Barbara Walters helped set the A List for 2011 into the pop culture historical records when she added the Kardashian sisters to her grade A list of the “most fascinating people” of the year. Will the famous news reporter admit her guilty pleasure is watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians?
USA Today has reported it, so it is official. Barbara Walters has officially added the Kardashian sisters to her famous faces list of the most fascinating people of 2011. The annual television special is scheduled to air Dec. 14 on ABC — if you have never watched one, the special (titled Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2011) promises to be just as interesting [and not interesting simultaneously] as all the others.
In 2010, Barbara Walters named and interviewed an unusual assortment of star celebs. Green celebrity names last year included eco-friendly Kate Middleton, famous humanitarian Sandra Bullock, pet friendly Betty White, and women’s rights activist Jennifer Lopez. [She also catered to the general public when she had the cast of Jersey Shore on as listed guests — you know… the health and fitness advocates who promote the routine of Gym, Tan, and Laundry?]
While many of her guests typically do have interesting lives and stories to tell, this year the Kardashian sisters have very little left to reveal about themselves.
Clearly, the biggest American news from the entertainment world this past year was about Kim Kardashian meeting, dating, getting engaged, marrying, and filing for divorce from NBA basketball player Kris Humphries. Humphries is expected to counter Kim’s divorce request with a plea that the judge grant him an annulment. Feeling duped by the reality TV star (who seems only to have married him to make money and picked frightful fights with his so she could up-sell Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Kim And Kourtney Take New York), the not-so-verbally gentle giant wants his name untied legally from hers.
To counter the negative press he is likely to be generating for Kim K, sister Kourtney Kardashian went on the defensive and has actually granted US Weekly an exclusive story about her being pregnant with a second child by baby daddy Scott Disick. Even though Scott is clearly struggling with alcoholism and a narcissistic personality disorder, he and Kourtney make cute kids. Their son Mason is nearly 2 years old now — and the celebrity mom keeps herself so fit and trim that another pregnancy won’t ruin her figure. [God forbid, the fashionista end up with a bigger butt than Kim.]
Now that the word is out that Kourtney Kardashian is pregnant again but Kim Kardashian is getting divorced, fans will certainly be looking to Khloe Kardashian to be the next member of the famous family to have a child. She and husband Lamar Odom (a basketball player like Humphries) have been having fun practicing, but now the pressure to get down to business will likely be on.
But having Barbara Walters name the famous sisters — who already have oodles of free press — to her list of most fascinating people? Seriously, Babs? The choice simply looks bad to many.
Why?
Because with all the under-reported stories about real life heroes and interesting people in the world, having reality television stars be featured seems like a ratings ploy by the network (if nothing else).
Yes, we talk about them here on GCN — but only because we really do try our best to give credit where credit is due. When the world reads about popular celebrities whose names are involved with scandals, people tend to get a skewed view. By focusing on their humanitarian work, eco-friendly activities, or pet friendly proclivities, we give props to star celebs who do good deed — while still responsibly reviewing the reports from rumor mills and celebrity gossip websites around the world to bring the latest news about Hollywood stars to you.
Reporting bad news is easy. Really researching and sharing good news is hard to do.
To that end, if Barbara Walters (who uses her star power to help raise money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation to promote Parkinson’s Disease research) really did choose the Kardashian sisters to come on her show and talk about their lives, fame, fortune, and what they do, she has an opportunity. Let’s hope she steers people watching to donate money to the same charities and non-profit organizations these famous women give their celebrity endorsement…that is, if understands what really happens on the show and admits to watching it, too.
Cheers to major media outlets who share good news.