To me, it’s not so much of a shocker.

To shock me, Hannah Montana would have to get knocked up.

#2. Paris Hilton: Can this woman get no respect? Falling from first on
our poll, she can’t seem to convince our respondents that she’s now
taken the high road in life. Perhaps in 2008, we’ll see her spurn
the spotlight in favor of some serious do-gooding.

#3. Bill O’Reilly: Another man who’s moving up in the world of
pretension is America’s “most influential conservative,” who last
year sat in spot number four. As the Fox News Channel’s resident
bully, O’Reilly is known for his feisty attitude, extraordinarily
slanted views and his ill-tempered tantrums whenever a liberal
notion creeps into the conversation.

#4. Rosie O’Donnell: Virtually tied for third with Mr. Reilly, Rosie
makes her debut on the most pretentious list this year. Equally
vociferous about her liberal leanings, Rosie is another media
miracle who never shrinks from expressing her opinions.

#5. Tom Cruise: About to become the subject of a tell-all book, the
inimitable Mr. Cruise is another personality who’s incredibly
high — on himself. He’ll always be remembered for his
couch-leaping craze, the value of his advice to new mothers and his
ongoing crusade for Scientology.

#6. Hillary Clinton: When it comes to pretension, few women can top
Hillary who is still convinced that people “in her position” should
never be questioned on pesky problems like the Whitewater scandal.
How surprised the other Democratic presidential contenders must have
been to discover they weren’t allowed to discuss her stands on any
of those annoying “issues” without becoming the targets of an
aggressive Bill attack.

#7. Victoria Beckham: Her Spice Girls nickname wasn’t “Posh” for
nothing though her musical contributions seem to have made a bigger
impression on Victoria herself than they ever did on the music
industry. “Coronated” when she wed — at least in her own mind –
she and her soccer sweetie sat on golden thrones as they surveyed
the subjects at their nuptials.

#8. Tyra Banks: If considering yourself to be extraordinarily talented
is a sure sign of being pretentious, claiming you are the next Oprah
may reach a new high. Though she’s no journalist, the Victoria
Secret’s supermodel thinks she has all the answers.

#9. Kanye West — Kanye’s sense of his own importance is most obvious
during music award season. In fact, he’s sure he deserves them all.
If he’s passed over, watch out, as this rapper will surely launch
into a rant.

#10. Britney Spears — Last place on the poll is reserved for a true
loser in 2007: she shed her husband, lost her kids and if her
performance at the MTV VMA’s is any indication, she may be in danger
of losing her career, as well. Perhaps it’s her hubris in thinking
she can continue on the course of her seemingly irresponsible life
and still claim she’s a good mom that earned her a place on the Fat
Bastard Most Pretentious Poll.

The award citation partially read: Al Gore “is probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted,”

Gore was traveling with his wife and released a statement saying: “We face a true planetary emergency. The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity. It is also our greatest opportunity to lift global consciousness to a higher level.”

The question remains. Will Al Gore run for president again?

FOXBORO – Disturbing and unfounded rumors about the health of Patriots’ linebacker Tedy Bruschi were dispelled Tuesday evening by the team’s media relations director, Stacey James.

James told The Sun Chronicle that rumors claiming that the 12th-year veteran had collapsed and died were indeed false, and that he had spoken to Bruschi personally Monday night after the linebacker had received concerned calls from teammates at his North Attleboro home inquiring about his condition.

“He was watching television with his family,” James said.

James said the rumors started Monday with an e-mail sent to an unnamed media reporter. Several newspapers and television stations, including The Sun Chronicle, received phone calls from concerned fans Tuesday as the rumor spread throughout the region.

Bruschi suffered a stroke after the Pro Bowl in February 2005, but returned to action midway through the following season. He was the Patriots’ leading tackler last year.

For more details, see Thursday’s editions of The Sun Chronicle.

- MARK FARINELLA, SUN CHRONICLE STAFF