POP CULTURE: REALITY TV POWER 50 LIST

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THR profiles the 50 most influential players in reality TV

By THR staff

May 17, 2009, 11:00 PM ET

1. Simon Cowell

Principal, Syco Television

Yes, him.

The most influential person in reality television isn't merely the most galvanizing performer on America's top-rated program. He's not just the highest-paid primetime TV personality and a successful producer in two countries. And he's certainly not, as he described himself during a moment of humility before a recent taping of "American Idol," just "a judge on a bloody talent show."

Cowell tops this list because only he knows the answer to the most tantalizing question in reality TV: What will Simon Cowell do next?

His contract is up after next season of "Idol," and Cowell, 49, is not shy about his willingness to leave.

"The idea that for the next five years, I'd be doing exactly what I've been doing for the past five years ... the thought is just too depressing," Cowell says in his trailer before walking over to the "Idol" stage at CBS Television City.

"I'd go nuts, bored out of my mind. You have to evolve, you have to change. I like the challenge of launching something new."

If there were any doubts about Cowell's role in the success of "Idol," they disappeared when he launched "The X Factor" three years ago in the U.K. That singing competition has supplanted "American Idol" predecessor "Pop Idol."

The success of "Factor" was worrisome enough for "American Idol" broadcaster Fox to forbid Cowell from launching the show in the U.S. as part of his current deal. But all that could change soon.

Asked if he would stay on "Idol" if the series ever slipped from No. 1, Cowell bursts out laughing.

"Absolutely not!" he says, looking horrified. "Being No. 1 is verging on an obsession with me."

Cowell's drive helped him rise from the mailroom at EMI Music (his father was an executive there) to a job in its music publishing division. He left to form a company with his EMI boss, then bounced around the music industry and eventually landed with BMG.

Since first appearing on "Pop Idol" in 2001, Cowell's productions have included "America's Got Talent," "American Inventor" and "Celebrity Duets," as well as the U.K.'s "Britain's Got Talent" (on which he appears).

He earns a reported $36 million a year to do "Idol," plus millions more for "Factor" and his side gig as a consultant to Sony BMG Music (several publications have placed his yearly income at more than $50 million).

On a recent taping day, Cowell arrives about two hours before showtime, parks his black Bentley convertible next to his trailer, sits for his makeup and a quick cigarette and fast-forwards through a tape of the show's rehearsal performances. A bodyguard waits patiently outside, ready to shuttle him onto the "Idol" stage.

Unlike many in the TV business, Cowell rejects the claim that "Idol" ratings erosion is inevitable.

"I don't accept the argument of fragmentation or declining numbers," he says. "The Super Bowl goes up every year."

"Factor" has grown its audience every year, and Cowell thinks America wants another music competition.

"In the U.K., there is more than one type of music show running throughout the year," he says. "And I think the same thing could happen here. It's something we've been thinking about ... I would definitely do it now.

"Maybe it'll be 'X Factor,' " he teases vaguely. "Maybe it'll be something new ..."

Click here for the rest of the list

Related:

Q&A: Simon Cowell

The boom in the unscripted genre is creating the next generation of star reality agents

Global format owners are using the recession to their advantage

See how the rankings were decided on the next page

How the list was compiled

It's not how well they sing. Or how much weight they've lost. Or even whether they can eat a plateful of bark beetles. For The Hollywood Reporter's second annual list of the 50 most-powerful figures in reality TV, editors analyzed the influence each person has over the U.S. primetime unscripted television business.

The criteria:

1. The contribution each person makes to the success of his/her shows, either as a producer, on-air talent or an overseeing executive.

2. Number of shows on the air, the Nielsen ratings and impact of those shows on the TV business and popular culture.

3. Reputation for quality and influence within the unscripted business.

4. The "watercooler" factor. People whose force of personality and ability to create the dramatic moments that have defined the genre are given extra weight.

5. Talk shows, clip shows, live events, daytime game shows or traditional documentaries were not considered, nor were foreign or network executives whose primary responsibility is not the unscripted division.

2. Mike Darnell

President of alternative entertainment, Fox Broadcasting

Mike Darnell

As a network executive -- by far the longest-tenured of the alternative chiefs -- the wild-haired Philadelphian is supposed to be the person listening to pitches. But, in practice, nobody sells a show better than Darnell. Although Fox stumbled this season with game show "Hole in the Wall" and was modestly successful with "Secret Millionaire," its flagship "American Idol" shows no signs of relinquishing its ratings crown.Darnell is selective in his development, trying only a few new shows a year. "The other networks have a tendency to throw on 20 new shows and the vast majority fail," he says. With "So You Think You Can Dance" returning alongside "Hell's Kitchen" and the layoffs competition "Someone's Gotta Go," Darnell has a not-so-bold prediction for summer: "We're going to be No. 1 again."

3. David Goldberg

Chairman, Endemol North America

The unassuming man overseeing "Big Brother," "Deal or No Deal" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" didn't have trouble figuring out the audience for ABC's "Wipeout," last summer's most successful new show. "When we looked at the times and saw a country that had seen better days, at war and with gas (prices) at an all-time high, we realized it was time to do a fun and escapist show that made people laugh," says Goldberg, a former Telepictures exec. He got a major promotion this year and now controls the format powerhouse's businesses in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

4. Mark Burnett

President, Mark Burnett Prods.

