OK, usually you're right on target with your blog entries, but that first one about ANS and toilets flushing and a photo of toilet paper -- Am I missing something or does it totally make zero sense? I read it twice -- nothing! You are way too intelligent to fall into the trap of being TMZ, People magazine, the paparrazi, etc. in trying to turn whatever tiniest crumb you find into a story. Heartily suggest it be deleted, for the sake of your reputation.

I get it.

After all the facts have been reported (and they have been) the media is left with --

crap.

Which is what most outlets are reporting now.

To OAPP: It's a tabloid world, baby, you need to roll with it.

In death (as in life), sh@#t happens, make sure you're prepared.

For me the whole ANS story, almost from the very start, was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. And now the bleeping train just won't stop - it just keeps screeching down the track sideways with bodies spilling out. I hope little Dannielynn is safely strapped in a car seat and by some miracle survives the real trauma still to come.

Simply put, it's like a train wreck ... you know you shouldn't watch but you can't stop staring.

The lengths to which this woman, even in death, has gone to "dig for gold" is pitiable. She marries a man more decrepit than Father Time who just happens to be a billionaire; demands her "fair share" of his massive fortune upon his death; and possibly froze/used his sperm to impregnate herself as a last ditch effort to prove she deserves the money.

Even more pathetic is our apparent desire to unscrew the lid and look deeply into the jar. ENOUGH ALREADY!

i think it's because the whole situation is so sad, she always seemed unhinged and she chose to surround herself with people that encouraged her to speed towards this sort of end.

I only pay attention to 'celebrity news' to exercise my Schaudenfreude and keep my Outrage sharp in case I have to use them in real life.

That, and because Liz is, like, totally HOT.

:-)

Last night as I watched Howard K. Stern's crocodile tears to Mark Steines on Entertainment Tonight, I asked myself "why in the world are you watching this?", and I thought: it's just like feeling compelled to keep watching the scene of a bad accident--you want to look away, and yet you keep looking.

Also, there is also something so completely over the top about this story--first there's the contest between two men over paternity, and then there's von Anhault, the frozen sperm, the bodyguard. When will it end?

Can it get any more bizarre? I guess the answer is no.
The theater of the ego is going on full blast. That's what I can't stop watching.

we watch because it makes us realize our lives aren't nearly as f'd up as they could be.

I can't believe Larry King has devoted three shows in a row (Thursday, Friday, and last night) to the story.

This whole story just shows me how good my life is. When the waters seem to get a bit too choppy, a story like this makes you understand just how good things are and how easily things can be changed for the best.

this trainwreck of a story (of a life, actually) is so weird it seems impossible to top what we've learned so far (especially the image of a ninety-year old zsa zsa being the cuckolded party) but i've got one way to top this all: what if smith's son is the father of the kid and all the effort to avoid the paternity test was because smith knew it was possible? it all adds up (perhaps too much) but her son ODs in her hospital room two days after the birth of his 'sister'? and now smith is dead? unless smith was judith exner in a past life, that's just too many dead bodies for me to call a coincidence.

screw movie of the week, this is the stuff of grand operas.

Anna Nichole rolled with many, many men......

Why does nobody think that Smith died from dieting (look at the pictures.) She lost beacoup weight fast and that's dangerous (ala Karen Carpenter.) It seems people want to pin a drug rap on Nicole. This atmosphere reminds me of Salem, MA.

Once again the Daily Show gets it right. Their headline: Death of a Person.

Just catch up on your dvd watching until this whole thing passes.

Larry King and Fox News may be the worst offenders, but most media are giving this story far more attention than it deserves.

The truth for me is until the father is identified, I will keep watching and reading. Once I know who the father is and Dannielynn is safely in his custody, I will lose interest. Even before ANS died, the only thing that I was interested in was her little girl and who the real father is...

Steve Winwood is Hard Rock?

We watch/read stuff like this because it makes us feel better about ourselves...my roommate and I have adopted the phrase "At least we didn't marry K-Fed" when something bad happens to us...

Also...I agree, The Daily Show was right on the money last night

Love the blog and appreciated yesterday's content on the reasons why people are paying so much attention to this since I was struggling with that question myself.

