Fox's American Idol still sits, albeit a little more shakily than in the past, on the top of the ratings heap and the network seems to be willing to do whatever it takes to avoid upsetting the apple cart. After figures approaching one hundred million dollars have been thrown around in contract negotiations with show curmudgeon Simon Cowell, host Ryan Seacrest inked a three-year deal worth forty-five million dollars. While that technically means that Seacrest is a little less than half as important as Cowell, but still forty-five million times as important as Brian Dunkleman. [Billboard]
