After Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell's co-host on "American Idol," gave him the cold shoulder for his harsh treatment of the show's contestants, the pair embarked upon a small-scale feud, at the height of which Cowell apparently gave Abdul the finger for about twelve seconds -- on national television. (Incredibly, Fox censors did not cut it from the broadcast.)

Naturally, Cowell later blamed the incident on a simple misunderstanding; he had, he later explained, just been "scratching his face."