I am both drawn and repelled to this sitution and story for a number of reasons.

I am repelled because of ALL of this country's attention, focus, sympathy and interest in this woman's life and death compared to the ambivalence it tends to show towards all of the needless, senseless deaths that happen to good people and children every day. How about the young girl who was left outside in the cold to die by her father because she would not go to sleep? The two brothers in Maryland who fell through the ice in a pond and died - the older brother tried to rescue the younger one? What about their stories? Where is the national sympathy and outcry for them? What about the US solidiers who are dying every week in Iraq? I could go on, but you get the point. Sometimes it makes me sick that we are collectively focusing so much on a former stripper, gold digger and purported druggie who took advantage of an old, rich man for money and has been using her physical attributes and sex to achieve her place in life.

I am drawn because there is this aspect of being able to gain insight and understanding of the life of a celebrity (I never watched her reality show). All of the sordid details coming to light are interesting/strange/alluring in a way. I think its further proof that almost all celebrities live in some kind of other planet/reality that is so far removed from "normal" everyday life.

Scott Feschuk nails it in his blog at the MacLeans magazine website:

"Let's not shy away from reality: Anna Nicole was known for her breasts. But the truth is that she had other qualities, too, such as cleavage."

http://forums.macleans.ca/advansis/?mod=for&act=dip&pid=30822&tid=30822&eid=13&so=1&ps=0&sb=1

while it is sad about the trainwreck aspect of ans' life and death, it is appalling to see these sleazoid men come out of the woodwork asserting their fatherhood potential. i am repulsed by all of these guys. did this woman have any friends at all or was she just a breathing blow-up doll?

I couldn't for the life of me figure out why so many men were fighting over who gets to raise a little girl (normally, baby daddies are heading for the hills, pointing fingers). Then it suddenly occurred to me: whoever gets the kid gets to play with many millions of her dollars, and if they're lucky, they'll spend them all before she's 18 and can sue them. OR...

Maybe the court will appoint a NEW lawyer, and they'll send her off to a nice Swiss boarding school until she marries some prince from Lichtenstein at 16...

This kid is scared for life.

scarred for life....

Anna Nicole's story is like watching a soap opera. It's more riveting than anything Britney or Brad and Angelina have going on. I always felt sort of sorry for her. She always looked so sad behind the glitz.

i think you were right the first (and second) time, sad. that baby is both scared and scarred for life.

as a long time crossword puzzle addict, I understand the compulsion to keep watching/reading.

Just when you thought you figured out something about human nature, it's the DOWN clue that throws you. So you challenge yourself to answer both the ACROSS and DOWN, when the THEME of the puzzle directs you in another direction.

It is the search for answers, explanations that drives many otherwise rational people to watch/read/discuss/investigate.

Ultimately, it's sad because it involves a real human being who became little more than a cartoon character in her own life.

Hopefully, the baby girl will have a solid grounding in her life so she can put her Dickensonian beginnings into proper perspective.

Come on, people. This is a sad story. Whatever else she may have been, she was someone's daughter, sister, wife and mother. Let the poor woman rest in peace already!!!!

I am amazed at outlets like Entertainment Tonight has propelled itself into the gutter with this ANS stuff. Once a really good entertainment show has now become nothing more than tabloid crap and I stopped watching. Why they devote countless $$$$ and time to ANS over the paternity of the father is just amazing. Their pimping for a story is repulsive. Surely they can see the woman was on something during these interviews yet not one comment during the interview or their intro/sign off after. They will clearly discover the next ANS and exploit that person the same way. Larry King is no better. God, is he a sorry pathetic has been.

My reaction to the story can be summed up in the four words I said to my husband when he asked what the latest on ANS was: "Don't know. Don't care."

I particularly hated one program's story about how history will regard ANS. Hopefully "history" will not regard her all.

As far as who is baby daddy, we can pretty much whittle it down to a white guy....

As many have already said here, it's the train wreck thing. I don't want to look, but I can't help it. ANS has always been on a path to total destruction.

