I say take out Tom Cruise and put Suri Cruise in instead.

For one I am shocked, more shocked that Tom Cruise was # 2; just as shocked that Michael Phelps is # 9 and Will Smith is # 10. Wow.

In all seriousness, though, I don't find Tom Cruise, Will Smith, or Thomas Beatie all that fascinating. (In particular, I don't think they did anything fascinating this past year, either.) I think Britney Spears would have been an interesting choice, and maybe Hillary Clinton or John McCain. Also, while I am really excited to see Frost/Nixon, I don't think Frank Langella was that fascinating this year, either. If anyone, I would have chosen David Frost. Or, if she wanted to include an actor who is making a comeback, I think Mickey Rourke would have been an interesting choice.

Oh, I also think it would have been interesting to have Michelle and Barack share the top spot. Of course, he is in the spotlight much more than her, but they have always struck me as equal partners more than anything.

It will be a happy day for me when Thomas Beatie wakes up and decides to just be a parent and not a media wh*re.

I agree Obama could be considered fascinating; Langella, Phelps, Palin, Beatie, Fey and even Cyrus might be considered interesting this year but what have Limbaugh, Cruise and Smith done this year that's any different from what they've been doing?
I never watch this show anyway.

LOL duh...and apparently millions of Americans find him facinating as well. I like that fact that someone who can actually make a diffrence is on the top of the list this year and not just some celebrity.

What, she think BO is fascinating? I'm SHOCKED!

Actually, the ONLY shocking thing on the list is that she thought SP was fascinating. And at #3 no less!

You're right about Limbaugh Steph; I kind of skipped by him for some reason, but I agree, he didn't do anything particularly fascinating this year.

If I was going to include a newscaster/news personality, I would probably have picked Rachel Maddow.

Mykie, you think SP isn't fascinating( fascinating mess)...you have seen how people stop and look at car crashes or highway patrol/troopers pulling someone over....it's kinda like that ahahahah

"Babba Wawa finds Owbama most fawcinating."

Sorry, old SNL moment. I have nothing to contribute except the memory of Gilda Radner.

Britney would have been a good choice.

Blue - I couldn't agree more!

Oh, and while I find them annoying, I think the Jonas Brothers could have been interesting to include, as well.

(This is a fun new game I am playing with myself, trying to think of people who are more fascinating than the ones Walters chose.)

I'm shocked for a list of fascinating people the special was really boring.

I agree lilkimbo it should have been Michelle and Barack together.

K this is Babs we are talking about, the most fascinating things in her life is the days she doesnt tinkle her pants when she laughs , when her makeup artist tells her she "looks good" for her age, and when the soft filter on the TV is extra soft.

I don't find anyone on this list fascinating.

I find your mom fascinating!

Miley Cyrus is fascinating to me, but not in the Barbara Walters sense, I suppose. And Limbaugh, IMO, is just a fascinatingly large waste of space.

"but what have Limbaugh, Cruise and Smith done this year that's any different from what they've been doing?"

I agree. I also agree with Lil that Rachel Maddow would have been a more interesting choice than Limbaugh, because she kind of shook things up this year.

Cruise, Limbaugh and Palin - WHY!!! I would say Palin would be the years best opportunist. She has nothing to offer. what has Cruise done. And, Limbaugh, yikes why I wonder. Will Smith, a puzzle also.
Miley Cyrus ????

I agree that Rachel Maddow and Michelle Obama are far more interesting.

Why Rush Limbaugh? this year? Don't get it. Actually this list doesn't make much sense to me at all except the obvious Barack Obama and Sarah Palin.

I find the nail on my left pinky more fascinating than Will Smith, Tom Cruise or Miley Cyrus... is that too harsh?

lilprisci, I'm with you... A celeb is a celeb. What the heck has Miley Cyrus done to fascinate me. N-O-T-H-I-N-G

If I were to sub someone in, I would sub in Ellen DeGeneres though

WTF x1000???? Will Smith, Tom Cruise, MILEY Freaking CYRUS, and Limbaugh? Unreal. Did Cruise pay money to get on this list?

That makes my mind a blank. U refused to even watch it last night.. I would have become angry. LOL!

Substitiute one of those aholes for Stephanie Meyer (chessy yes ..but more interesting then Rush)..in fact substitute Rachel Maddow for Rush.. I would rather hear about the success of an openly gay pundit then a chubby pill popping larger than life ego idiot like Rush.

