First, it's hard to swallow when an admitted liar acts offended when she thinks she's been called a liar.

And, second, given her admission, how can anyone trust anything Walters says about any of the happenings behind the scenes on "The View"?

ANOTHER REASON to hold Walters in contempt is her contribution to the glamming up/dumbing down of television news. And there's no better example of that than her annual "10 Most Fascinating People" special, which airs tonight at 9:01 p.m. on ABC/Ch. 4.

This year's celebrity parade includes Will Smith, Tom Cruise, Michael Phelps, Sarah Palin, Tina Fey, Rush Limbaugh, Miley Cyrus, Thomas Beatie, Frank Langella and so on and so on.

No. 1 on the list is supposed to be a big surprise, but it will only be a surprise if it's not President-elect Barack Obama.

If you're allergic to fluff, avoid this hour.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com