American Idol: The Search for a Superstar

The Fox talent search American Idol became the highest-rated new series of the year during the summer of 2002. Based on Britain's Pop Idol TV series, the program promised a recording contract for the one winner out of 10,000 contestants under the age of 24. Although the audience called in and voted for the final winner, the judges eliminated performers in each episode. While the talent of the young singers was often questionable, some of the show's entertainment value concerned judge and co-creator Simon Cowell assaulting the contestants with insults, while also engaging in fights with the other judges, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson.