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2003 Readers' Poll:

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Best and worst in television and pop culture...


Without further ado, here are the results of the best, worst, and newsworthy of 2003.

After a whopping 15 seasons, "The Simpsons" is still going strong.

BEST TV SHOW
"Alias" / "The Simpsons"       22%
"Friends"       19%
"CSI"       15%
"Law & Order" / "Sex & The City"       7%
"Six Feet Under" / "What Not to Wear"       4%

Michelle Picked: "Sex and the City"
Christine Picked: "CSI"
Phan Picked: "Smallville"

Last Year's Winner: "Alias" and "CSI" (tie)
Etc.: "The Simpsons" find an audience again, taking them from last year's fifth spot to the top. "Alias" continues to gather a strong viewership, while Kiefer of "24" fame struggles to find out what people are watching Tuesday nights (and it's not "Smallville" or "Everwood" either). What's with all these ties?

BEST NEW TV SHOW
"The O.C." / "Punk'd"       28%
"Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"       24%
"Monk" / "Nip/Tuck"       8%
"Miss Match"       4%

Michelle Picked: "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy"
Christine Picked: "Nip/Tuck"
Phan Picked: "Punk'd"

Last Year's Winner: "The Osbournes"
Etc.: "The O.C." and "Punk'd" beat out five gay guys with very good taste, while "Cold Case," "Karen Sisco," "Las Vegas," and "Tru Calling" try to not get cancelled.

BEST ACTOR
Jennifer Garner, "Alias"       26%
David Hyde Pierce, "Frasier" / Debra Messing, "Will & Grace" / James Gandolfini, "The Sopranos"       15%
Matt Leblanc, "Friends" / Sarah Jessica Parker, "Sex and the City"       11%
William L. Petersen, "CSI"       7%

Michelle Picked: Bernie Mac, "The Bernie Mac Show"
Christine Picked: Matt Leblanc, "Friends"
Phan Picked: Debra Messing, "Will & Grace"

Last Year's Winner: N/A
Etc.: Best Shows make Best Actresses, while Kiefer still sits at home struggling to figure out why no one loves him.

"Paradise Hotel" may have seemed like a good idea, but for most it was just a waste of space.

WORST TV SHOW
"Paradise Hotel"       24%
"The Bachelor" / "VIP"       20%
"Coupling" / "The Mullets" / "Whoopi"       8%
"7th Heaven" / "Good Morning Miami" / "Life With Bonnie"       4%

Michelle Picked: "Paradise Hotel"
Christine Picked: "7th Heaven"
Phan Picked: "Paradise Hotel"

Last Year's Winner: "The Bachelor"
Etc.: "Paradise Hotel" barely edges out "The Bachelor." Although it places in top spots a second year in a row, there doesn't seem to be any signs that "The Bachelor" will end its wretched run. And contrary to popular opinion, Whoopi is not the worst thing around - if a television show is not seen, can it be voted as worst show?
Reader Comments: "The Mullets" [should be voted the worst] - by virtue of using the word "mullet" in its title.

TV SHOW THEY SHOULD JUST END NOW
"Joe Millionaire"       32%
"The Bachelor" / "The Bachelorette"       25%
"Survivor"       11%
"According to Jim" / "Boston Public"       7%
Any David E. Kelley show / "7th Heaven" / "E. R." / "Fear Factor" / "Judging Amy"       4%

Michelle Picked: "The Bachelor" / "The Bachelorette"
Christine Picked: "Joe Millionaire"
Phan Picked: "Joe Millionaire"

Last Year's Winner: "The Bachelor" and all shows like it
Etc.: Reality shows once again take top hounours. "Joe Millionaire" should end its run, if only because everyone by now knows the catch. What's next, "Joe Millionaire: Papa New Guinea"?

BEST REAL-LIFE COUPLE
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston       35%
Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne       23%
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith       19%
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin       8%
Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore / Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez / Lenny Kravitz and Nicole Kidman / Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown       4%

Michelle Picked: Jay-Z and Beyoncé
Christine Picked: Lenny Kravitz and Nicoke Kidman
Phan Picked: Jay-Z and Beyoncé

Last Year's Winner: Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne
Etc.: What a difference a year makes. Ozzy and Sharon are bumped from number one by another highly profiled (but not reality-show based) married couple. Jay-Z and Beyoncé, as well as Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz, get lovin' from each other, but none from us.
Reader Comments: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez should be erased from our memories. And J. Lo's boyfriend, just like her ass, should always be puffy.

Oh Michael, Michael, Michael. There are no words to explain your weirdness.

BIGGEST SCANDAL
Michael Jackson being charged for child molestation       43%
Britney Spears sleeping and breaking up with The World       21%
Christina Aguilera's feud with The World       14%
Paris Hilton's sex tapes being circulated on the internet       11%
Ethan Hawke cheating on Uma Thurman       7%
Halle Berry leaving Eric Benet because of his sex addiction       4%

Michelle Picked: Ethan Hawke cheating on Uma Thurman
Christine Picked: Michael Jackson being charged for child molestation
Phan Picked: Ethan Hawke cheating on Uma Thurman

Last Year's Winner: R. Kelly's statutory rape charges
Etc.: Wherever Michael goes, there shall follow some trouble - although almost one quarter of our readers thought Britney's jezebel act was more scandalous.

WORST CELEBRITY STYLE
Kelly Osbourne's trying-too-hard-to-be-punk retro look       30%
Christina Aguilera's drag queen rip-off       19%
Nelly's band-aid       15%
Avril Lavigne's "skater" gear / Jennifer Lopez' Flashdance revival       11%
Britney Spears' Janet Jackson rip-off       7%
Chingy's bad spelling / Paula Abdul's frilly tops       4%

Michelle Picked: Britney Spears' Janet Jackson rip-off
Christine Picked: Christina Aguilera's drag queen rip-off
Phan Picked: Britney Spears' Janet Jackson rip-off

Last Year's Winner: Britney Spears' underwear over outerwear combo
Etc.: Kelly Osbourne shows she has worst taste than Britney, although her arch nemesis, Christina Aguilera, is not far behind with her drag-queen look. And Nelly's band-aid (last year's fourth place) makes a repeat performance.
Reader Comments: Paula Abdul's frilly tops - just no. Why am I still hearing about her? Weren't the 90's enough?

MOST OVERRATED CELEBRITY
Bennifer       46%
Ashton Kutcher / Paris Hilton       21%
Britney Spears       7%
Colin Farrell       4%

Michelle Picked: Bennifer
Christine Picked: Bennifer
Phan Picked: Bennifer

Last Year's Winner: Jennifer Lopez
Etc.: People have tried, but no one comes closer to hogging the spotlight than Jennifer Lopez (now appearing as Bennifer). Ashton is also due for a hiatus, as is Paris Hilton and her stiletto heels. Even though Beyoncé's face is now everywhere, you can't get enough of her.

Tiger Woods is still king.

BEST ATHLETE
Tiger Woods, PGA       43%
Michael Vick, Atlanta Falcons       26%
Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants       13%
Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Anaheim Mighty Ducks / Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs       9%

Michelle Picked: Tiger Woods, PGA
Christine Picked: Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Phan Picked: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs

Last Year's Winner: Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers
Etc.: Tiger Woods is once again on top, having learned that it's better to play the game than talk (smack about) the game.

Special thanks to Sheena for providing us with her hilarious reader comments! And of course, to all the readers who participated in the poll, and those who are reading it right now! See you next year...

[ The best and worst in music. Part I of our Reader's Poll. ]