Worst celebrity neighbors of 2007– and a few of the best

Ever wonder what it would be like to have a famous neighbor?  Perhaps you envision play dates between your kids and the celebrity offspring, or summer BBQ’s that bring even more notorious stars into the ‘hood.  Or maybe you’re more than happy to live far away from anyone remotely well-known—after all, who wants to contend with parties until dawn or paparazzi flashes as you get your morning paper? 

No matter what camp you’re in, there is no denying that some celebrities would make much better neighbors than others.  Harris Interactive® recently conducted a survey on behalf of Zillow to find out who you thought were the worst neighbors of 2007, and who would be the best neighbor in the coming year. 

Fallen football star Michael Vick was voted worst neighbor for 2007 by 1 in 3 adults (33%) for his role in a dog fighting ring at his home. Those living in Surry, VA, where the infamous dogs both lived and died, will be happy to learn that Mr. Vick, who will be spending the next 23 months behind bars, has since sold the house.  Where he’ll end up next, nobody knows, but we all hope it isn’t in our neighborhood!

 With the whirlwind year Brittney Spears had it’s no wonder 21% of adults voted her as the worst neighbor. Interestingly, among 18-34 year-old females, Britney is considered the worst neighbor (34%), above Mr. Vick (24%).  Amazing how quick opinions of your once largest fan base can go from neighborly to quite unkind. I don’t envy those living in one of the two LA neighborhoods where Britney owns homes, or anywhere near the Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills, where Britney spent a good deal of time in 2007. 

Rosie O’Donnell came in third with 14% of respondents reporting she was the worst neighbor of 2007.  However, among male adults 55 and older, Rosie O’Donnell was right up there with Vick with more than 30% voting her as the worst neighbor. Sounds like Donald Trump has a following in his camp.  Lucky that those living in Nyack, NY, where Rosie calls home fall on the younger side, with the average age of just 39. 

But are there any celebrities you’d actually like to live next door to?  Seems there are a few who are desirable, including stand-up couple Faith Hill and Tim McGraw who are the top choices by more than 19% of respondents. If you aren’t lucky enough to enjoy a backyard BBQ with these famous country musicians, check out where they live in Franklin, TN to get a sense of the area.  Next up was Bill Gates with 14%, but if you can’t hang out with Bill, you can get a sense of what it’s like living in Medina,WA the neighborhood he resides in.   And, Oprah Winfrey came in a close third with 13% wanting to be her neighbor, but is that in exclusive Montecito, CA or the windy city?

Check out the full results below for even more details.  We’d love to hear more from you — be sure to tell us who you think was the worst in 2007, and who would be a perfect addition to your neighborhood watch in 2008.  Or, if you aren’t into the celebrity neighbor thing, check out your own neighborhood or city using our new neighborhood pages that let you learn more about the types of people who live in your ‘hood – who come with or without paparazzi.  

** photos courtesy of TMZ.com