As well, I can't help but find it fascinating how completely shameless ANS was about money and fame, and that she was willing to do anything -- literally anything -- to get it. As a feminist I have never had a problem with consenting adults who have a contractual relationship that exchanges money for sex -- I've raised he** by publicly stating that many marriages are exactly that -- and that's exactly what ANS did. The only difference was hers was very public, unlike the average suburban marriage which pretends it's something else.

Plus, I think Howard K. Stern killed both ANS and her son, and I can't help wondering how long it'll take for that to be proven.

http://www.clothesoffourback.org/product_info.php?products_id=443&cPath=1_85

Liz, did you know that you can own Jorge Garcia's t-shirt? It's outpacing shirts signed by Daniel Dae Kim & Yunjin Kim 5:1. Henry Ian Cusik is in the too, a bargain at $37.

This story would still be a big story even if ANS wasn't famous before. Remember, the news media can turn anyone into an overnight sensation. Lacie Peterson, The Runaway Bride, Terry Schiavo, Natalee Holloway... The list goes on and on.

So even if ANS never did Playboy, never had her own reality show, never appeared in Naked Gun 33 1/3, all the other events are just too good for the news media to ignore this story.

Stripper marries ancient billionaire. Billionaire dies, Stripper fights with Billionaire's son over inheritance which goes all the way to Supreme Court. Stripper gets pregnant, her son dies of mysterious circumstances days later. Paternity fight over daughter of Stripper. Year later, Stripper dies of mysterious circumstances. Just a tragic occurence, or perhaps murder by Stripper's new beau, who no doubt gets lots of money with both Stripper and Stripper's son dead? Perhaps the Billionaire's son in order to protect his inheritance?

How on earth could the news media pass up this real life, over the top episode of CSI?

Hello people...Steve Winwood had a song called "Roll With it Baby"....toilet paper at the Hard Rock (don't even get started on whether that song even qualifies as hard rock!) get it!!

Quit reading more into it than a roll of toilet paper....

Her story reminds us of the extend we can go to be loved. Espsecially when we, deep inside, feel so unlovable.

Jon Stewart and Keith Olbermann hit the nail on the head last night: with a war going on in Iraq and other global calamities, why, in God's name, is the media covering the ANS story?

Sometimes I wonder if this is a "what came first, the chicken or the egg" story. Is it the media that is generating the hoopla or is it the public who is generating it and the media is just satisfying the public's craving. I, for one, am full...so enough already.

Definitely, the media has created the hoopla regarding ANS. If it hadn't been for the advent of reality tv and and success of MTV's "the Osbornes," ANS would not have become as famous without her reality show and her celeb would have faded except for occassional trips to court trying to get her share of her ex's estate. I remember a time not so long ago that most of America would learn of this type of story from the headlines on the tabloids at the checkout counter, never, ever on the nightly news.

After four years of fighting in Iraq, I will shamefully admit that I have become numb to hearing the latest death tolls of Americans and Iraqis alike. After six years of corruption in the Bush administration, I have become numb to hearing about the latest scandal. Both instances are so frequent these days, that it takes a truly bizarre story, such as Anna Nicole's untimely death or the crazy astronaut love affair, to really grab attention these days.

Greed. Ours.

We feel so much better about our desires when we watch somone else go crazy with them. She wanted: money, fame (recognition), sex, admiration, highs (happiness). We want the same.

When she's out of control, we think we're in control.

Anna Nicole was one of the most beautiful women of the last several decades. What a tragic and sad ending to a lovely lady. I only wish she could have been free from all addictions and able to enjoy what a joyful life she deserved. Anna is now gone - but I trust the world will remember her as a humorous human being who lost her wrestle with the demons that life throws our way. I love you Anna. Rest in peace, sweet angel.

In her death, as in her life, people are determined to exploit Anna Nichole. She made bad choices and paid a dear price for them. I feel sorry for her. In the time since her son died, you could see the terrible pain in her eyes. And she's not even cold in her grave and these guys are now coming out of the woodwork to exploit her again. A sad commentary on something, I don't know what.

