NEW YORK (AP) — Paris Hilton was a bigger television draw than President Bush this week. So, for that matter, was Mark Harmon.

ABC’s interview of the president by Diane Sawyer, telecast Tuesday, only two days after the capture of Saddam Hussein was announced, was seen by 11 million people, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Meanwhile, Fox’s The Simple Life, with Hilton terrorizing an Arkansas town, was seen by 11.9 million, Nielsen said Thursday. During the half-hour where the two shows competed directly, ABC’s Bush interview had 11.3 million viewers.

Meanwhile, the CBS drama Navy NCIS starring Harmon had an audience of 12 million.

Bush can console himself with the knowledge that he was more popular than a Whoopi rerun, which had 7.3 million people watching on NBC.

usatoday.com