When it comes to headline news, sex trumps just about everything. Not even war can draw more readers than a juicy sex scandal – something newspaper knew in the 18th century and remains true today. Of course, the advent of the Internet Age has changed newspapers forever, but the draw of a salacious story has only become even more tantalizing than ever before. Today we don’t have to rely on the word of an indiscreet doorman or a wronged lover to get the juicy details – the sex tape has become almost required for a sex scandal to be considered big news. As these five scandals prove, the sex tape is not only here to stay, it’s become an icon in its own right.

5. ROB LOWE

Rob Lowe has made quite the comeback. In the 1980s, Rob was caught up in the sex tape scandal that started them all. Rob was caught on tape with two women he had met during the Democratic National Convention. It turned out one of the women was underage and this revelation sparked off a huge controversy. Lowe denied ever knowing one of the women had been a minor, but the tape still sullied the actor’s reputation. The sex tape fiasco didn’t end there, however. There was a second act, so to speak, of the tape where Lowe was filmed with another male friend having sex with a model. In 1988, that portion of the tape became the first sex tape made commercially available to the public. Lowe’s reputation was damaged for years, but he eventually made a comeback, even making light of the issue on two separate appearances on Saturday Night Live.

4. PAMELA ANDERSON AND TOMMY LEE

Pamela Anderson taped parts of her honeymoon with her then husband, Tommy Lee, which would become the first sex tape to be leaked illegally. In the mid-1990s, the tape was stolen from their home and then distributed widely online. It spread like wildfire thanks to Anderson’s fame from Baywatch and rumors about the size of Tommy Lee’s penis. The couple eventually discovered the video had been distributed by a company called the Internet Entertainment Group. The Lees sued the company and eventually settled in a confidential, out of court agreement. The tape remains available today through a number of subscription websites.

3. JOHN EDWARDS

Political sex scandals are especially tantalizing and, in the case of John Edwards, they can change the course of history. In 2007, Edwards had a bright future, with many speculating he had a chance to run for president. All that changed, however, when The National Enquirer ran a story about an affair he was having with one of his staffers, Rielle Hunter, who was now pregnant. Edwards tried to deny the story at first, but the damage was done and his political aspirations were over. The revelation of a sex tape, however, didn’t emerge until several years later and has resurrected the story once again.

2. DUSTIN DIAMOND

The release of a sex tape typically hurts the careers or reputations of those involved – at least for a little while. Nevertheless, some people film and then release them in the hopes of kick starting their career or, in the case of Dustin Diamond, revitalize a long-dead one. In 2006, the tape of TV’s ‘Screech” having sex with two unknown women was reportedly “leaked” but later Diamond’s manager admitted he had released the tape in the hopes of improving the actor’s profile. The ploy didn’t work, possibly because so few people wanted to see Screech’s O-face.

1. PARIS HILTON AND RICK SALOMON

Often cited as the Granddaddy of All Sex Tapes, the film of Paris Hilton and Rick Salomon getting down and dirty with full night vision remains the most iconic sex tape in history. The tape, titled 1 Night in Paris, was distributed by Salomon allegedly without Hilton’s consent. The public fighting and ultimate court battle not only drove up sales of the tape, it launched Hilton’s career as a reality television star.