This is a fascinating story.
Don't underestimate its significance.
My prediction is that this ANS saga will result in WWIII and the regrettable demise of Western civilization.

I am astounded by the attention devoted to this story about a woman who was arguably a high-class prostitute, a sex object, a painted / coiffed / implanted / bejewelled / badly-dressed doll for the men who exploited her and the women who aspire to be like her. What the [heck] has become of women of substance who reject all of these superficial trappings and manage have a solid sense of self? Have we engineered generations of bimbos?

Right on, Pinky. Ms. Smith, whatever poor choices and unhealthy decisions she made in her life, was a human being. Having made a few stupid choices of my own, I can only sympathize with someone who didn't live long enough to grow and learn from her mistakes.

Based on the majority of comments I have seen on this and other blogs, the most important contribution she has made to society is to allow people to feel morally and intellectually superior.

Chatwoman, you're having too much fun with this story.

ANS won't be be coming for you, riding Wildfire.

As a psychologist, I am interested in the Anna Nicole as a person who mirrored society's fascination with all that glitters, and society's penchant for self-destruction. That is what compelled me to write and record this song about Anna Nicole Smith:

Hole in the Soul (of Anna Nicole)
Dr. BLT
words and music by Dr BLT (c)2007
http://www.drblt.net/music/AnaNicole

To me, this story will have an end once we know the major pieces of the puzzle - how Daniel died, how ANS died, and who's Dannielynn's daddy. Since that has about a 1 in million chance of getting sorted out in the next year or so, I suspect this story will play itself out in the next five-ten years. But by the end of it, we might have tired of it already, maybe it'll go away like JonBenet Ramsey's case did.

And as for ANS being a gold digger - yeah she was that. The bigger spectacle to me are the men - Stern, Shane Gibson, the bodyguard. And that photo of Shane Gibson in bed - what're the odds Stern created a sex tape too, and its gonna show up somewhere on Youtube?

I couldn't stand the woman when she was alive, but seeing the men around her, I think she was a victim of the worst kinds of pimps. I now feel sorry for her, and feel that if her history is anything to go by, who knows what Dannielynn's life will turn out to be.

As long as people are shocked by such basic things as sex and drugs, there will be someone like Anna Nicole Smith flaunting it in our faces.

As long as people are shocked by such basic things as sex and drugs, there will be someone like Anna Nicole Smith flaunting it in our faces.

How could Nicole, God rest her Soul, ever be compared to Marilyn Monroe? Marilyn at least, in addition to her natural beauty of the time period, was a very good actress. She also in her way was a comedian, of exsentuated sexuality and it was not degrading to women, as was Nicole's. At least I could understand Marilyn when she spoke!!
It seems apparent that America is overly addicted to extreme and nearly friekish proportioned sexuality in women, whether there is any sense of the "socially redeeming" attributes that lots of celebrities past or present do offer, whether professionally or privately.
I feel Anna's child's life is degraded also, by the fact so many men wish to "cash" in on this child's life as a potential Father. I am truly sorry for Nicole's tragedies in life, but the World could use a better "distraction" and be more concerned with peace in our World, at home and abroad.

What truly makes me sick is the hatred so evident every time the
Birkhead's attorney in
Calif. opens her mouth. I am saddened for Anna that in death she lays on a stretcher in the morgue, because Birkhead and his attorney insist the want to be sure the DNA from her is not tampered with. Even though the coroner sent a request to release her remains before it becomes too late to embalm her.

Her mother, cousin, half-sister all disgust me. Why did they not go to the Bahamas 5 months ago? Anna hated her mother as is evidenced on the ET tape.

If I had to decide which of the men is her child's father I would announce that there is no money to be inherited...as the claim by Anna died with her...the man that still wants her is the man that should raise her.

I am disgusted at the thought that her mother wants her body...poor Anna...I never critized her in life...sometimes I felt sorry for her actions, but she dearly loved her boy and kept him near her in his youth and he clearly adored her.

WHEY DID SHE DIE? I have lost a son 2 years older than Daniel...that nearly killed me...but I was not recovering from a C-Section (I had 3).., as she was, I did not have the press nearly tearing the place apart, the rumors,speculation, her mother accusing her of killing Daniel...I think Anna died of a broken heart.
I wish her peace and reunion with her boy.