Instead of Will how about his younger mini me in training.. Shia LaBeouf?. In mega movies, Spielberg's darling, falsely accused of causing a car accident where he was the real injured party and still needs one to two more major surgeries on his hand..

What about Robert Downey Jr making a HUGE comeback with Topic Thunder and Ironman?

Instead of Cruise how about Nicole Kidman.. not able to have a child with Cruise married to someone else.. BINGO pregnant and not ruling out another child (thats two of Cruises ex wives who he was unable to impregnate successfully). Accused of being over paid. Leaving Hollywood life for Nashville. How a new man, a new home base, a new love and a new baby has changed her. Esp interesting to see what she would have said before the opening of Austrailia which has technically flopped.

Instead of Miley Cyrus (fame wh*re..hope her 15 minutes die a fiery death soon) how about all three Jonas Bros..if you must have a young'un on the show.

I am disgusted.. only Obama is truly interesting..everyone else is like the Most Annoying People of 2008. And if that was the case why not Speidi?

Yeah.. Ellen would have been Brilliant.. they could have talked about Prop 8.. among other things.

Barbara has lost her damn mind.. or none of her actual first picks would go on the show.

Stephenie Meyer has a great story, as does Ellen, much better choices than this lame list. Most of these people were interesting in like 2005, maybe Babs is just slow to get fascinated.

"Did Cruise pay money to get on this list?"

lol. but yeah, he probably did.

blue, I find YOUR mom fascinating! lols

This list was obviously created to hit every demographic for ratings. This list isn't consistent enough to be Barbara's personal list and it leaves out to many truly fascinating people to be a real list. The only people on this list that are truly fascinating are Obama, Palin (for better or worse), Phelps, and maybe Fey (she's in a weird category that is more than a comedian, but not a pundit). To argue about something so contrived is a waste of air.

I, too, find your mom fascinating. She's definitely on my Top 10 list! (directed at sarah)

Hehe. My mom is pretty fascinating. Teaches Kindergarten. I could never follow in her footsteps...I just don't have that kind of patience for that many 5 year olds!

I didn't even tune in...waste of time.

Hasn't Tom Cruise done HORRIBLE this year?
jeez...if she just threw anyone in there why not throw the guy from Twilight...he's hot.
Or Tila Tequila for coming out of the closet as a bisexual
How about the prairiedog?
he was pretty fascinating..better than Miley...

seriously, why do the most fascinating people have to be celebrities? What if she chose real people.. much more interesting, I think.

thats an awesome idea krae...you should write to babwa!

I'm going to defend Miley here for a minute, as i think she's far more fascinating than a few of the others, especially in the past year, as she has changed (not necessarily in a good way) so much. I remember everyone was talking about how grounded she is, and then bam. Dating a 20 year old, and completely int he spotlight. She doesn't seem so grounded anymore, but I'm not sure it's entirely her fault. Did she really know what she was getting into? Can any of us fathom hoe it must be to have your teenage years, when everyone makes stupid mistakes, under total scrutiny, with plenty of negative comments about you for every positive one on the internet? What does this say about the way we treat celebrities these days, and how will she end up? I say she's be lucky to end up just a diva - she could do a lot worse.

Role model, maybe no.
Fascinating, yes.

You can dislike Miley Cyrus and still find her fascination, and the people who just automatically say Ew as soon as her name comes up sort of strike me as overly judgmental on a frickin just-16 year old. Who didn't make mistakes at that age?

I don't particularly like her, I think that she's setting a bad example for her young fans. But I also pity her, and am sometimes revolted by how she is treated by the media, and common folk on the internet.

the only people I find fascinating from this list are barack obama and michael phelps.

On an unrelated note, I have decided I quite like her coat.

i think that barbara walters should be on that list

what an elegant woman

Best on the list Obama, Phelps and Smith (started out as a rapper-turned actor-turned producer) pretty fascinating if you ask me so he can stay. However, they should have included Michelle. Oh and remove Sarah and replace her with Usain Bolt (google him if you haven't heard). Oh and Miley is she kidding me isn't she too old to think that Miley is fascinating(shaking my head).

I don't find it surprising at all that Mccain didn't make the list, he wasn't really interesting to anyone until he chose Palin and that was just because she's so freakin' nuts!

I don't find half the people on this list fascinating.

I'm surprised that BO isn't the top 3. As much as Walters fawned all over him when he went on the View. It's a shame they couldn't have been at least respectful to McCain when he was on there.