Snagging Clooney Makes Amal 'Most Fascinating' Person of 2014

As previously established, Barbara Walters’ Most Fascinating People of whatever particular year it happens to be is not actually full of fascinating people. But the beat goes on regardless, and this year, Barbara decided that Amal Clooney, formerly Amal Alamuddin, was the most fascinating person of 2014 because she got herself the most desirable husband in the land.

“What does it take to fascinate one of the most fascinating men in the world? She is known primarily through her spouse, and while we know little about her, we know a great deal about him, and he has fascinated many women – especially me,” Barbara said to introduce her pick of Amal for Most Fascinating Person, 2014. Here are some other quotes, said with whatever degree of tongue-in-cheek you’d like to imagine:

• “Everything she does, says or wears is officially fascinating.”
• “You could say hers was the wedding of the year. Well, let’s put it into perspective: it was really one of the greatest achievements in human history.”
• “Everyone said that no one would ever get George Clooney to the altar. He said it himself, to me.” [Barbara uses this as an opportunity to trot out a good deal of archival footage of her interviewing Clooney]
• “Like climbers attempting mount Everest, a bevy of beautiful women threw themselves at the unattainable – and failed.” [Barbara lists all his old girlfriends, set to dramatic climbing music]
• “Amal is a little different.”
• “[She] defended freedom of speech and women’s rights, while looking gorgeous.”
• “It was a perfect match. He was perfectly handsome and suave; no one wears a suit better or fame more lightly. She also wears a suit incredibly well, and is even more perfect when she speaks.” [Barbara airs two half sentences of Amal speaking in meetings before a full sentence of her talking about her “husband.”]

The segment ends with the proclamation that their relationship has been so celebrated “Maybe because it is heartening to think that no matter how long it will take, the perfect someone is out there for everyone. And that for us makes her the most fascinating person of 2014.”

Barbara Walters did not interview Amal Clooney for her Most Fascinating People of 2014.