My main problem with the death of Anna is the survivors, her "husband", her ex-boyfriend, her mother, her bodyguard, that odd old guy who is married to Zsa Zsa--the woman is DEAD and they are all harping around, yapping on the TV shows, who all seem like a televised version of the National Enquirer (especially Entertainment Tonite, paying millions for the death story--how pathetic is that for trying to get ratings?)--it is sick, these survivors make me sick, the woman can't even be BURIED due to the fighting over her money--all of them should be gagged and the child adopted out to a nice family somewhere in the country with a large, hidden trust fund set up she won't get until she is 30! All players in this horrible drama make me sick.

Stern is misunderstood.
public images and reality rarely coincide.
details make the difference.
actions and motivations are difficult to assess without them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ao1WVhotqQ

out of the what {five} men who could be this billion dollar babies daddie. we can omit one cause the babies white, and if the frozen deal is gone it had to have been inserted by someone or she did it herself. the ? is, is the frozen specimen gone? and one more thing how do you think howard stern feels about all these guys coming forward? where were they all before he got so wrapped up with her. i guess everyone just thought he was just a lawyer. and another thing noone knew she was with so many in such a short period of time.but there are pictures of her with all of them who was taking all the pictures? maybe the photo taker is the babies daddie????? ya all sleep tight.

I think the babie should be under protective custody with a women or couple until all these men come forward and do the DNA'S so some of them can be eliminated. it's a start. then the monies part of the whole mess can be put in a trust fund for the billion dollar babie and be allowed to have it when maybe mid 20's. she should be with the real daddie or adopted and name change what kind of life will she have if she hears this all her life??????

http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/child_protection/about_child_protective_services/

FAMILY CODE

SUBTITLE E. PROTECTION OF THE CHILD

CHAPTER 261. INVESTIGATION OF REPORT OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT

SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

§ 261.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Abuse" includes the following acts or omissions
by a person:
(A) mental or emotional injury to a child that
results in an observable and material impairment in the child's
growth, development, or psychological functioning;
(B) causing or permitting the child to be in a
situation in which the child sustains a mental or emotional injury
that results in an observable and material impairment in the
child's growth, development, or psychological functioning;
(C) physical injury that results in substantial
harm to the child, or the genuine threat of substantial harm from
physical injury to the child, including an injury that is at
variance with the history or explanation given and excluding an
accident or reasonable discipline by a parent, guardian, or
managing or possessory conservator that does not expose the child
to a substantial risk of harm;
(D) failure to make a reasonable effort to
prevent an action by another person that results in physical injury
that results in substantial harm to the child

http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/child_protection/about_child_protective_services/

FAMILY CODE

SUBTITLE E. PROTECTION OF THE CHILD

CHAPTER 261. INVESTIGATION OF REPORT OF CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT

SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

§ 261.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Abuse" includes the following acts or omissions
by a person:
(A) mental or emotional injury to a child that
results in an observable and material impairment in the child's
growth, development, or psychological functioning;
(B) causing or permitting the child to be in a
situation in which the child sustains a mental or emotional injury
that results in an observable and material impairment in the
child's growth, development, or psychological functioning;
(C) physical injury that results in substantial
harm to the child, or the genuine threat of substantial harm from
physical injury to the child, including an injury that is at
variance with the history or explanation given and excluding an
accident or reasonable discipline by a parent, guardian, or
managing or possessory conservator that does not expose the child
to a substantial risk of harm;
(D) failure to make a reasonable effort to
prevent an action by another person that results in physical injury
that results in substantial harm to the child

According the State law of Texas above, Vergi should be in prison for the abuse. Or at the very least under investigation. Even worse, her punishment should be greater, she is a cop.

Mom and son are gone - I think the baby should be protected 24/7, just in case both Anna Nicole & her son were murdered to prevent a payout from Marshalls estate.

Neither Anna or her son can benefit from from Marshalls' estate but the baby could, as could who ever gains custody of the baby.