It’s difficult to narrow down the billions of people in this world to just a few “People of the Year 2007.” And what, in fact, is the definition of “People of the Year”? Are they people who impacted the world in ways heretofore unknown or unexpected? Are they people who will have a long-lasting legacy – one that will affect our children, grandchildren and (dare I say) great-grandchildren? Are they people who will forever be remembered for what they accomplished in this simple 365-day period?
Ahh … who cares about all of that? Here are MY “People of the Year” – those people IN PUBLIC LIFE who impacted ME! Note: I’m not including people I actually know, because then I’d leave people out and they’d get all mad at me and then I’d have to buy them something to make them feel better when, in fact, I probably meant to leave them out in the first place.
In no particular order (but numbered anyway, because lists look better that way) …
1. DENNY CRANE & ALAN SHORE – OK, they’re fictional lawyers in a fictional city (Boston doesn’t really exist, does it?). But they’re the most entertaining fictional characters I know. And I anxiously await their arrival every Tuesday night at 10:00 Eastern Time on my local ABC affiliate. Hilarious and heartwarming … their final balcony scene at the end of every show just makes me happy all over.
2. THE CAST OF “30 ROCK” - More hilarity. More happiness. And, of course, Kenneth the NBC page.
3. SGT. DAVE KARSNIA – Who else would sit in a bathroom stall all day just to catch an obscure senator from an obscure state in an obscene act? Thank you for taking such a wide stance on such a narrow issue.
4. ASHLEY FERL – I related to your uncontrollable 13-year-old emotional outburst at seeing Sanjaya on “American Idol.” I often felt like crying when I saw him performing, as well.
5. SOPHIA WISE & MICHAEL THOT – The two of you singlehandedly (doublehandedly? quadruplehandedly?) held together Bonanza City and helped create the first (and probably last) Kid Nation. For those of us who believe that children are our future (I’m looking at you, Whitney), you restored our hope.
6. KEITH OLBERMANN – You’ve given me clarity, even when I didn’t realize that I needed some.
7. ALLISON STEWART - The best of the “Not Keiths” – you’ve given me clarity, even when Keith had other commitments and couldn’t bother to countdown the top stories of the day.
8. LAUREN CAITLIN UPTON – Like, uh, when the Iraq and, uh, South Africa, uh, like needed assistance because there weren’t like, uh, maps, you were the, uh, go-to girl, the town crier, the best representative of the American educational system that appeared on television this year. Congratulations South Carolina.
9. JOHNNY DEPP – Sometimes, it’s like looking in the mirror.
10. AL GORE - Not sure why.
Now that you see my “People of the Year,” perhaps you understand better why I am the way I am. Or maybe not.