A rapidly growing internet meme, similar to LOLcats, is the self-explanatory ‘Fail’. This is perhaps the best word to describe the following 10 celebrities that have majestically failed in their rise to stardom. Perhaps they have achieved their goal in a twisted way - their actions have caused more of a stir than normal PR or a box-office hit would have. Here are the top 10 most epic failures when it comes to celebrities.

10. Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston can boost with 7 consecutive #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and being part of one of the most successful soundtracks of all time. It all started to plummet when she married R&B singer Bobby Brown. Her personal issues started affecting her career, the star eventually undergoing two rehab programs, in 2005 and 2006. After the second program, the diva divorced Brown and gained custody of their only daughter. She is hoping to have a comeback with a studio album she will be releasing in November 2008.

9. OJ Simpson

He was the first NFL player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season, record-breaking sprinter and an actor. But the road started getting bumpy when O.J. Simpson was accused for the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. Although acquitted, the trial was highly publicized and badly damaged his image. In 2007 he was arrested for a number of felonies such as burglary and assault with a deadly weapon and even conspiracy to commit a crime.

8. Mel Gibson

“F—ing Jews…. The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world,” are probably Mel Gibson’s most famous words to date. On the morning of July 28, 2006, a drunken Mel Gibson uttered these words to L.A. County sheriff’s deputy James Mee after he was arrested for DUI. He later issued a statement apologizing for the episode and admitting he is battling alcohol.

7. Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell is probably one of the most resourceful celebrities when it comes to assaulting staff. With a Blackberry and a serious anger issue, Naomi Campbell has been sued by her staff for verbally and physically assaulting them. Fifth former employees accuse the diva of attacks consisting in yelling, screaming, hitting, slamming and what not. She ended up with several trials, a lifetime ban from British Airways and probably a much needed therapy session. Recently, the stylish Naomi was accused of spitting at a policewoman during a dispute over missing luggage.

6. The Olsen Twins

We’re not talking about the cute girls everyone loved in “Full House”, but about the drug using, money laundering Olsen Twins that are making headlines ever often. Mary-Kate Olsen has allegedly entered rehab for cocaine addition but also because she was suffering from the eating disorder anorexia nervosa. Furthermore, the Olsen twins have been previously investigated for tax-evasion, money laundering and fraud. Mary Kate was also caught in the hype surrounding Heath Ledger’s death, after the masseuse that found the actor dead called her before 911.

5. Lindsay Lohan

A name that has began to be associated with alcohol, drugs and painkiller abuse, Lindsay Lohan is on a bumpy road to fame. Friends confessed she has been snorting cocaine and popping Oxycontin, one of the most dangerous illegal drugs in the world, then washing them down with vodka. After reaching rehab, she failed several drug tests and drowned the grief in vodka sneaked in by a friend. These actions have already proved harmful for her career, since she missed the start of her new film, Poor Things, and she postponed recording her new album.

4. Tom Cruise

Surrounded by controversy, Tom Cruise is one of the most talked about celebrities in Hollywood. After brutal break-up with Nicole Kidman and a surprisingly rapid proposal to an unlikely girl friend such as Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise started taking his role of advocate for the Church of Scientology more and more seriously. He criticized actress Brooke Shields for using an anti-depressant after giving birth to her daughter while also stating that psychiatry “is a Nazi science”. To top it all off, he sued the makers of South Park for an episode about Scientology and Tom’s sexual orientation. And just breaking today -> Tom Cruise had an affair with Cher (puke!)

3. Paris Hilton

No list about celebrity failures would have been complete without Paris Hilton. After triggering hype with her sex tape, she spent 45 days in prison for violating the terms of her probation from a DUI incident. Paris also got her friends in Hollywood pissed, when the contents of her Sidekick leaked, making Lindsay Lohan’s, Snoop Dogg’s or Avril Lavigne’s phone numbers public to the world. Recently, her new movie, The Hottie and the Nottie, has been rated the worst movie of all time by internet users.

2. Britney Spears

This time we won’t LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!! After settling down with Kevin Federline, having two kids for which she lost custody, Britney is desperately trying to live up to her fan’s expectations. The train-wreck that her personal life is becoming has proved to be an obstacle for her career as well - the performance at the MTV awards was the preview for what proves to be one of the worst comebacks in pop history. Spears’ increasingly erratic behavior continues complicating her custody case even more. And we haven’t even mentioned the haunting image of the bald Britney.

1. Michael Jackson and his children

One of the trickiest subjects on the list, “Michael Jackson and children” has been making headlines since 1993, when he was first accused of molestation. In 1994, he reached an undisclosed financial settlement with the accuser but this is only a case that foreshadowed numerous other ones. When he was given an opportunity to show the public his child skills, he failed notoriously - MJ greeted his fans in Berlin by dangling his son, Prince Michael II (a.k.a. ”Blanket”), over the railing. He hasn’t given up his lavish lifestyle in spite of the diminishing sales on his albums, Forbes estimating his net worth at $350 million and his debt at $200 million.

And the question we can’t yet answer: Will Miley Cyrus be the next big celebrity to make this list? Only time and the paparazzi will tell.