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Barbara Walters makes 'Fascinating' return By Jay Bobbin © Zap2it The prospect of another "Fascinating" round was too much for Barbara Wal- ters to resist. Though she maintained the 2013 edition would be her last — as a host, if not as a producer — the iconic television journalist, who ended her regularly scheduled television work in May, presents her choices for "The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2014" in a two-hour ABC special Sunday, Dec. 14. As usual, the No. 1 pick won't be revealed until the actual broadcast, but several names on the list are known. They include (alphabetically) Chelsea Handler, upcoming Oscar host Neil Patrick Harris, Scarlett Johansson, Taylor Swift and Oprah Winfrey ... and Walters appreci- ates having more time, in all ways, to do the related interviews. "I shouldn't even be do- ing this," she says, "but it does so well, the network said, 'Do one more year. It's important to us.' They asked last spring, be- cause even though it's on in December, you have to prepare for it and get the guests. And it's a terrific list, so here we are. And we're happy about it." Walters admits not do- ing ABC's "The View" on weekdays "makes a big difference for me, so I can concentrate on this. The interviews have gone very well; I had never met Neil Patrick Harris, who was just adorable and easy to talk to. And I was sur- prised that Oprah would do it. I've interviewed her before, but this is brand- new." Moreover, this marks the first time Walters is getting two full hours for "Fascinating People," which she allows is "more than we expected. It doesn't mean extra work, it means that the inter- views are longer. It lets us get more in-depth, and they've given us more time because it's been so successful ... but this probably will be the last time I'll do it." Early on, it was appar- ent Walters would not go quietly into her phase of reduced activity. While she left "The View" at the time ABC News named its New York headquar- ters for her and threw her a lavish almost-farewell party, she was still landing major interview "gets" ... specifically, the women at the heart of the scandal involving now-former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling. "Who knows?," Walters reflects. "I had just said, 'Oh, I'm not doing "The View," I have more time,' Barbara Walters (left) interviews Oprah Winfrey in "The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2014" Sunday on ABC. but you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. I haven't said, 'This is the last time.' I said 'Goodbye' when we had that big par- ty, but here I am again." Though she and long- time production partner Bill Geddie — with whom she's working again on "Most Fascinating People" — no longer have direct involvement in "The View," Walters still watches it and notes "it's not the same show that I put on the air 17 years ago, but things change. Whoopi (Goldberg) still seems to be happy doing it, and I'm glad about that." And when it comes to the building that now bears her name, Walters is nothing if not modest. "I don't even know where it is!," she claims. "There's a plaque somewhere on the side of it. I should go polish it." 2 The Goshen News • TV Spotlight • December 15-21, 2014 On or Off-Site Catering All Occasions Dine under the glow of gas lanterns Breakfast and Lunch Meals also available Open Tuesday through Saturday T sd thr gh Sat da T sd thr gh Sat www.goshennews.com

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