Because Anna Nicole Smith is dead.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - Anna Nicole Smith, the pneumatic blonde whose life played out as an extraordinary tabloid tale jeans model, Playboy centerfold, widow of an octogenarian billionaire, reality-show subject, tragic mother died Thursday after collapsing at a hotel. She was 39.
She was stricken while staying at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and was rushed to a hospital. Edwina Johnson, chief investigator of the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office, said the cause of death was under investigation and an autopsy would be done on Friday.
Just five months ago, Smith's 20-year-old son died suddenly in the Bahamas in what was believed to be a drug-related death.
Seminole Police Chief Charlie Tiger said a private nurse called 911 after finding Smith unresponsive in her sixth-floor room. He said Smith's bodyguard administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation about an hour before she was declared dead.
Through the '90s and into the new century, Smith was famous for being famous, a pop-culture punchline because of her up-and-down weight, her Marilyn Monroe looks, her exaggerated curves, her little-girl voice, her ditzy-blonde persona, and her over-the-top revealing outfits.
Recently, she lost a reported 69 pounds and became a spokeswoman for TrimSpa, a weight-loss supplement. On her reality show and other recent TV appearances, her speech was often slurred and she seemed out of it. Some critics said she seemed drugged-out.
Her former lawyer Lenard Leeds told the celebrity gossip Web site TMZ that Smith "always had problems with her weight going up and down, and there's no question she used alcohol." Leeds said it was no secret that "she had a very troubled life" and had "so many, many problems."
"She wanted to be like Marilyn her whole life and ironically died in a similar manner," Leeds said. Monroe died of a drug overdose at age 36 in 1962.
The Texas-born Smith was a topless dancer at strip club before she entered her photos in a search contest and made the cover of Playboy magazine in 1992. She became Playboy's playmate of the year in 1993.
She was also signed to a contract with Guess jeans, appearing in TV commercials, billboards and magazine ads.
In 1994, she married 89-year-old oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall II of Koch Industries.
In a 2005 interview with ABC Smith recalled meeting Marshall at what she called a "gentleman's club' in Houston. "He had no will to live and I went over to see him," she said. "He got a little twinkle in his eyes, and he asked me to dance for him. And I did."
Marshall died in 1995 at age 90, setting off a feud with Smith's former stepson, E. Pierce Marshall, over whether she had a right to his estate.
A federal court in California awarded Smith $474 million. That was later overturned. But in May, the U.S. Supreme Court revived her case, ruling that she deserved another day in court.
The stepson died June 20 at age 67. But the family said the court fight would continue.
She starred in her own reality TV series, "The Anna Nicole Show," in 2002-04. Cameras followed her around as she sparred with her lawyer, hung out with her personal assistant and interior decorator, and cooed at her poodle, Sugar Pie. She also appeared in movies, performing a bit part in "The Hudsucker Proxy" in 1994.
After news came of Smith's death, G. Eric Brunstad Jr., the lawyer who represented Marshall, said in a statement: "We're very shocked by the news and extend the deepest condolences to her family."
In a statement, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner said: "I am very saddened to learn about Anna Nicole's passing. She was a dear friend who meant a great deal to the Playboy family and to me personally."
Smith's son, Daniel Smith, died Sept. 10 in his mother's hospital room in the Bahamas, just days after she gave birth to a daughter.
An American medical examiner hired by the family, Cyril Wecht, said he had methadone and two antidepressants in his system when he died. Low levels of the three drugs interacted to cause an accidental death, Wecht said. Last month, a Bahamas magistrate scheduled a formal inquiry into the death for March 27.
Meanwhile, the paternity of her now 5-month-old daughter remained a matter of dispute. The birth certificate lists Dannielynn's father as attorney Howard K. Stern, Smith's most recent companion. Smith's ex-boyfriend Larry Birkhead was waging a legal challenge, saying he was the father.
Debra Opri, the attorney who filed his paternity suit, said Birkhead "is devastated. He is inconsolable, and we are taking steps now to protect the DNA testing of the child. The child is our No. 1 priority."
She was born Vickie Lynn Hogan on Nov. 28, 1967, in Houston, one of six children of Donald Eugene and Virgie Hart Hogan. She married Bill Smith in 1985, giving birth to Daniel before divorcing two years later.
