AceShowbiz -

Barbara Walters adds another today's pop culture icon to her list of 2012's Most Fascinating People. That person is "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" star Alana Thompson, the co-anchor of "ABC Evening News" revealed to Us Weekly.

Barbara seemed to love the relationship with the child beauty pageant participant's close relationship with her mother, June Shannon. "It's a love story," the 83-year-old journalist told the magazine. "It's a very sweet, loving story."

The veteran anchor then explained why she picked the young reality star, "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." She gushed, "It's very touching."

"Honey Boo Boo is not an obnoxious little girl. She's sweet and loving with her mother and loving with her sisters [Jessica, Lauryn and Anna]," Barbara continued. "And now Anna has a new baby, and the baby has [three] thumbs... but so what? It'll make you smile." According to the author of "Audition: A Memoir", the Honey Boo Boo family also presented old-fashioned family values.

Previously, One Direction, Ben Affleck, "50 Shades of Grey" author E.L. James, Olympic artistic gymnast Gabrielle Douglas, Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, and Hillary Clinton were mentioned to be featured on the list. She admitted that her list of this year's "Most Fascinating People" was quite a surprise. "The fact that we have a show with Hillary Clinton, Chris Christie and Honey Boo Boo... that is varied to say the least," she commented.