When Burnett struck a deal to sell his new entrepreneur series "Shark Tank" to ABC, network topper Stephen McPherson shook Burnett's hand and said, "Congratulations, you have your first ABC series." Burnett smiled, he recalls, and for good reason: the reality pioneer will now have shows on all four major broadcast networks (Fox's "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" and, of course, CBS' veteran powerhouse "Survivor," which continues to win its time period in its 18th cycle). Combined with his multitude of cable shows, the former British Army parachutist might be the country's largest independent owner of reality product. "The through line is: all those shows have a positive element, aspirational and empowering," he says.

5. Cecile Frot-Coutaz

CEO, production, FremantleMedia North America

Fremantle reported record revenue of about $1.5 billion in 2008, and owner RTL Group can thank Frot-Coutaz's steady oversight of "American Idol" for a large chunk of that success. With the "Idol" format now in 42 countries and "America's Got Talent" back on NBC in the summer (and in 28 countries), the company has hardly blinked at disappointments like Fox's "The Osbournes: Reloaded" and "Hole in the Wall." Next up is "The Phone" for MTV, based on a Dutch format that places contestants in the middle of an action movie. "It's a new way to do reality," Frot-Coutaz says. "We script scenarios and put real people in the script."

6. Vicki Dummer & John Saade

Senior vps alternative series, specials and late night, ABC Entertainment

It's easy for Dummer and Saade to laugh at how every network passed on "Dancing With the Stars" three times before ABC finally relented. "Sometimes it just winds up working out for you," Saade says of the now-perennial top 10 show. The Alphabet's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is still a hit, "The Bachelor" enjoyed an improbable resurgence this spring and summer sensation "Wipeout" returns soon. Also in the summer comes a new "Bachelorette," and an update of the 1970s "Wide World of Sports" classic "The Superstars," while shows in the pipeline include Mark Burnett's "Shark Tank" and a Ryan Seacrest-produced show with "Naked Chef" Jamie Oliver.

7. Mike Fleiss

President and executive producer, Next Entertainment

Everybody loves a comeback story. Fleiss' sagging "The Bachelor" roared to ratings life this season thanks to strong casting and a conclusion that thrilled (and infuriated) fans. Now his matchmaking series "More to Love" will reteam the pioneer with Fox reality guru Mike Darnell for the first time since their controversial "Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?" nine years ago. Fleiss also has "There Goes the Neighborhood" in the works for CBS; "Hitched or Ditched" coming to the CW; and "The Cougar" on TV Land. "It wasn't a conscious decision to get back into reality," Fleiss says of his return to TV after a recent foray into film producing ("Hostel"). "It mostly comes from having good ideas about shows I really wanted to make."

8. Simon Fuller

Founder and CEO, 19 Entertainment

"In difficult times the big definitive shows become even more definitive," Fuller says of his "American Idol." Ratings are down a bit but 19 Entertainment, now part of CKX, saw its revenue from "Idol" rise to $96 million in 2008, up from $83.8 million 2007. The "Idol" train keeps chugging with product integration, online revenue, spinoffs, music sales and touring, to say nothing of 19's management business. Fuller is developing six reality series with British broadcaster ITV, and his "So You Think You Can Dance" heats up summer on Fox.

9. Paul Telegdy

Executive vp alternative programming, development and specials, NBC Entertainment

NBC's new alternative head recently joined from BBC Worldwide and promptly picked up U.K. hit "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!," which the network will strip throughout the week at 8 p.m. "When it's on the air in the U.K., the show is the biggest thing," he says. With the "Biggest Loser" franchise, a summer hit ("America's Got Talent") and a veteran competition series ("Celebrity Apprentice") in the mix for next season, Telegdy is also looking to the future, including a celebrity panel show produced by Jerry Seinfeld and a self-improvement show with Tony Robbins.

10. Jennifer Bresnan

Senior vp alternative programming, CBS Entertainment

Plucked from the CW last summer, Bresnan now oversees the seemingly unkillable "Survivor," as well as Emmy stalwart "The Amazing Race" and reliable "Big Brother." But she knows she'll be judged on the next generation of shows, like a neighbor-against-neighbor competition from Mike Fleiss and an adventure show featuring people with terminal illnesses, from "Survivor" gurus Mark Burnett and Jeff Probst. "It's all a crapshoot," she says of the ratings game. "So you might as well stick with ideas you have a passion for and work with producers whom you believe in."

11. Howard Owens & Mark Koops

Co-head of television, head of digital, Reveille; managing director, co-head of domestic television, Reveille

When Elisabeth Murdoch's Shine Group acquired Reveille in April 2008, founder Ben Silverman had decamped for NBC and Owens and Koops were left to run the show with international sales guru Chris Grant. The challenge was empowering, they say. "She has allowed us to run the business as we always have," Koops says. That means growing such hit formats as "The Biggest Loser" (NBC), "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" (Fox) and "Shear Genius" (Bravo), and prepping new series like "Breakthrough With Tony Robbins" (NBC). Owens prides himself on innovative product integration like a deal with General Mills that put "Loser" on cereal boxes and boosted ratings. "We couldn't have done it without them," he says.

