TV's Richest Are Also TV's Most Hated

Forbes has revealed its list of the highest paid TV personalities, and it proves one thing: The best way to make the big bucks on the small screen is to make a big population of people hate you.

Just look at the top three finishers on the list: Simon Cowell, maligned judge of American Idol and The X Factor, makes $95 million; Howard Stern, maligned judge of America's Got Talent and Sirius talk show host, makes $95 million; and Glenn Beck, maligned conservative personality and creator of TheBlaze, makes $90 million.

Though the list does include its fare share of likable talent — Oprah Winfrey, Ryan Seacrest, and Ellen DeGeneres — the majority of the line-up reads like an America's Most Hated List. Dr. Phil McGraw, Rush Limbaugh, Donald Trump, and, of course, Judge Judy Sheindlin, also make the cut. (Surprised about the latter? Don't be — Sheindlin has guaranteed that her hugely successful syndicated talk show will be on the air until at least 2017.)

Grumble all you like, but, of course, it's our fault — part of the reason these personalities are so successful on air is our desire to see them (and criticize them) on air. So continue lobbing your criticisms at Cowell, Stern, and company — they'll only block them with their solid gold rackets.