The banter between American Idol’s host and the show’s harshest judge has been a mainstay of the reality series – but for some fans, the cracks made between Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell might be a little too much. From cutting each other off to making innuendos about the other’s sexuality, the two of them always seem right at the edge of jumping down each other’s throats. Some fans find it confusing – do they like each other or not? – while others just find it obnoxious – why can’t they give it a rest? What is the deal with Seacrest and Cowell? Are they the bitter rivals that they seem…or is it all smoke and mirrors, affectations for our viewing pleasure?

Simon routinely makes remarks hinting that host Ryan Seacrest is gay, while Ryan tries his best to get contestants to answer Cowell’s harshest criticisms. There have been times when Simon has told Ryan to get off the stage, when Ryan has cut off Cowell’s comments, and the pair have even been known to mockingly blow kisses to one another. They act like they hate each other…but they took a highly-publicized trip to Africa together. If Ryan and Simon really can’t get along, there’s no way they would voluntarily get on a plane together. When the cameras are turned off, they seem to have no true problems with each other. But that doesn’t mean that banter, all in the name of getting good TV ratings, can’t still be taken a few steps too far.

Some fans are offended by the obviously homosexual jokes made between Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell – each pretends to think the other is gay, though both obviously don’t really believe this to be truth. Earlier in season 6, Cowell even accused Seacrest of trying to date a female contestant – a concern that one usually wouldn’t voice if talking about a homosexual male. As far back as season 2, producers of the show told both men to lay off the gay jokes a little. But the supposed rivalry of Seacrest and Cowell is now a mainstay of American Idol itself, and what better way to spice up an otherwise run-of-the-mill stage show and answering critique?