12. Chris Coelen

CEO, RDF Media USA, group director of North America for RDF Media Group

Chris Coelen

Just three years after leaving UTA, Coelen presides over a broad roster of programming for the format powerhouse, including "Secret Millionaire" and "Don't Forget the Lyrics" on Fox, "Wife Swap" on ABC, "Coolio's Rules on Oxygen and "How to Look Good Naked" on Lifetime. Next up is the CW relationship series "Hitched or Ditched." "We're going to keep growing, that's the plan," Coelen says. The expansion strategy also applies at home. Coelen and his wife last year added twin boys to the family. Recently, they were joined by a baby brother.

13. Tony DiSanto

President of Programming, MTV

"Reality is not an ownable space anymore," DiSanto says. "Everybody is doing it." But not everybody is pushing the boundaries like the network that introduced "The Real World," "The Hills" and "Run's House." For "College Life," MTV stripped away the production elements and let a group of college kids call the shots. And then there's the upcoming "The Phone," where players find themselves thrust into a series of hair-raising stunts without warning. "What you can own is reinvention, taking things to new places and breaking new ground."

14. Ryan Seacrest

Chairman and owner, Ryan Seacrest Prods.

Ryan Seacrest

"I'm developing a brand built around 'popular,' " says the ubiquitous Seacrest during a rare free moment between hosting Fox's "American Idol," his daily radio and E! shows, as well as producing "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." In addition to a massive deal with Comcast, Seacrest recently sold an hourlong series to ABC with "Naked Chef" Jamie Oliver and has three or four unannounced projects in development at E! "Pop culture, pop music -- I'm interested in pop programming."

15. Jeff Olde

Executive vp original programming and production, VH1

What kind of creative process gave birth to the VH1 hits "Sober House," "Tool Academy" and "Tough Love"? Olde first gathers his staff to brainstorm themes that might connect with viewers. "Redemption and comebacks" are timely in these turbulent times, he says. Then he looks for the right storytelling voice and lets the producers and talent take over. "I feel we are really good friends with our viewers and they can count on us," he says. Ratings agree: VH1 has enjoyed a three-year streak of growth each quarter.

16. Craig Piligian

President, Pilgrim Films & Television

He's the master of Testosterone TV with Spike's "The Ultimate Fighter," Discovery's "Dirty Jobs" and "Extreme Loggers," Sci Fi's "Ghost Hunters" and TLC's "American Chopper: The Series." And though he recently branched out with "My Fair Wedding" for WE and Discovery's "Doing DaVinci," he seems most excited about "Out of the Wild: Alaska," which took nine people into the Alaskan wilderness with almost nothing. "They didn't win anything, except the satisfaction of testing their own limits."

17. Francis Berwick

GM, Bravo

Project What? Despite the move of "Runway" to Lifetime, 13-year Bravo veteran Berwick can boast about "Top Chef," which hit ratings highs in its sixth cycle, and "Real Housewives of New York City," which is up nearly 50% year-over-year. Shows like "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List" and "Millionaire Matchmaker" are targeted to the cabler's "upscale, highly educated viewer," but Berwick is proud that she has lowered the median age of viewers by five years to 40 and takes a multimedia approach. "We were the first network to do a live fully interactive show with interactive commercial breaks," she says, beginning with the "A-List Awards."

18. Paul Buccieri

CEO and president, Granada America

Paul Buccieri

Since he joined ITV's Granada America 15 months ago, the former Endemol and Twentieth Television exec has "tripled the number of shows we have on the air," he says, pointing to such series as Fox's "Hell's Kitchen," ABC Family's "Nanny 911," VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club" and MTV's "Room Raiders." "Chopping Block" flopped on NBC but the net plans to run a new version of "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!" four nights a week in primetime for nearly a month.

19. Cris Abrego

President, Cris Abrego Prods.

Who needs celebrities? In the past year, Abrego and frequent collaborator Mark Cronin have moved beyond VH1 hits like "The Surreal Life," "Flavor of Love" and "I Love New York" to create spinoffs with characters like Megan Houseman, who goes from "Rock of Love" to "Megan Wants a Millionaire." After the duo sold their 51 Minds company to Endemol in August for a reported $200 million, Abrego is focusing on solo projects like "From G's to Gents," "Glam God" and a Carmen Electra series.

20. Arthur Smith

CEO, A Smith & Co. Prods.

Smith's "I Survived a Japanese Game Show" (ABC) was one of a scant few new reality series to earn a broadcast renewal last year. And with "Hell's Kitchen" and "Kitchen Nightmares" returning to Fox, "the thing we pride ourselves on is our produced-to-hit ratio," says Smith, who founded the company with Kent Weed in 2000. They have high hopes for their "Crash Course" auto obstacle course pilot at CBS. "People are tired of the overly manipulated shows for pure entertainment," he says. "They have to believe there's a purpose to the show."

21. Jonathan Murray

Chairman, Bunim-Murray Prods.

MTV's four-season renewal will take "Real World" to an astonishing 26 cycles, giving Murray the most enduring reality franchise (plus "Real World/Road Rules Challenge," which will hit 21 cycles). He also has a fourth season for Oxygen's top-rated "The Bad Girls Club," "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" on E! and the upcoming "Frat House" for TBS. "I think the thing that I may be proudest of is that we're able to not only get something on the air but keep it on," he says.

22. Jane Lipsitz & Dan Cutforth

Co-founders, Magical Elves

Jane Lipsitz & Dan Cutforth

Their "Project Runaway" was the first competitive reality series to win a Peabody. So what are Lipsitz and Cutforth most proud of? "We're hoping that we can move up in the Power List this year," Cutforth jokes. The duo are working on "Top Chef Masters," a spinoff of the popular Bravo series, as well as a CBS relationship show about arranged marriages, two new Bravo projects and a rich development deal with programming.

