Clippers' Donald Sterling the most hated man in America, according to poll

Donald Sterling edged out Bernie Madoff for most hated man in the poll. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images Sport) Disgraced Clippers owner Donald Sterling has a

Brad Rowland | May 29, 2014

Clippers' Donald Sterling the most hated man in America, according to poll /

Donald Sterling edged out Bernie Madoff for most hated man in the poll. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images Sport)

Disgraced Clippers owner Donald Sterling has a new title: Most hated man in America.

Sterling has dominated headlines in recent weeks after making racist comments that were caught on tape and ignited a media firestorm. The increased attention also led to a sudden jump in visibility, which has led to more infamous, racially-driven comments that have been on the verge of being removed as the Clippers' owner by the NBA. Sterling has attacked Magic Johnson and more recently, openly disavowed a previous agreement with his wife to sell the Clippers. Those actions, in addition to his previous track record, have reportedly led to his new title.

Reuters brings the specifics:

According to a recent consumer survey conducted by E-Score®, a leading consumer research service that provides information to media and entertainment companies, Sterling is now the single most disliked living man in America, ranking higher than bad boys such as O.J. Simpson, Bernie Madoff and Phil Spector.

And when asked to choose from a list of 46 attributes that best described Sterling, respondents' top picks were creepy (48%), mean (41%), cold (42%) and insincere (29%). The demographic showing the greatest disdain for Sterling were males age 13-24, with a 97% dislike rating.

McCANN: Sterling's new arguments raise host of issues

It isn't difficult to believe that Sterling would garner a 92 percent disapproval rating at this stage, but when compared to the baseline of 15 percent for athletes in the E-Poll database (per ESPN's Darren Rovell), the figure jumps off the page. With Sterling topping a list that also includes people like Justin Bieber and Aaron Hernandez in addition to Simpson and Madoff, it isn't exactly company that any NBA owner would strive to join.

Bids have reportedly been submitted as the Clippers as Sterling's wife Shelly attempts to close the sale of the organization, but with Sterling continuing to hold strong publicly, it isn't hard to imagine his disapproval rating rising from an already lofty point.

Here are the top 10 finishers from the poll:

Donald Sterling, 92 percent

Bernard Madoff, 90 percent

O.J. Simpson, 88 percent

Conrad Murray, 88 percent

Justin Bieber, 86 percent

Phil Spector, 83 percent

Aaron Hernandez, 81 percent

Michael Lohan, 76 percent

Eliot Spitzer, 73 percent

Jon Gosselin, 71 percent