Barbara Walters Most Fascinating People 2008

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:08am

Here's the list (in no special order). Who would you replace?

Personally, I think there were too many actors on the list. It was like Barbs was shilling for their new movies. I would drop Tom Cruise from the list.

Her time with Tina Fey seemed more about bashing Sarah Palin than finding out about Tina Fey.

I'd drop the pregnant man. I don't really see the fascination there. He/She is more like a circus freak.

Barack Obama
Tom Cruise
Tina Fey
Will Smith
Frank Langella
Michael Phelps
Rush Limbaugh
Sarah Palin
Miley Cyrus
Thomas Beatie the pregnant man

Updated On: 12/5/08 at 10:08 AM

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:10am

I missed it. Who was her "most" fascinating person this year?

[cubanpab]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:10am

how about we drop everyone except Obama, Palin, Phelps and Fey off the list...

the most fascinating was Obama, obviously. and she didnt even have a new interview to share, she just rehashed the same one that aired last week. boring.

Updated On: 12/5/08 at 10:10 AM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:11am

"I missed it. Who was her "most" fascinating person this year?"

Obama

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:11am

Thanks, Goth.

[tazber]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:12am

Tom Cruise?

His meltdown was last year I thought.

[madbrian]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:20am

I agree with Cubanpab that Obama, Palin, Phelps and Fey were the only fascinating people on Barbara's list. I would suggest that Rachel Maddow and Hillary Clinton would be worthy additions.

Updated On: 12/5/08 at 10:20 AM

[jasonf]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 10:23am

I didn't understand the picks of Cruise, Smith OR Langella. What did any of the three do that was so extraordinary THIS year? Heck, Langella's one "big" movie doesn't even come out till today - a little early to be citing him as a "shoo-in for Best Actor," no? Walters has a fascination with the pregnant man I simply don't share. If I was going to include any actors other than the obvious Tina Fey, I would have gone with Meryl Streep and Heath Ledger. Streep reinvented herself AGAIN with Mamma Mia, and, if Langella could be chosen for Frost/Nixon, why not her for Doubt? Ledger may not be able to give an interview, but what actor was more talked about than him?

[EVIE]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 11:08am

I can't believe she had Miley and Will Smith on that list!

[cubanpab]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 11:26am

jason - i agree about Heath, regardless of the fact that he obviously would not have been able to be on the program. So what. Palin and Obama werent on it either. It was just old interviews.

A nice little reel on Ledger was much more appropriate than Miley Cyrus?? I mean really... REEEAAALLLYY Barbara Walters!
Updated On: 12/5/08 at 11:26 AM

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 11:34am

The special was a bit of a disappointment. As mentioned above, the Obama interview was a rehash and there were no interviews with some of the people. She needs to expand it to 90 minutes or 2 hours and do interviews with all of the people. And maybe she should take the word fascinating out of the title. I also did not see what was so fascinating about some of the people on the list.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 11:47am

I thought the list was pretty lame.....I agree with those of you who said Obama, Palin, Phelps and Fey were the only ones who really should have been on the list.

I really didn't understand the inclusion of Will Smith or Tom Cruise at all.

[danmag]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 11:48am

Tom Cruise is only fascinating in that he is a complete freak. If I want to see a trainwreck, I'll watch The Real Housewives of Orange County.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 11:52am

I think Miley only made the list because she's 15, and apparently does not go out partying, drinking, or doing drugs. I mean, that counts as something, right?

[StockardFan]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 11:56am

Yeah, it does. Although it's creepy that she's dating a 20 year old.

[cubanpab]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 11:58am

i think dating a 20 year old underwear model cancels out the whole "not drinking or partying" thing

[StockardFan]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 12:01pm

Jinx, Pab!

[jasonf]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 12:07pm

I don't know, I can understand the inclusion of Miley. I personally don't find her "fascinating", but it's hard to deny that she was EVERYWHERE this year.

Obama was a no brainer -- in fact I said that if it WASN'T him Walters would have lost all credibility for the rest of her career.

[supportivemom]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 12:07pm

At least there was an Obama interview! There was NO interview with Barbara and Sarah Palin! I think Hillary should have been on that list because she came so close in the primaries, lost, then went on the campaign trail with Obama, and then got named Secretary of State! That's pretty impressive! Totally agree that the pregnant "man" shouldn't have been on the list. I can understand Miley because of the craze this year. What- no Jonas Brothers? I also agree that there were too many actors. I think Rachel Maddow would have been an interesting choice because she has become so popular this year and she's smart and witty!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 12:16pm

The last 5 and Tom Cruise.

Haven't we heard enough from them?


Not in the least bit interesting.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 1:56pm

The idea of including Tom Cruise was likely cooked up to help him promote his movie. It's all so calculated. He's about as fascinating as ... Barbara Walters.

[ExceedinglyPeculiar2]

Posted: 12/5/08 at 7:23pm

Seth Meyers says it best...

"Will Smith, Tom Cruise and Rush Limbaugh are among Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People of 2008. Which proves, if nothing else, that Barbara Walters is easily fascinated."