23. Kristin Connolly-Vadas

Senior vp, alternative programming, the CW

With the CW only a few months, the former Oxygen exec already has "Hitched or Ditched," in which couples agree to either get married or part ways forever. "There's a really great payoff at the end of every episode," she promises. Midsummer, she'll unveil "Blonde Charity Mafia," a "Hills" in Washington, and she's looking to build companion shows for the net's anchor, "America's Next Top Model."

24. Nancy Dubuc

Executive vp and GM, History Channel

A virtual nonplayer in reality before Dubuc arrived in January 2007, History has since introduced the hits "Ice Road Truckers," "Ax Men" and "UFO Hunters," and last fall's debut of "Time Machine" became the highest-rated show in the channel's history with more than 5 million viewers. "The very basic themes of rivalries, winners and losers, the struggle against nature: These are all common stories told through time," she says.

25. Nick Emmerson

Executive vp, Ricochet TV; president, Shed Media U.S.

Emmerson's job expanded recently when Richochet's parent, Britain's Shed Media, consolidated its American subsidiaries under him. He now oversees the U.S. branches of Ricochet, Wall to Wall, Twenty Twenty, Shed Prods. and Outright Prods., with such shows as ABC's "Supernanny," "The Real Housewives of New York City" on Bravo and NBC's upcoming "Who Do You Think You Are." "In the past we were only repackaging and Americanizing existing U.K. formats," he says. "Now we're also coming up with our own ideas for original programming for the U.S. market."

26. Thom Beers

CEO and executive producer, Original Prods.

The creator of genre-defining "Deadliest Catch" and "Ice Road Truckers" sold 75% of his company to Fremantle Media in February for a cool $50 million. Beers, a 20-year reality veteran, says his new bosses told him to "just keep doing what you are doing," including putting his camera crews in the same line of fire as many of his subjects. "I lose sleep over this stuff," he says. But "that is how we make visceral television, and that's what I love."

27. Gena McCarthy

Senior vp production and development, Discovery Channel

In her first stint at Discovery, McCarthy executive produced such hits as "Dirty Jobs," "Deadliest Catch" and "MythBusters." That led to jobs at WE and TLC. Now back at Discovery (with a promotion), she says her challenge is to keep things fresh. "We're trying to make sure we have a broad range of genres and programs in development," she says.

28. Rob Sharenow

Senior vp nonfiction and alternative programming, A&E Network and Bio Channel

A former TV writer who just published a novel, Sharenow's appreciation for unique characters has helped him develop shows around Gene Simmons ("Family Jewels"), Steven Seagal (the upcoming "Lawman"), MC Hammer ("Hammertime") and William Shatner ("Raw Nerve"). He also has "Intervention" for A&E and "I Survived" for Bio. "Authenticity is at the heart of everything we do," he says. A&E wrapped up the best year in the network's history, up 8% in adults 25-54.

29. Michael Davies

President and CEO, Embassy Row

After selling his company to Sony in December, Davies was asked why he no longer wanted to be independent. "Because I want to remain independent," he countered. Huh? "You have to be backed by a company like Sony to have that creative independence, and the scale to sell to networks and cable channels around the world." The man behind the U.S. "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (returning in the summer) now produces "Wife Swap," food shows with Bobby Flay and is developing hidden camera shows for TV Land and Sony's GSN.

30. Gordon Ramsay

"Hell's Kitchen" and "Kitchen Nightmares," Fox

Gordon Ramsay

The caustic Scotsman is the hottest TV chef in primetime, and the only one to break through the broadcast network ceiling. Fox has renewed both "Hell's" (for a sixth season) and "Nightmares" (for a third) as part of a massive deal that includes a third series and specials. "The contestants in the last season of 'Hell's Kitchen' really raised their game," Ramsay says. "It's made my job 10 times more exciting."

31. Jeanne Newman

Partner, Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman Newman Warren & Richman

Newman is the only dealmaker on this list because her work in the reality space (especially for A-list clients Endemol and Shine Reveille) continues to define industry templates. This year she helped set up Jerry Seinfeld's "The Marriage Ref" for NBC and brokered Ryan Seacrest and "Naked Chef" Jamie Oliver's upcoming ABC series. All while tending to the winery she runs with husband Gary Newman, president of 20th Century Fox Television.

32. Ken Mok

President and founder, 10x10 Entertainment

One of Mok's first jobs was as a PA on "The Cosby Show," which included finding the signature sweaters worn by Bill Cosby. Impressed by Mok's moxie, Cosby helped him into NBC's junior executive training program. Now Mok has the top-rated "America's Top Model" (in its 12th cycle), and he's executive produced and/or created such hits as MTV's "Making the Band," and the CW's "Pussycat Dolls: Girlicious."

33. Sally Ann Salsano

President and founder, 495 Prods.

Salsano isn't afraid to comple-ment her competition. "I'll e-mail the producers of other shows and tell them, 'I love this year's cast!' And they're like, 'Why are you watching these shows?' " On track to become a CPA until a summer internship on "The Sally Jessy Raphael Show" changed her ambitions, her credit list ranges from the crass (MTV's "A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila") to the classy (HGTV's "Design Star").

