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2011's most searched person? Justin Bieber

Let's cut to the chase here: Despite all the moaning and complaining the internet (and this site, and my Twitter and Facebook) receives about Justin Bieber and all the media coverage of him, he's still Google's most-searched person of 2011.And guess who is No. 2? The other celebrity everyone loves to hate (but apparently, secretly searches, early and often): Kim Kardashian. To say any of this is
Justin Bieber
Justin BieberBrendan Mcdermid / Reuters / Today

Let's cut to the chase here: Despite all the moaning and complaining the internet (and this site, and my Twitter and Facebook) receives about Justin Bieber and all the media coverage of him, he's still Google's most-searched person of 2011.

And guess who is No. 2? The other celebrity everyone loves to hate (but apparently, secretly searches, early and often): Kim Kardashian. 

Kim Kardashian
Kim KardashianDavid Livingston / Getty Images Contributor / Today

To say any of this is surprising would be disingenuous. Record sales, ratings, the line outside the Dash boutique on any day that ends in "Y" -- these indicators don't lie. Biebs and Kim K are clearly people the general population is attracted to, it's just a little shocking to see that more people are plugging their names into Google than say, Steve Jobs (No. 8), a truly enigmatic innovator whose mark will be left on this world long after Bieber and Kardashian have faded from memory.

While it's no surprise that Lady Gaga would come in at No. 3 (unless you think it's surprising that she finished behind Kardashian), it is somewhat surprising that Nicki Minaj was the fourth most searched person in 2011. The hip hop artist caught the attention of most of America during the Grammy Awards in February (which was went Google searches for her spiked). Click on the video below for a reminder as to why.

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