During the past two/three weeks, the mainstream media has flooded us with images and news stories surrounding the death (and legal actions) of Anna Nicole Smith. A day has not gone by when there has been something posted on msnbc.com and others, to be sure, relaying the latest developments in the bizarre case. Chapter One, the death of Anna Nicole Smith came to a close on Friday when she was laid to rest, next to her son, in the Bahamas.
So, one must wonder, why so much attention paid to a person who was not a politician, not royalty, not an A-list movie star or other high profile person. The American public has been eating up the coverage of the trial, the custody fight and other unique developments. As one who has been involved with custody trials, they are not pleasant to endure. It is a private time between arguing family members, not a circus. But, nonetheless, we continue to digest every word that is fed to us. Why.
Let’s take a look at the other news stories that have been relayed to us this week:
1. Hilary Clinton’s presidential bid (pretty scary stuff)
2. Stock Market crash (see notes above)
3. Democratic candidates presidential bid (ditto)
4. Bus crash (very sad)
5. Nasty weather
6. War in Iraq (nothing against our troops, but the political mumbo jumbo is really getting old)
7. Iran
8. Need I go on?
Anna Nicole’s death and subsequent legal issues have been an escape for us. There is only so much that one can take of the bad news. Watching the same shows recapping the same issues is tedious. The dates may change, but the overall stories stay the same, especially in the political arena. It is extremely sad when lives are lost. My prayers go out to those who have lost someone close. A bus accident is tragic, but what about those lives lost that did not make the news? We are constantly bombarded with images of bickering, fighting and bantering. Enough is enough. While the Anna Nicole circus may seem surreal, it provides a relief that is desperately needed. I, for one, welcome the images of a pink rhinestone draped coffin. It rates significantly higher than images of Hillary Clinton.
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And who really needs reality TV when we have the news covering the Anna Nicole Smith events in such detail.