34. Eileen O'Neill

President and GM, TLC

Fueled by such originals as "Jon & Kate Plus 8," "Little People, Big World" and "Trading Spaces," O'Neill's first year heading TLC has included seven consecutive months of ratings gains among women 18-34. "The success of 'Jon and Kate Plus 8' has been really gratifying, since it was a show I developed back when I was at Discovery Health." In fact, it's hard to find a Discovery Communications channel where O'Neill hasn't logged time. She even started as an unpaid Discovery Channel intern.

35. Bertram Van Munster

President, Earthview Inc.

Contestants on the 14th edition of Van Munster's "The Amazing Race" traveled 40,000 miles, but the real accomplishment was the ratings. The six-time Emmy-winner is way up over last season and was renewed for a 15th. Van Munster credits "a new coat of paint" for the resurgence. "We went back to basics," he explains. "We changed the graphics package. We changed the music. We made changes in the editing approach."

36. Ashton Kutcher & Jason Goldberg

Partners, Katalyst Films

"Beauty and the Geek" and "Punk'd" have ended, and "Game Show In My Head," "Opportunity Knocks" and "Misguided" all lasted only one season. But Katalyst recently raised $10 million in venture capital, Goldberg says, and has eight unscripted shows in the pipeline. "True Beauty," produced with Tyra Banks, has been picked up for a second season on ABC; they've got shows for MTV and Bravo and a series commitment from OWN for "Excellent Adventure," in which a celebrity and a friend hit the road together.

37. Tyra Banks

President, Bankable Prods.

Tyra Banks

The woman whom Entertainment Weekly dubbed America's Next Top Mogul is already there. Her "Top Model" is sailing through its 12th cycle on the CW and her ABC collaboration with Ashton Kutcher "True Beauty" proved a ratings winner. In the fall, "Top Model" will be joined on the CW by her Daytime Emmy Award-winning talk show in a two-hour daily afternoon block.

38. Allison Grodner

Executive producer, CBS' "Big Brother"

Allison Grodner

In 2001, when Grodner stepped in to run the second season CBS' "Big Brother," she ratcheted up the drama with changes that have powered the show through its 10th season. Thanks to "Brother" and early producing gigs on CBS' "Rescue 911" and TLC's "A Wedding Story," she's now one of reality's forefathers. "I love seeing how this genre can evolve," she says.

39. J.D. Roth & Todd Nelson

Founders and CEOs, 3Ball Prods.

The secret to their 20-year partnership? "We're exactly the same, but completely different," Nelson jokes. The two met on the 1980s kids game show "Fun House" (Roth was the host; Nelson was on the crew) and launched their own company in 2001. 3Ball's "Opportunity Knocks" didn't last on ABC, but they've got 40 edit bays working 24/7 on shows ranging from the NBC smash "The Biggest Loser" (Roth also narrates) to Spike's upcoming "Fourth and Long," starring former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin and MC Hammer's "Hammertime" for A&E.

40. Conrad Green

Executive producer, ABC's "Dancing With the Stars"

Ratings for Green's "Dancing With the Stars" are up -- thanks to a bit of bad luck. When Nancy O'Dell and Jewel withdrew because of injuries on the eve of the premiere, Green was able to cast former cheerleader Melissa Rycroft only days after she was jilted in front of millions on "The Bachelor." "The most difficult thing for a show that's on so much is making it feel special every time," Green says of a format that BBC Worldwide has now sold in 26 markets (it's in the top 10 in at least 17 of those and shows little sign of slowing). "We seem to have managed that."

41. Nigel Lythgoe

Founder, Big Red Entertainment

Nigel Lythgoe

A former dancer who once choreographed for Gene Kelly, "Nasty Nigel" was a snarky TV judge on the U.K.'s "Popstars" before anyone had ever heard of Simon Cowell. He produced "Pop Idol" there and helped bring the format to U.S. Although Lythgoe this year stopped working on "American Idol," his "So You Think You Can Dance" returns for Season 5 as Fox's highest-rated summer show.

42. Lisa Berger

Executive vp original programming and series development, E! Entertainment Television

"Fun" is the guiding principle of Berger's reality slate. "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" is up 15% to 1.6 million viewers in Season 3, and "The Girls Next Door" scored its highest ratings in March. Berger seeks characters who know each other well enough to create sparks. "The natural dynamics of a group of people are far more interesting than trying to force people together," she says.

43. Holly Jacobs

Executive vp reality and syndication programming, Sony Pictures Television

Jacobs' journey is strangely appropriate. She worked with schizophrenics and borderline personality disorders for several years before segueing into the award-winning documentaries "Forget Me Not" and "Time Will Tell." After stints at Buena Vista Prods. and Fox TV Studios, she's now shepherding such shows as the upcoming "Sing Off" for NBC and "Shark Tank" for ABC. "In hard times people are looking for feel-good fare and things that are aspirational," she says.

44. Diddy

Executive producer, "StarMaker," "Daddy's Girls," "I Want to Work for Diddy," "Run's House"

Diddy

The rapper-turned-TV-producer certainly knows the importance of branding. "Everybody has a certain unique style, a certain niche," he says. "Mine is dream fulfillment." With the upcoming "Making His Band" for MTV, Diddy searches for musicians to back him on tour. Does reality TV undermine his street cred? "There's nothing more credible than providing people with opportunities to have their dreams come true."

