This should surprise no one. USA Today’s list of most exposed celebrities features Britney Spears in the number one spot, with Angelina Jolie coming in second and Jennifer Aniston in third place. Because nobody else on the planet had gotten more mileage out of a four-year-old love triangle than those two- but Britney’s mental breakdown and comeback story is more recent. At least, that’s my theory. Britney had to be locked in a psych ward twice, lose control of her estate, lose custody of her kids and untangle herself from a controlling svengali pyschopath this year to get more ink than Jolie and Aniston. All Angelina had to do was give birth to Brad Pitt’s twins, star in a Clint Eastwood movie and blab non-stop about how happy her life is. I’d take second place doing that over what Britney had to go though any day.

Britney Spears tops USA Today’s 2008 “Celebrity Heat Index” for the second year in a row. The ranking measures exposure in print and online entertainment news outlets.

Contributing to the pop star’s reign atop the list was the December release of Circus, which topped Billboard charts — and her two stints in psychiatric wards last January.

Angelina Jolie — who welcomed twins Knox and Viv in July — came in second place in the list. Her partner Brad Pitt came in fourth — behind ex-wife Jennifer Aniston.

[From Us Weekly]

It’s a very thin line between “most exposed” to “most overexposed,” and I’m pretty sure that all three of these celebs have crossed that line. It seems like Brangelina can’t break wind without it ending up on the cover of every magazine – and Jennifer Aniston’s suddenly loose lips about how she really feels about the couple has been whipping fans into a frenzy not seen since 2004. But I am going to optimistically predict that the public is growing tired of this love triangle and all three of the parties involved. It’s getting old, even for those of us who cover their every move.

As for Britney, I’m much happier reading stories about her conquering her stage fright and going out on tour than stories about her holding her kids hostage or being carted away in yet another ambulance.

Picture note by JayBird: Here’s Britney outside her hotel in Paris on November 28th, where she performed on the talent show “Star Academy.” Images thanks to Fame.