"Idol" Simon Cowell voted best reality TV villain

Enlarge Photo Simon Cowell, one of the judges on the Fox network television reality series "American Idol",...

Thu, Jul 24 02:34 PM

LOS ANGELES (Reuters Life!) - Simon Cowell's sharp tongue with "American Idol" contestants made him the best reality TV villain in America but Paula Abdul was declared the worst reality TV judge in a poll released on Thursday.

Ratings juggernaut "American Idol" swept the competition by winning best reality show (33 percent) and best reality TV villain (39 percent) in the AOL survey that drew more than 1.3 million votes.

The singing talent show also took top place for the "hottest hook-up." Some 44 percent of voters chose 2008 "Idol" winner David Cook's brief date with former Idol contestant Kimberly Caldwell for the title.

Abdul, known for her emotional outbursts and as the kindest person on the "Idol" panel, was chosen worst reality judge by 42 percent of voters.

Only 14 percent of those taking part said they would try to get on "American Idol," which started auditions for its eighth season last week.

"The Amazing Race" was the reality show most people polled wanted to take part in, garnering 32 percent of votes.

Long-running dating show "The Bachelor" appears to have lost the hearts of American viewers after 12 seasons. It placed first in the "SO over" category with 43 percent of voters.

But rapper Flavor Flav got some of the biggest thumbs down. His "Flavor of Love" dating show was voted the season's worst reality program (34 percent), the show that people would least like to go on (57 percent), and the show with the scariest star (44 percent).

"Flavor of Love" ran for three seasons on VH1 before ending in May.

The AOL Television poll on the best and worst of reality television in America was conducted July 9-23 and attracted 1,340,208 votes.

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