45. John Irwin & Dr. Drew Pinsky

Executive producers, VH1's "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew," "Sober House," "Sex Rehab"

Dr. Drew Pinsky

Taking cameras into rehab is no simple task, especially when the patients are public figures. "I had concerns about malpractice, licensing," says Pinsky, the addiction specialist who made his TV name hosting MTV's"Loveline." "But John is just one of those guys who says, 'Just tell me what the problems are, and we'll figure it out.' " The duo's "Celebrity Rehab" is prepping its third season, and it has spawned a successful spinoff, "Sober House" and the upcoming "Sex Rehab."

46. Matt Kunitz

Executive producer and creator, ABC's "Wipeout"

"We thought we'd get a tractor, dig some holes, and make a simple obstacle course," jokes Kunitz of his initial plans for ABC's "Wipeout," which became last summer's top network show. Now the "Real World" and "Fear Factor" veteran, who also produced NBC's "Celebrity Circus," manages a "Wipeout" crew of 200 and consults on a new stunt show, "The Whole 19 Yards" for CBS.

47. Randy Jackson

Judge, Fox's "American Idol"; producer MTV's "Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crew."

Randy Jackson

The leader of the "Idol" dawg pound has hardcore exec cred, y'all. Jackson spent 15 years doing A&R and producing albums at Columbia and MCA. "And when you're a producer on a record it's almost like being a director on a movie or a producer on a TV show. You agonize over every moment and you sit through every meeting." Now, in addition to "Idol," he's agonizing over his own show as "Dance Crew" finishes its third cycle.

48. Tom Forman

CEO, Relativity Real

Forman jumped last year from CBS Paramount to Relativity, best known for film, in a three-year deal worth about $12 million. Nothing new has made it to air yet, but the man who executive produced "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and "Kid Nation" says he has an astounding 20 shows in development. "Lots of people come and pitch me a show beginning to end," he says. But "if you've figured everything out, you don't need us. Frankly, it's not a challenge -- and I thrive on challenges."

49. David Lyle

President, Fox Reality Channel

A former geologist and geophysicist, Lyle came to Los Angeles in 2001 as president of entertainment for FremantleMedia North America and helped launch Fox's "American Idol." Since joining Fox Reality in 2005, the channel has been taking risks with such shows as "My Bare Lady," "The Academy" and "Battle of the Bods." "In the whole cable world, and certainly for a young channel such as ourselves, we've really got to grab people quickly," he says.

50. Jeff Tremaine

Executive producer, Dickhouse Prods.

Tremain has parlayed his success as part of MTV's "Jackass" crew into a producing career. He now has two hits for MTV, "Nitro Circus" and "Fantasy Factory," starring Rob Dyrdek, one of his old skateboarding buddies. He also has "Steve-O: Demise and Rise," which chronicles the "Jackass" star's struggles with addiction. "Yeah, I'm getting older," Tremaine says. "Luckily, I'm just as immature as I've always been."

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CELEBRITY INTERVIEW: SIMON COWELL

ENJOY THIS INTERVIEW WITH EVERYONE’S FAVORITE JUDGE. WELL, OF THE CELEBRITY VARIETY ANYWAY. VINTAGE SIMON COWELL.

