I'll admit, you British residents have the upper hand on this -- she's been known for several years at the Beeb not only for Weakest Link but also for Watchdog, which I wish I could get my hands on. The madness that is my admiration for Anne Robinson began upon those ominous commercials on NBC put up before the show.. I thought the show was some sort of drama, so I looked it up on NBC's website and was compelled.



I set up awareness about the show with my friends at school and did some extra research on the host through BBC's website and some British TWL fan pages. I was a fully blasted fan, without even seeing the show. I got an article from Entertainment Weekly from my friend Sara, and read up. Anne started showing up on Jay Leno and Rosie O'Donnell's talk shows, so I caught those. Then, Monday, April 16 happened, and it was more exciting than I could have imagined.



Anne was saucy, fun and charming all at once, and that is hard to pull off, especially on the telly. There was something electric about her -- and her snappy personality that you either loved or despised became to me something that was so real. I felt that through every show, Anne was offering the country a piece of herself in every little thing that she did. However, I did create a problem in the household -- I started collecting all the Weakest Link stuff I could find -- from postcards to spelling out Anne's name in Scrabble letters to making a Weakest Link mug as a project in Ceramics class. The problem was that I was driving my mother crazy with constant talk of the show and Anne and doing impressions of her that didn't quite do her justice, but I always put in the effort.



I was so blessed to find the Weakest Link Club on NBC's site (which got the boot a few months ago, unfortunately, so I rely on Yahoo! clubs now), where I could relate with other fanatics about things I noticed about contestants of the show and Anne as well. I felt more alone when I was away from the computer. The letter I wrote to her was a first draft, and I sent it in hopes of getting a reply, never having sent a letter to anyone other than people I know personally. Now I only hope that she's read it and knows that another crazy person in L.A. enjoys her and the show.



Anne is really the first person I've actually idolized in the clothes I wear (yes, those glasses too -- I think she's got over 40 pairs..) and sometimes even in the manner I speak -- I believe that somehow it will keep me closer to my Anne side. The true reason I like her is because she's not afraid to tell anyone what's on her mind, and she proves anyone can fulfill their dreams if they're up to the challenge and are determined enough. Anne Robinson.. here's to a singular spirit.. *raises her wine glass*