I have always loved to watch Barbara Walter’s special, “The 10 Most Fascinating People”, eager to see who she and her team have deemed to be “fascinating” that year. Her final special aired on Wednesday, December 18th, and she recapped every fascinating person she interviewed for this yearly special.
So in keeping with the long tradition once held by the woman I admire (and wanted to be like), here is my list of fascinating people of 2013.
Pope Francis – since his ascension to the highest post in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has literally touched e loves of hundreds of millions of people around the world. With his done-to-earth personality and is every man way of life, he has shown us how humbly one can live despite being appointed to such a high and prestigious post in the Church. I’m not Catholic, but I respect the man and would be humbled if I ever had the opportunity to stand in Vatican City and watch one of his sermons.
Photo Credit: theHollywoodReporter.com
Angelina Jolie – Her revelation of her undergoing a double mastectomy was one of the best kept secrets by a celebrity. Her beauty goes beyond skin-deep; it goes deep into her bones. Her philanthropic and charitable contributions is inspiring. The fact that she is doing charitable work while filming and directing movies, as well as raising six children, is – in one word – amazing! And she is engaged to Brad Pitt, who is also busy doing his own thing – filming and directing movies; working on his own philanthropic and charitable work; and helping to raise their six children. To meet Angelina would fulfill a lifelong dream, for she is as intelligent as she is beautiful.
Benedict Cumberbatch – He’s British… Should I even say more? Probably not, but I will… I saw him on The Graham Norton Show (yes, it is a British show on BBC), and I just swooned over his delectable accent. I didn’t realize who he was when I first watched Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, but when I watched it again just a few weeks ago, I was in awe of him once again. He is intelligent and witty, yet quiet and humble. He also officiated the wedding of two of his gay friends. His loyalty to his friends is beautiful!
Photo Credit: Time.com
Robin Roberts – I have watched Good Morning America for years, and I have enjoyed waking up and listening to her caring, fun-loving voice relay the news. When she announced she had breast cancer, my heart dropped a little. When she returned to GMA, my heart sang. I feel a little kinship with her, as she is from Pass Christian, Miss., and I graduated from Biloxi, Miss. She has fought cancer, not once but twice, and she is stronger for it. Her “never give up” attitude is contagious and inspiring! She has a loving relationship with her family, even crediting her parents with cultivating the three ‘D’s: “discipline, determination, and ‘de Lord.”
Photo Credit: johnhardy.com
Malala Yousafzai – This young girls voiced her opinion, was shot and left for dead, yet she had the will to survive. For such a young a young girl, she has such a strong voice that is encouraging and inspiring. To think that such a young girl can inspire millions with not only her words, but with her actions… What an amazing young woman. I look forward to seeing what she accomplishes in the future.
Photo Credit: Pinterest
George Clooney – He is today’s leading man with style and humor. He is aging gracefully and he is what I would call a “distinguished gentleman.” I am in awe of his talent as a screenwriter as well as his eye as a director. Actor, director, producer, humanitarian, perineal bachelor… He is all of that rolled into a handsome package full of sheer talent!
Jennifer Aniston – The quintessential California girl with he blonde hair and sun-kissed tan, she has finally found love again. She bared her beautifully toned body in We Are the Millers and has helped develop hair care products with Living Proof. She has aged gracefully and is a role maiden for those of us who aspire to age as gracefully.
Ron Howard – I don’t think of him as Opie, but as a potential long-distant cousin, as my maiden name is Howard, and like him, my brother, dad, and uncles have red hair (which is turning gray by the day). I am inspired by his talents as a writer, direct, and producer. He has his hands in a lot of projects and would love to sit down and talk with him to find out what makes him tick.
Photo Credit: TheHollywoodReporter.com
Richard Branson – Surely I’m not the only person who watched his reality show where contestants were vying to be an apprentice in his company. Reading some of his articles on LinkedIn, I find his business model amazing. He has always aimed high and accomplished many, if not almost all of his goals, and he continually strives to be better, to accomplish more, to ensure that his employees are happy, healthy, and equally enthusiastic about life. The fact that he owns his own island, Necker Island, is pretty awesome too.
Jenny McCarthy – I have been fascinated with her since her “Singled Out” days on MTV. She is a little (ok, a lot) raunchy and very sexy. She is definitely one of my “girl crushes.” When my husband and I were in Las Vegas for Thanksgiving, we saw her “DirtySexyFunny” show in which she hosted a comedy show featuring five funny, sexy comediennes. She has has courted some controversy when it came to childhood immunizations, but she has stood her ground and has made a case for her and other mothers to defend their right to not immunize their children. She is fiercely loyal and protective of her son, which is pretty awesome.
State Rep. Wendy Davis (D-TX) – Back in the summer, this State Representative stood her ground on the Senate floor in Texas when she began a filibuster to block the Senate Bill 5. If her name still doesn’t ring any bells, then try to picture this: a petite blonde woman in a pair of pink running shoes on the Senate floor in an 11-hour filibuster standing her ground on a Texas abortion bill. And did I mention that she is now running for Governor of the great state of Texas? Yippee-ki-yay, my fellow Texans!
Photo Credit: Texas Monthly
Sometimes it’s not just one person, but a couple of people who, as one unit, make up a fascinating couple. Here are some of the most fascinating couples for this past year.
*Bill and Hillary Clinton
Photo Credit: Redbook
*Victoria and David Beckham
Photo Credit: Popsugar.com
*Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner
*Prince William and Kate Middleton
*Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick
We also lost a lot of great people this year and they will be greatly missed… In Memoriam:
*Nelson Mandela
Photo Credit: PBS.twimg.com
*Paul Walker
*Steve Jobs
So who did you find fascinating this year? Did I mention anyone on your list of fascinating people, or did I leave out someone that you think I should pay more attention to in 2014? As always, I would love to hear from you!
I look forward to seeing which celebrities, musicians, politicians, independent thinkers, and other such fascinating people stand out in 2014!
Have a safe and Happy New Year’s Eve!
P.S. Don’t forget, you can follow me on Instagram @vannadee37.