Q&A: Simon Cowell By James Hibberd In his trailer before a recent episode of Fox's "American Idol," judge and TV producer Simon Cowell sat with The Hollywood Reporter for a wide-ranging interview in connection with THR's annual Reality Power issue (publishing on May 18). Cowell, 49, offers his thoughts on this season's format changes, his desire to launch another music competition series like his British hit "The X Factor," his opinions of other popular reality shows and why he finds his own job "absurd." The Hollywood Reporter: Who do you think will win "Idol" this season? Simon Cowell: Either Adam (Lambert) or Danny (Gokey). THR: How would you rank this season so far overall? Cowell: The contestants are interesting, they're talented. I think, arguably, with this guy Adam, he could be one of the best we've ever had -- in terms of an out-and-out pop star who could sell all over the world. So in that respect, it's been one of my favorite seasons. Much better than last year. I got bored last year. Just totally, totally bored. It was like judging a bunch of robots. THR: And if you're bored, then the audience probably picks up on that. Cowell: I get accused of looking bored, looking around. But if you get to that point, it's because you are. You know, we're not actors. So at a point I get a bit fidgety, because I have the attention span of a goldfish. I get bored very, very quickly. THR: Do you think next year the producers will continue making tweaks to the show's format? Cowell: You have to. The minute you start assuming that the audience is very happy to see the same show again, you're dead. Of course, they're going to complain, "Why did you change this? Why are you making these changes?" But the simple truth is, if the show looked now as it did in Season 1, it probably wouldn't be on the air now. THR: What about the specific changes this year, such as having fewer audition rounds? Cowell: I think it was probably a good idea. It all depends on your auditions, by the way. If you've got great auditions, great stories, great drama, you could run auditions 52 weeks of the year. But I think when you get to the point where you've run out of stories or interesting people, it is probably best to limit it. THR: And adding a fourth judge? Cowell: It has its advantages and it has its disadvantages. I like Kara (DioGuardi) a lot actually. I like the fact that it's somebody new. I'm getting to like her more as the series goes on. I am slightly concerned, however, that it's taking a hell of a long time. THR: In terms of the judging? Cowell: Yeah. And sometimes it gets to a point where, if you're the last to go, well, you've got Randy criticizing, Kara criticizes, Paula criticizes and me. And I think what Kara has done with Paula, is she has made Paula a little bit more serious. I'm not sure that's a good thing. THR: Do you think Kara will be back next year? Cowell: Who knows? By the way, it wasn't my decision to bring her in in the first place. So the same people who made the decision to bring her in, will probably make a decision whether she stays or not. I'm guessing she'll stay. THR: But if they came to you and said, "Simon, what do you want?" what would you say? Cowell: That's a good question. (Pause.) I'd probably keep her. THR: Every year, there are stories questioning whether Paula Abdul will be back. Cowell: As long as I'm on the show, she'll be on the show. I could not do the show without Paula. Or Randy. Because it's a team that works. We get on really well. Even Ryan. We get on well. They do a really good job. It's a great chemistry. And that was my only concern when we were talking about the fourth judge. As long as the other three are back, I'm happy. And Paula is hysterical. The fact she gets so upset and worked up. Sometimes I'm sitting there, whispering into her ear, because I whisper absolute nonsense into her ear during the entire performance. THR: Like what? Cowell: I make up stories about songs, hoping she'll say it, and sometimes she does. Because there are certain performances where all you think of is like water running out of the tap. Nothing. You could say: "You're dreary, you're boring, you're not going anywhere," (but) you can't keep saying that. THR: What's the most entertaining thing about the show that doesn't make the broadcast? Cowell: Oh, behind the scenes on any show would be the best reality show in the world. I mean, what it's like to travel on the auditions, when we go on a plane together, when we hang out, or just the interaction between the dressing room and all that kind of stuff. I'd love to show all that, I just don't think we'd ever work again. THR: Is there too much product placement on the show? Cowell: I don't think so. I don't feel that we really are in the hands of the sponsors. Let's put it this way: We don't get any orders. So I've got a Coke cup in front of me. Who cares? I don't like Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola moment (segment of the show) is a conversation. I don't feel it interferes with the flow of the show. Let's be honest: To make a show in this day and age, with the production values we have, it's got to a have a little bit of sponsorship and placement. THR: One thing "Idol" has never done is release the vote tallies. Do you think that would add anything? Cowell: We do release it on the night of the finale in the U.K. I'd have no problems doing the same thing again. I think people would be interested. THR: What about having the wild card round? Does it make sense to save people that, in all probability, are not going to win? Cowell: I think it's a good thing, I really do. Because people like Jennifer Hudson, Clay Aiken, wouldn't have been in the competition without the wild card. What I would've done, and we do it in the U.K., is that we should've given contestants a survival song. In other words, if at any point they are in that position, there's one song in the world that they want to sing, instead of hearing the same song again. And I think that's probably a better idea. We could probably introduce that next year. I think now we've got to a point where we can't change the show too much. But can we bring on another music show? For sure. THR: Like "X Factor"? Cowell: Yeah, and maybe it'll be "X Factor," maybe it'll be something new. It's something we've been thinking about ... but I would definitely do it now. I think it has to be sufficiently different. I think that's why I'm answering your question in a roundabout way. Which is, I think the purity of "Idol" works very well, and you don't want to change it too much. It is what it is. But that also enables you, I think, to bring in another format. In the U.K., there is more than one type of music show running throughout the year. And I think the same type of thing could happen (in America), because for the second half of the year, nothing really happens. THR: So the idea would be Fox doing a music show in the fall to not take away from "Idol" but to complement it. Cowell: Yeah. I say this because I think there's an awful lot of people who would enjoy another show. I wouldn't compete with "Idol" -- that'd be crazy. THR: Does Fox seem open to the idea of doing "X Factor"? Has it been discussed? Cowell: I genuinely don't know whether it would be "X Factor." It just strikes me that there is room for more than one show, but with the understanding that we would protect "Idol" in the second half of the year. It just seems logical as long as it's different from "Idol." You have to look forward to one show one season and then another show afterward. THR: "X Factor" in the U.K. has done better than "Pop Idol." Cowell: What it's done, it's done something that others shows haven't done in the past three years. It's grown its audience year-over-year, by quite a significant amount, 10%-15%. I love the show. It's my baby. THR: How would "X Factor" do compared to "Idol" here? Cowell: If we have half of the "Idol" audience, we're doing well. I always believe