Barbara Walters names Honey Boo Boo to Most Fascinating list; internet panics

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo … one of the Most Fascinating People of 2012? If you believe what Barbara Walters is saying at the moment, this is stunningly the case. The legendary newswoman told Us Weekly in a recent interview that she is naming the TLC star to her annual list, alongside such names as Hilary Clinton, Gabby Douglas, and Ben Affleck, and one of the reasons why is due to the relationship that young Alana Thompson has with her mother June Shannon:

“A lot of people will say, ‘For heaven’s sake, this is ridiculous, this is a child at 5 or 6 years old entering beauty contests.’ But the relationship between Alana and her mother — that’s the story, the two of them. It’s very touching.”

This selection really addresses what has been an interesting point about Walters’ show that, for whatever reason, many over the years have chosen to ignore: this is her list, and these picks are all her opinion. It’s hard to say that Honey Boo Boo has done anything so significant to be a part of a list of the 1,000 Most Fascinating People of 2012, let alone the top ten. However, what she has done is be a source of entertainment, and show that you do not have to be extremely wealthy in this world to have fun. With that being said, there are also plenty of fair criticisms about putting a young child in front of a camera, and then making her go on an uncomfortable media tour earlier this year.

“Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” is fascinating in the same way that Kate Gosselin was three years ago: she is a pop-culture phenomenon that captures the zeitgeist of a given era, and it is intriguing solely from the standpoint of trying to understand why they are popular to begin with. However, it is also possible that they will be forgotten in a few years’ time.

What do you think of Walters’ selection? Be sure to share your thoughts below, and you can read another recent rant about Honey Boo Boo courtesy of Adam Levine here.

Photo: TLC