Why is Anna Nicole Smith's death trumping everything else in the news?

[Taverner]

I mean, it is a tragedy - and say what you will about Anna, she lived a tough life. She may have had money around the end, but being a stripper in Texas is no blessing.

But is this more news than say, the Plame case or the Iraq discussion?

[RandomKoolzip]

1. Because lots of people actually care about it?

:shrug:

[bryant69]

2. The story of Smith is easy to understand and provokes an emotional response

THose other stories are harder to understand (and report on). They also don't have clear emotional hooks, and the ones that two you can't really use or you'll be accused of being partisan. So if you are a lazy and cowardly reporter, which would you rather report on?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Taverner]

3. And of course "if it bleeds it leads"

[cynatnite]

4. Because it's news...for now...

in a day or two it'll be something else.

[itsmesgd]

5. Randi Rhodes had a sick theory

Her guess was that her 20 year old son Daniel killed himself five days after the birth of her daughter, Danielle, because he found out that he was the father of the baby. Recently, there had been paternity issues and perhaps ANS found out that her son Daniel was, in fact the father of her daughter and she took a bunch of pills.
Pretty sick huh?

[Carni]

16. WHAT!?!?!?!

OK that IS really screwed up--I don't think I buy that theory at all.

[devilgrrl]

17. She didn't have that theory - one of her acquaintances did.

eom

[MADem]

19. Found out?? He wouldn't have a clue? And ANS as well?

How would he, or she, find out, absent a DNA test?

That IS pretty sick.

I think the kid was depressed, and she was depressed. Happy people don't use massive amounts of drugs, normally. But who knows, really?

[L A Woman]

24. Randi Rhodes is an idiot. n/t

[devilgrrl]

31. She didn't say that - she was repeating what someone else said...

itsmesgd got it wrong!

[NanceGreggs]

6. Because the media can't help mourning the loss ...

... of one of their own creations.

[blogslut]

9. sigh

bingo

[Carni]

18. You are probably right

And if you are God help us if Paris Hilton dies...the country will come to a stand still.

[twilight_sailing]

7. Easy money.

The "news" media only exists to sell soap flakes to the masses. The more Neilsen families that tune in, the more money they make.

[crappyjazz]

8. I bet the diapered astronaut is saying "phew"

[ananda]

10. because..

Many men think with their peckers and many women are envious.

[ShortnFiery]

11. The ruling classes chortle as us peasants enjoy M$N presents "The Princess Anna"

One Each, White Trash Gold Diggers - Bread and Circuses - Celebration of her Life and Death Extravaganza 24/7. :crazy:

I am at a complete loss as to what all the fuss is about and I'm embarrassed for all those who act like they knew her personally. It's really freaking me out MAN! ;) :shrug:

[patrice]

12. Because she is a manifestation of everything that is wrong with U.S.

The very same lying and dishonesty that caused the risk to national security in Plame's exposure and the Invasion of Iraq produced this pathetic creature. Her fate IS our fate if we don't REALLY change. People are fascinated by our own drive toward suicide.

[fooj]

13. It was all about the astroNUT...now it's all about Anna...

This just marks another week (one of the worst for WH PR)that IMPORTANT news isn't reported. Hmmmmmmm...

[MADem]

22. She's gotta be one happy camper, diapered or undiapered

She's off the front page!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. Sleazy celebrities sell better than dead GI's or boring trials.

[Carni]

15. I have no idea..she certainly wasn't this celebrated in life

I feel bad that this woman died but she wasn't actually even THAT famous.

Yeah, most people knew who she was and the story is rather sad and unusual given all the intrigue with money, the death of her son, the suspect Lawyer overseeing her every move etc...but honest to God you would think she was Elvis the way the media is covering this 24/7

I think worst of all is the fact that they are just in a feeding frenzy to dis the woman at every opportunity.

I don't get it!

[Katherine Brengle]

20. Don't watch the news?

I don't watch tv news anymore, it's mostly a waste of time.

There's always a hot story, whatever draws the most viewers for the day.

Read the news online - free and you can choose.

[Zensea]

27. Bingo!!!

All this stuff complaining about ANS being on the news amuses me and tends to strike me as whining, especially since if it bothers people that much they can just turn off their television and the expectation that television is ever going to be any different than it is is just plain silly.

[bleedingheart]

21. in Latin - panem et circenses

[Jim Warren]

30. Hah, was thinking that

bread and circus.........like Mozart slumming down at the three penny opera.

[Kixel]

23. There's always "something"

When the powers that be don't want us to focus on the real issue at hand...that and the media whore out any story for all it's worth.

My money is on not wanting attention on the Plame case.

[MissMarple]

25. Jack Cafferty is talking about this now on CNN. And Woofie says...

he knows a lot of people are complaining about it, but a lot of people are watching it with a fascination like the OJ trial. What an idiot. Jack compared that to slowing to watch a traffic accident. It doesn't make it worthwhile.

Jack wants to know how you would characterize the coverage of her death.

[LSparkle]

26. Thank God tomorrow it'll be back to "Obamamania"

when Barack announces his candidacy. There's no way the ANS story will stay on the front burner after that ...

[sandnsea]

28. Why is it trumping war lies on DU?? n/t

[hfojvt]

29. I apologize in advance for this joke, but I was told it was a true story

A group of guys were playing cards when a buxom woman walked by and one of the guys said "boobs are trump" and the group dissolved in laughter.
That seems, however, to be true in the male world.

A humorous dictionary said

Boobs - 1. That part of a woman's anatomy which a man stares at while telling her how much he loves her eyes or her smile; 2. also, an affectionate nickname women use to refer to the men who are preoccupied with that part of a woman's anatomy.

But really, celebrities are trump. The untimely death of any celebrity would trump all other stories no matter who the celebrity was. The almost unknown reporter who died in a car crash was a huge story and so was the golfer whose plane flew by itself all the way up the Mississippi river. Princess Diana was THE story for a couple of weeks.

Here we recently had a big fire, and all of the news stations covered it for five straight hours. They did not break for the national news even though nothing new was happening with the fire, except that it was still burning, still producing alot of smoke. Stories like that and celebrities and car accidents and shootings take precedence over substance, because they are exciting and substance is boring and complicated. Even the war was more like that - a flashy story, like a big sports event with death included. It certainly trumps news about poverty or budget issues.