tape rumors of were spread by Heidi and boyfriend Spencer Pratt (both Heidi and Spencer denied it).

Combine that central theme with former star Jason Wahler getting arrested four times, Spencer and Heidi getting engaged and staging bikini photo shoots every other day, LC's friend Whitney Port stepping into the limelight, and romance rumors involving Lauren Conrad and Brody Jenner, and a hit series was born.

The drama was so widespread that even bit players such as Gavin Beasley, Stephanie Pratt, Justin-Bobby Brescia and Jenn Bunney got in on the action. It was a year to remember on The Hills, and with at least eight new episodes coming next spring, we can only hope for a repeat - and then some - in 2008.