The First Annual American Trainwreck Awards

Back in January, when Entertainment Weekly posed the question on their cover: "Can 2004 Get Any Weirder?" none of us had any idea how resounding the "Yes!" would be. I'm not sure if it's the leap year, the election or the impending apocalypse, but 2004 has been one of the wackiest years in pop culture ever and certainly one of the best for schadenfreude!

So when Saturday Night Live had the brilliant idea for an "American Trainwreck Awards" sketch, I decided to seize it as my own and run with it.

There have been so many trainwrecks this year, it's impossible for one blog to remember them all. Which is where you come in, dear readers. I'm seeking suggestions. The following categories are there to inspire, not restrict, so feel free to ignore classification, or even come up with your own ideas for categories. Also, don't get hung up on the term "trainwreck" -- if you feel more comfortable with "meltdown" or "disaster," plug those in instead.

E-mail all suggestions to pcpetridish@yahoo.com. And keep them coming until 2005.

Nominations will be announced on or around the one-year anniversary of Britney Spears' first marriage (and they said it wouldn't last!), with winners to be announced some time after the one-year anniversary of Britney Spears' first annullment.

And the Tentative Categories are:

• Overall, Best in Show, Trainwreck Moment of the Year
• Best Female Trainwreck
• Best Male Trainwreck
• Best Trainwreck by a Duo or Group
• Best Trainwreck, Feature Film
• Best Trainwreck, Album, Single or Tour
• Best Trainwreck, TV
• Best Reality Trainwreck
• Best Live TV Trainwreck
• Best Awards Show Trainwreck
• Best Relationship Trainwreck
• Best Trainwreck, Sports
• Best Trainwreck, Politics
• Best Foreign Language Trainwreck
• Best Non-Famous Person Trainwreck, Circulated Online for All to See
• Most Shocking Trainwreck
• Least Shocking Trainwreck
• Best Recovery from Potential Trainwreck