The White House, being the buzzkill that it is, is telling the bailed-out company to trim those back a bit, the Washington Post reports:

Kenneth Feinberg, the U.S. Treasury's point man for compensation, has indicated he wants future retention payments reduced at the troubled AIG Financial Products unit, according to a new report from the special inspector general overseeing the government's financial rescue program.

A public furor erupted earlier this year when AIG paid about $168 million in retention bonuses to employees at Financial Products, the unit whose complex deals nearly wrecked the insurance giant last fall. The same contracts that guaranteed those awards also promised similar payments in March 2010, and for months AIG has been scrambling to redraw those agreements in hopes of preventing another public debacle.

What sucks here is that AIG employees obviously deserve these retention bonuses, what with every other corporation in America that aspires to Worst Company status falling all over one another to recruit them away. If AIG wants to keep its magic going, the company — and the taxpayers — needs to pay the hefty price tag to keep those miracle workers under the AIG banner.

AIG Advised to Limit Its Next Round of Bonuses [Washington Post]

Comcast is always a tough competitor in the Worst Company In America contest — but even after upsetting Bank of America, they just didn't have what it took to get past the economic meltdown's poster child for irresponsibility and corruption. Sorry, AIG. Between the attorney general's investigation, the fancy conferences, controversial bonuses and the fact that you made jolly old Ben Bernanke describe losing his temper on 60 Minutes — you really did have the "Strength to be there."

Stay tuned for the official mailing of the lucky golden poo trophy. We hope AIG will display it proudly in one of the skyscrapers that used to have their name on it — before they pried it off the building in shame.

As for Comcast, we feel like a runner-up prize is in order. Please add your suggestions in the comments.

Comcast is in the final deathmatch for the second year in a row after losing to Countrywide in 2008. Will this be the year that the cable giant finally takes home the top honor? Or will WCIA newcomer and top seeded company AIG continue its total domination?

Whose name will we engrave on this year's lucky golden poo trophy?

It's #1 AIG VS #3 Comcast!

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #3 Comcast VS #2 Bank of America (Countrywide, Merrill Lynch):

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #5 Ticketmaster VS #1 AIG!

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

#1 AIG

#5 Ticketmaster

#2 Bank of America

...and #3 Comcast!

It's #2 Bank Of America (Countrywide, Merrill Lynch) VS #10 Chrysler!

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #11 General Motors VS #3 Comcast:
This is a post in our Worst Company In America
2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #5 TicketmasterVS #4 Citibank:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #1 AIG VS #9 Walmart:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

Meet your "Elite 8!":

GM
AIG
Comcast
Walmart
Ticketmaster
Citibank
Chrysler
Bank of America

Worst Company In America: Bank of America VS Circuit City

Worst Company In America: eBay Vs Chrysler

Worst Company In America: GM VS Chase

Worst Company In America: Comcast VS Capital One

Worst Company In America: Citibank VS Sprint

Worst Company In America: Ticketmaster VS United Healthcare

Worst Company In America: Walmart VS Best Buy

Worst Company In America: AIG VS Peanut Corporation Of America

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #2 Bank of America (Countrywide, Merrill Lynch) VS #18 Circuit City:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #7 eBay/PayPal/StubHub VS #10 Chrysler!

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #6 Chase VS #11 General Motors

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #3 Comcast VS #14 Capital One:
This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #4 Citibank VS #20 Sprint:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #5 Ticketmaster VS #12 United Healthcare:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america Download the bracket here.

It's #8 Best Buy VS #9 Walmart:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2008 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #1 AIG VS #17 Peanut Corporation of America:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

Just in case you're wondering, the closest match-up was AT&T VS Circuit City. Circuit City won by 72 votes.

Click here to see the match-ups from round one and vote.

Good luck to everyone.

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #2 Bank of America (and defending champion, having acquired last year's winner, Countrywide) VS #31 Starbucks!

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america Download the bracket here.

It's #15 AT&T VS #18 Circuit City:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #23 Dell VS #10 Chrysler!

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #7 eBay (including Paypal, Skype and StubHub) VS #26 General Electric (including NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, GE Capital, NBC Universal...)

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america Download the bracket here.

It's #6 Chase (WaMu) VS #27 Sears (Kmart):

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #11 General Motors VS #22 United Airlines:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #36 Weyland-Yutani VS #37 Cyberdyne Systems.

This is a not a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were not chosen by you, the readers, and not seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the real bracket here.

Also:

(Photo:flikr)

It's #34 Stark Industries VS #35 Wayne Enterprises.

This is not a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were not chosen by you, the readers, and not seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the real bracket here.

Also:

(Photo:celia wagner)

It's #19 US Airways VS #14 Capital One:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #30 DirecTV vs #3 Comcast:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #4 Citibank VS #29 Home Depot:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #20 Sprint VS #13 Verizon.

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's Apple VS United Healthcare:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america Download the bracket here.

It's Ticketmaster VS Time Warner Cable:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

Here's #8 Best Buy VS #25 T Mobile:

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.

It's #9 Walmart VS #24 HP.

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2009 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers, and seeded according to number of nominations. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america. Download the bracket here.