RATINGS RAT RACE: Barbara Walters Tops Night With Final ‘Most Fascinating People’ Special, ‘The X Factor’ & ‘The Sing Off’ Slip

Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robinson famously skipped the interview for Barbara Walters’ 10 Most Fascinating People special, saying he’d rather shoot ducks than do the sit-down. If he’d only done the same with the GQ interview… Last night, Walters’ final 10 Most Fascinating People special, which featured the rest of the Duck Dynasty clan on the day of the huge controversy surrounding Phil Robinson’s anti-gay comments in a GQ interview that led to his suspension from the hit A&E show, drew a 2.1 in adults 18-49 and 8.8 million total viewers. It was on par with last year’s special in 18-49 and up 16% in total viewers to log its largest audience in three years. The 90-minute special was the highest rated Wednesday program by a mile, winning the night for ABC.

Fox’s The X Factor also aired its performance finale on a day when one of its personalities, judge Demi Lovato, made news, announcing her exit from the show. (Last year, judge LA Reid did the same before the Season 2 performance finale.) There was no finale boost, with The X Factor (1.3) down a tenth from last Wednesday and down a whopping 48% from last year’s performance finale. NBC’s The Sing Off (1.6) also slipped from last week, by 11%, but still topped The X Factor from 8-10 PM. It was followed by Michael Buble’s 3rd Annual Christmas Special (1.3), down 7% from last year’s special. CBS’ only original was the 15th Annual Home for the Holidays special (0.6), down 25% from last year and an all time low for the franchise.