Greatest Reality TV Personality of All Time: Chef Gordon Ramsay vs. Capt. Phil Harris

In honor of the 15th anniversary of Survivor (the show that kick-started the reality TV revolution premiered on May 31, 2000), we’re celebrating our favorite reality TV personalities. After thousands of votes, we’re down to the final two: Capt. Phil Harris and Chef Gordon Ramsay. Here’s your chance to pick who will win the title of The Greatest TV Personality of All Time, so get voting!

Capt. Phil Harris, Deadliest Catch (Seasons 1-6)

Why He Makes the Cut: A rock star of the Bering Sea crab-fishing fleet with a wicked sense of humor and a big heart, Capt. Phil finally got the chance to know his sons, Josh and Jake, when they became deckhands on the Cornelia Marie. After suffering a stroke in January 2010, Phil wasn’t expected to awaken from the medically induced coma he had been placed in following surgery, but he did — and he wrote a note telling the cameraman to keep shooting because they needed a great finish to his story. Before he passed away a week later, they got it: Phil had the chance to apologize to Josh for not being a better father when he was growing up, and Josh told Phil he’d been the best father he could be and taught him everything he needed to know to be a man.

Best Moment: The way we choose to remember Capt. Phil: In his wheelhouse, telling Josh with a straight face that the secret to finding crabs was looking for air bubbles. “They’re just fartin’ little machines. We can find those fart bubbles, we got it made.” — Mandi Bierly

Gordon Ramsay, Hell’s Kitchen (Seasons 1-present)

Arguably as important as Julia Child in the pantheon of television chefs, Gordon Ramsay brought a sense of menace and adrenaline to TV cooking that kick-started the entire genre of cooking competition shows. Oh sure, he can teach you to cook (his simple scrambled eggs demonstration is unparalleled), but it’s the fiery rock star version of Ramsay that we all fell in love with.

Best Moment: He’s more than just the f-bomb and “You donkey!” His most cutting remarks often involve no swearing at all. — Robert Chan