Ryan
16) Simon Cowell
In the roughly 6 years that American Idol has been on the air, Simon Cowell has established himself as one of the most harshly critical bosses out there. While the other judges usually try to temper their criticism with positive feedback, Cowell holds nothing back, going so far as to tell a singer that he was terrible or that his ears hurt from listening to him. Anyone who has ever worked for a demeaning, overbearing boss will instantly relate to any of the less-than-perfect American Idol performers who incur Simon’s wrath!
17) Philip Banks
Uncle Phil, a Los Angeles judge on the hit 90’s sitcom “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” is a boss who never seems to misplace his priorities. After rising to prominence on the strength of degrees from Princeton and Harvard Law, Banks enjoys a lengthy career at a private law firm and eventually rises to the L.A. bench. But when a career in higher politics comes calling, Banks takes the advice of his wife and opts not to pursue it. He is portrayed as a tough yet fair boss, a la Jack McCoy of “Law and Order”.
18) Buck Strickland
Buck Strickland is the kindred spirit of every boss who delegates all his work to subordinates. As the owner of Strickland Propane on “King of the Hill”, Strickland plays the role of absentee owner by leaving Hank Hill, his propane-obsessed, 41-time employee of the month to run the shop for him. Strickland also exemplifies a number of other boss stereotypes, such as willingness to let his employees suffer consequences that are rightfully his. No one who has spent a day working for a big company will doubt the true-to-life nature of this guy!
19) Judge Judy
The second judge on our list is a real one – albeit, as “real” as a made-for-TV courtroom can be. On the show that bears her name, Judge Judy lambasts deadbeat fathers, delinquent borrowers, and borderline stalkers for not behaving like responsible adults. She is known for her hard nosed, no nonsense approach and her willingness to be completely blunt with either the defendant or the plaintiff. (Given the target audience of the show, both of them usually need reprimanding!)
20) Angela Bower
The quintessential “career woman”, Angela Bower raised many eyebrows by hiring a buff male housekeeper on the popular 80’s sitcom “Who’s The Boss?” In an era dominated by strong, smart, wealth-producing men, Bower was portrayed as a complete go-getter who had no problem issuing orders to Tony in the same way that men had traditionally always done to women. Even the show’s title is meant as a clear reference to this role reversal, which amused audiences greatly during its time.