that shows should increase their audience every time you're on. That's just my ego. So "Idol," actually, I think the ratings could go higher. I don't accept the argument of fragmentation or declining numbers. That's bullshit. Super Bowl goes up every year. You've just got to find audiences something interesting. So I like the idea whether we started smaller, that we could build another franchise, based on the fact that an audience would like it and that we've made good TV. THR: Putting aside whatever Fox offers, what do you ideally want to do after your contract is up after next season? Cowell: I don't want to be predictable. I can't bear a situation where I know where I'm going to be every day for the next five years. The thought is just too depressing. You have to evolve; you have to change. I wouldn't like the idea that for the next five years, I'd be doing exactly what I've been doing for the past five years. I'd go nuts, bored out of my mind. I like the challenge of launching something new. I love the thrill. Everybody's dying for you to fail. Chances are you will. But it's still fun. THR: How much of "Idol's" success do you think you are responsible for? Cowell: If you are on a great format, it makes you better. And if you're better, you make the show better. The two have to work together. This is a very easy show for me to do because it's my business and I understand pop music so I feel very comfortable. So I couldn't really care less whether I was fired or not. Because I always had a good job to go back to. Most people I've met who are on TV, they're nervous that it's all going to be taken away. I don't even think they're enjoying it. Which is pretty odd because it's not a bad life. THR: Do you think the show would still do well if you weren't on it? Cowell: I haven't got the faintest idea. Will it last? Yes. Because these shows have lasted for years. It would be a different type of show. Like we said earlier on, we have to move on sometimes. Maybe the show has to move on; I have to move on. But this show, I've always said, whether I'm on it or not, it could run for another 10 or 20 years. THR: If "Idol" was no longer the most popular show, if it were the second-most or third-most or top five or whatever, would you still want to be on it? Cowell: Absolutely not! (Laughs.) It's like running a 100 meters and coming in fifth. Well then why bother taking part? Being No. 1 is verging on an obsession with me. I don't like being No. 2. I don't mind when you start being like No. 10, people don't always go on as No. 1. And you've got somewhere to go. But at the point you've reached it, of course you want to stay there. And anybody who says they don't is a liar. THR: What other TV shows do you watch? Cowell: I find a lot of the reality stuff boring now. I think I may have to ban all these American composers. This terrible sort of dramatic sort of music, which I hate, on all of them. And I can see the process, where absolutely nothing is happening on the show and it's sort of like they put music behind it trying create something. It's just like, "Oh shut up." So I get irritated by a lot of that. THR: It's like they're cartoons. Cowell: Yeah. I think "Dancing With the Stars" is very good. And I'm jealous that we don't own that format because it's a format you can run for years. Other than that, there's not an awful lot. I'm too lazy to get into dramas. I quite like "Mad Men." I don't see a lot of people taking risks; I don't see many people being controversial. So I get bored. THR: They shoot "Dancing" here too, are you ever tempted to go over there and judge some tangos? Cowell: Well Bruno (Tonioli) is a very good friend of mine, and we've actually considered one week literally changing shows, without saying anything. I'll sit on his show and he can sit on mine (laughs). THR: Why don't you think NBC's a cappella show will work? Cowell: It's going to be boring. Look, you could do an a cappella week on "Idol," maybe, but I think any more than that ... it sounds a bit ... pretentious. THR: So many music shows have been tried here. Why do the copycats fail? Cowell: They're not very good. They are rubbish. There are only, thank goodness, a very small team of people who know how to make great entertainment shows. The "Idol" team, one of the best in the world. And then the guys who make "X Factor" and "Got Talent." Genius. We're kind of living in a super brand world. "Idol," "Dancing With the Stars" -- they're super brands. And they get more money invested in them each year. I don't really see how anyone could compete with those now. It's like me trying to compete with "Dancing With the Stars." What's the point? You can't even make it better. I don't think anyone could make "Idol" better. THR: Have you ever, in your free time, listened to a CD by an "Idol" contestant? Cowell: No, you just don't do that. If one of the particular songs comes on and I like it, OK. But I think it'd be odd if I was driving around Beverly Hills with the roof off playing a Taylor Hicks album. It's just too weird. THR: What's something about you that people would be surprised to know? Cowell: I like dogs. I like stray dogs. I like just sad dogs who are in shelters and need help. THR: Any movement on getting President Obama to visit "Idol"? Cowell: Listen, we would put out an invitation on a daily basis. I'd love him to come on, his wife to come on, kids to come on. I could only picture now what it would be like if he actually turned up. He's a rock star. THR: You're on record saying you don't like Twitter. Cowell: It's not that I don't like Twitter. I find the notion of certain celebrities going on it slightly weird. And I just compared it to me phoning somebody whom I don't know, and telling them what I had for lunch. And the fact that people think that other people might be interested in you. It's narcissistic. THR: Have you toned down your criticisms this season at all, do you think? Cowell: There's a lot of copycat shows, where (judges will) just sit there trying to be a smartass. The audience won't accept that. You have to be in the moment. So to answer your question, "tone it down, tone it up," you don't know until you actually sit there. You've been walking with a headache, you're in a bad mood, and you could be vile. Or you're in a good mood. THR: When you're onstage and you start to talk and the audience boos, do you ever get the urge to turn around and say, "fuck off"? Cowell: Yeah, of course. But I think in a way it's fun. I don't think it's done with any malice. I think it's what we call pantomime. They like the fact that they've got a voice. I have a voice. I would love it if one week a contestant were to say to one of us -- probably not to me -- "you don't know what you're talking about." THR: In terms of looking at the past seasons, is there anything that you regret? Cowell: No. There are certain things that I might have said that I won't repeat again for obvious reasons, but that's what makes the show good -- it's slightly politically incorrect. The past makes you who you are today. One thing I did regret, and I'll never do it again, is I went onto a Web site and started reading people's comments. Trust me, you don't want to do that. There's a lot of angry people out there who notice everything and they get very upset. And they did kind of affect me for week. Because it was pretty bad and I don't think you should be too aware of yourself. There are times I find what I do is absolutely absurd. And what I try and do to make myself more normal is that I go, "Right, OK, I work for a record label, I'm judging talent, that's it." I'm actually a normal person on the TV show. So the notion that we have all these people around us sometimes is sort of ludicrous. So I think you've got to be quite careful about stylistic nonsense because you could actually forget what you are paid to do. THR: And what's that? Cowell: Judge a bloody talent show.

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