Yet he is, along with fellow judges Billy Duffy of The Cult and Bif Naked. However, unlike others, Lydon sees his role in the contest as a chance to promote his ideals over his image. Feeling that much of his personal mandate has either been diluted or completely misread over the past three decades, Lydon speaks about his years of notoriety and how it has affected the punk scene that he had a strong hand in creating.

"I'm more unpopular than popular… now that has turned unpopular into popular. I never meant it to be like that. What you get is, 'Oh, surely it's an act.' I'm not acting. [The judging] is fun because I believe in what I'm doing. Most people need an act because they want to be popular, get girlfriends or make money.

"I just fell into it almost accidentally with an I Hate Pink Floyd T-shirt… and I don't hate Pink Floyd. There's no reason I should. Fans try to put you into boxes, and it's so wrong. That's not the message I've been trying to teach for years."

Naturally, seeing Lydon on a reality show prompts some critics to attack. And while it seems out of character, he deftly provides reasoning that, in a grander scheme, it's supporting bona fide art.

"These [bands] are making an effort. They're trying to communicate — which is supposed to make us better than monkeys. We want to advance? Music and the arts do that. But the bureaucracy and bourgeoisie have co-opted that. Now, here we are in the 21st century creating art without effort or communication."

Lydon is direct in driving his point home. While his participation in this program might not have an impact on most people, it supports those who are trying.

"I live for a world where everyone would be able to create and put their asses on the line on a daily basis," Lydon says. "Is that such a bizarre concept?

"The cheek of us to throw away the privilege people didn't have 100 years ago, such as seeing live music. Now, instead of applauding their guts to get on a stage and perform, we cast them off.

"Being Mr. Rotten, a sickly ill child who managed to stand on stage and be disputed by the House Of Commons under the Traitors And Treason Act — which carried the death penalty at the time — is what I've done for life," he concludes, rounding toward his point.

Lydon, Naked and Duffy are garnering attention for Bodog Music's Battle Of The Bands, a U.S. reality television program and tour that has the label searching the world for new talent and offering a $1-million recording contract to the winner. A Bodog Music rep said a Canadian version of the show is "in the works," with celebrity judges to be determined.

The U.S. show has seen no less than 7,500 applicants shuffle through, with the final dozen touring the States and honing their chops. Hopefuls here have the opportunity to compete simply by signing up through the Bodog website.

So how do Lydon, Duffy and Naked fit in? They offer their services as judges, with roles that are obvious and almost caricature-like. Lydon, the mouthpiece, dominates. He's unafraid of stating his mind with irrefutable honesty, while Duffy plays the casual observer. Naked sits quietly between the two as if fearing for her life, yet provides ethos at just the right moments. The trio explain their involvement in the contest with answers ranging from the obvious "for the money" to admitting the desire to impact the lives of young bands.

"Judging these bands isn't easy," notes Lydon with distinct sincerity. "We were taught the lesson that we're messing with people's lives. You end up being more careful on their behalf not to ruin their lives than you would with your own."

Having been the subject of many attempts at ruin in their cumulative 80-plus years in the spotlight, these three would know the feeling. Still, the question remains as to whether or not these industry longhorns actually see anything worthwhile in the competitors, or if it's just another attempt at keeping their mugs in front of cameras?

"We love these bands because they write their own songs," grumbles Lydon. "Anyone who has enough guts to stand up on a stage and perform original art deserves our respect and approval.

"It's so easy to cast things off as not being good, but when was the last time you put your fear aside and did something creative in front of others? This is a positive thing… these bands are afforded a lot. The only time I was ever on television in my time was when I was going to jail."