Barbara Walters Most Fascinating People of 2012

Includes: Honey Boo Boo One Direction Gabby Douglas Hillary Clinton EL James Ben Affleck Seth McFartlane Barbara just revealed that she wanted Honey Boo Boo to be a secret because she thought it undermined the integrity of the show. What do we think?

• Honey Boo Boo undermines her credibility, but One Direction and EL James doesn't?!

• Maybe it's just me aging, but these specials actually once had interesting people on them. Barbara has been leaking integrity for some time.

• I think Barbara needs to go on a nice long vacation. She has certainly earned one. No, really!

  R O'Donnell

• They need to give this Special to Katie Couric

• You have GOT to be kidding!! Baba Wawa? Say it isn't so...

  anon

• Stick a fork in her, she's done.

• Who is EL James???

• [quote]Who is EL James??? "Fifty Shades of Grey."

  The Voice of the Night

• When was the last time anyone used the word "integrity" in the same sentence as Barbara Walters, without the words, "has no" in between?

• [quote]Seth McFartlane Please tell me this wasn't a typo.

• Barbara "hi peasants!" Walters......

  anon

• She is really the most easily fascinated person, ever.

• Integrity has no Baba Wawa.

  R9

• I honestly believe Barbara doesn't know who most of these people are. The network probably picks for her.

• Honey Boo Boo isn't included - OP made that one up.

• Is BA even relelist? I know Argo was big but he certainly wasn't bigger than a lot of people not on the list. 2003 was his year because of J Lo. Nobody cares now.

• I meant relevant.

  r16

• "I'm Barbara Walters, and I was once a serious journalist".

  Cheri%20Oteri

• Ben is in heavy campaign mode for an Oscar. I'm sure some publicist was got his name on the list (as did the others, really). But there's nothing fascinating about Ben. Unless he wants to talk about cheating on his wife, gambling debts, and setting up pap shots to get ice cream.

• Yeah, that's what I figured. Just was odd because at least the.others have a big media presence. And BA doesn't have that. He and his wife are as irrelevant as Hollywood stars can be.

• Why is boring ass Ben Affleck supposed to be "fascinating?" That list is hilarious. One Direction? Really? And the Fifty Shades of Grey author? Hey, authors, in and of themselves are NOT particularly interesting. Some have some theatricality to them like Truman Capote but most are rather quiet, measured, and, well, kinda dull.

• EL James has nothing to say. She wrote a Twilight fanfic and miraculously made millions. That's about it, folks.

• I really pathetic list. I don't know if that says more about Walters or the cultural climate. But it's sad. McFarland, Douglas, and MAYBE Affleck are the only ones who have any reason to be on the list. If you were going to choose a crossover author, choose Junot Diaz or Gillian Flynn not ridiculous EL James. Hillary? I love her, but why? Why not choose Elizabeth Warren or Michelle (assuming she wasn't chosen recently) Hell, even crazy Ann Romney would make more sense? One Direction? Really? I'm officially old I guess because I don't get it.

• Barbara Walters is the queen of dumbed-down television, but even she has dumbed-down her own show. In 1993, her "most fascinating people" included Hillary Clinton, Jack Kevorkian, an architect, and others that would all be better than Boo Boo, and in 1994 she had Neslon Mandela, Leslie Ambramson, Jimmy Carter, Speilberg and Streisand.

• Honey Boo Boo is not on it, r24.

• I see Barbara Walters didn't make that list.

• [quote]One Direction? Really? I'm officially old I guess because I don't get it. Made history in the US as being the first British band in history to debut at #1 in the US. Their second album is going to debut at #1 now too. They're hugely popular now.

• I remember thinking it is time for her to retire when her most fascinating person one year was Laura Bush. As much as I disliked W, I did not mind Laura, but she was hardly the most fascinating person of that year. It seemed like she was sucking up to someone.

• Who gives a shit, R27? Boy bands aren't fascinating and 12 year olds don't watch Barbara Walters.

• Barbara Walters always had pop singers on the show - Ricky Martin, Geri Halliwell, Beyonce, Usher... (Also, Susan Lucci was on it [italic]twice[/italic]? WTF?)

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Walters%27_10_Most_Fascinating_People

• Barbara's desperate social climbing undermines her integrity, period.

• WTF are Barbara Walters, Honey Boo Boo, Gabby Douglas, EL James and Seth McFartlane?

  European

• I don't have a problem with EL James' inclusion, she has written the most successful book in ages and on top of that it is completely terrible, so that is a fascinating story. She also includes Hillary Clinton and Chris Christie, who are good choices. Ben Affleck directed a well-received movie, who fucking cares; Seth McFarlane had a good year, but so what; One Direction, who cares; Gabby Douglas was a nice PR story at the time, but who cares anymore; etc. etc.

  http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/one-direction-ben-affleck-among-barbara-walters-most-fascinating-people-20121120

• Why Clinton and Affleck? They've been around forever. WTF has Affleck done to be any more "fascinating" this year? Barbara's coffin must have a gas leak.

• Let's start our own list since BW is clueless: 1. Cory Booker

• So, who do you think will be number 1?

• 1. Barack Obama 2. Elizabeth Warren 3. Rupert Murdoch 4. Chris Christie 5. Nate Silver 6. Oscar Pistorius 7. EL James 8. Channing Tatum 9. Anderson Cooper 10. Yes, I would include The Honey Boo Boo Child. She is the zeitgeist.

• Bowbwa is easily fascinated.....

• Where is The Wanted? I think they're better singers than One Direction.

• Honey Boo Boo? Seriously?

• They don't have nearly the same cultural impact though, r39.