Honey Boo Boo and her mom, June, on their front porch

Barbara Walters is finna redneckonize!

The venerable journalist has named Honey Boo Boo to her 2012 list of “most fascinating people,” Us Magazine reports.

Alana Thompson joins a roster including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and filmmaker-actor Ben Affleck. Here’s the entire list.

“It’s a love story,” Walters told Us Magazine, referring to the bond between the 7-year-old and her mother, June Shannon. “The relationship between Alana and her mother, that’s the story, the two of them. It’s very touching.”

The family burst onto the national scene as a TLC show, “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” a spinoff of “Toddlers and Tiaras.” Episodes of “Honey Boo Boo” rivaled the political conventions in terms of viewership this summer.

“Honey Boo Boo is not an obnoxious little girl,” Walters said.

Indeed not! We met Alana and her family during a trek down to McIntyre this summer. They’re nice folks – and …

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Jimmy Kimmel cuts up with Channel 2 anchors Justin Farmer and Jovita Moore. AJC Staff Photo by Curtis Compton

Jimmy Kimmel visited the WSB headquarters in Atlanta on Monday to celebrate superb ratings and an upcoming new time slot.

The show grew its overall audience by 3 percent in total viewers during the 2011-12 broadcast season, its most-watched in five years, according to an announcement from Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney/ABC Television Group. It was the only late-night broadcast talk show to grow year over year in total viewers, the announcement reported.

Beginning Jan. 8, “Jimmy Kimmel Live” moves to 11:35 p.m. weeknights, following Channel 2 Action News Nightbeat with Jovita Moore and Justin Farmer at 11 p.m.

Jimmy Kimmel meets and greets. AJC Staff Photo by Curtis Compton

“As strong as the ratings are nationwide, the strongest ratings for Jimmy Kimmel are right here in Atlanta,” said Tim McVay, vice president and general …

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Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev and Claire Holt of “Vampire Diaries” fame checked out the Cirque du Soleil show “Totem” on Friday night. Afterward they went backstage to meet some of the performers. Here’s a photo by Yann Arnaud for Cirque du Soleil of Ian and Claire.

“Totem,” which is set up in the blue and yellow tents outside Atlantic Station, will be going on through the end of the month.

The organizers have managed to attract a steady stream of notable guests, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joe Manganiello, who are in town filming the movie “Ten,” as well as a number of “Walking Dead” and “Catching Fire” cast members.

With “Last Vegas” here filming now, can it be long before Kevin Kline, Morgan Freeman or Michael Douglas pop up in the stands?

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