"From my professional exposure to Anna Nicole, I can say she was always personable, down to earth and driven. All in all, a joy to have as a client," said Wayne Munroe, her Bahamian lawyer who has overseen the aftermath of her son's mysterious death in Nassau.
Those who think the weight loss helped her to her death, raise your hand. *raises hand*
Seriously, though, it was clearly a combination of things. The weight loss (which must have put a toll on her kidneys), her drug problems (I doubt she was clean), then the birth of one child and the death of another. Maybe we all should have seen it coming.
Thoughts?
I'm fairly certain it was suicide. The woman had an incredibly difficult childhood and was a very depressed adult. I hope her daughter can find happiness someday.
Cooki, it terrifies me how quickly you rush back to MFC whenever someone dies. It truly does.
Wow! That's so sad. I know her son died recently, and I know she's had a hard time, so I'm not surprised that she's dead... and yet I'm incredibly surprised, at the same time. Like stumbleina said, it was probably suicide. How tragic.
Cooki, it terrifies me how quickly you rush back to MFC whenever someone dies. It truly does.
Actually, I was sure someone beat me to it, but when it turned out no one had posted it, I posted it.
Besides, Creo has dubbed me the news girl of the MoFo. Just living up to the expectations is all. 😮
Actually, I was sure someone beat me to it, but when it turned out no one had posted it, I posted it.
Possibly no one posted this because no one cares about some dead slut.
One man's humble opinion.
Somewhere, Kirstie Alley is laughing maniacally in triumph.
I didn't like her either, but do we have to be rude about it? Her kid's been left motherless, for crying out loud.
I wouldn't imagine she made a great mother anyways.
And the kid's prolly more rich than you can ever dream to be beause of inheritance.
And at least a dozen people are waiting with open arms for it.
Money is not a substitute for mommy. Maybe she wasn't a great parent and the baby is too young to realize the loss but someday it will hit her. The death of a close family member is hard for most to bear. If money is all it takes people to get over sadness than I pity them. Empathy doesn't pay the bills but it's not something I wanna live without either.
I'm not saying it is. I'm saying he's not going to have a hard life by any stretch.
I think I know at least one kid will disagree with that assumption Geo. Unless that kid finds a surrogate family, they're in for a very hard life.
~Tobe
I dunno, Geo has a point. Kid's still young enough to find itself in a loving foster family and will have totally adjusted to it.
People need to stop assuming that death AUTOMATICALLY equals OMG, HEARTBREAK! SAD!
I mean, yes, when you're strongly attached to someone, having that attachment severed is a powerful thing which can backlash someone and cause some serious pain, but there's no reason to assume everyone has such damagingly strong connections, no matter their age and mental state.
A 5 month old wont have a total concept of a parent, and I think given the money and the fact that there will be a normal and happy family environment, I think the baby is probably better off.
Given the fact that the older son died of a drug overdose, Imma gonna assume that growing up that environment wasn't really good for him.
Perhaps the kid will grow up and be sad that mommy died, and that's a healthy thing, but it wont be devastating. How can you miss what you never had? You can obsess over what could have been, but you wont get the whiplash effect of having them removed from your life. But, darn it all, being away from an environment which drove a sibling to drugs is almost certainly a GOOD thing.
This said, death means very little to my world, and Anna Nicole means nothing to it, so I'm not phased by this news and just wanted to be contraversial for a while.
So instead of being our lackey, you're the devil's advocate? 😛
For the time being, sure. Life has been pure work for so long, I get bored.
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How can you miss what you never had?
I think when you lose a parent at a young age it's more about missing what you could have had.
The autopsy is today, I guess we'll all find out what killed her.
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Actually, I was sure someone beat me to it, but when it turned out no one had posted it, I posted it.
I figured no one posted it because I felt it was common knowledge and didn't need to be posted. Infact, I actually went to the mfchat right when reading the news on google and asked if it was true and everyone knew about it already, despite it being a couple hours.
The power of the internet can be scary sometimes. I heard on the radio just now that the story broke long time records on news sites in searches and viewing in an hour only to be outdone by...the next hour. Its like she's this decade's Marylin Monroe or Princess Di, despite if she has truly earned the feedback or not.
I also heard the disecting people said that she at the time of death didn't have any pills in her body, even though her medication was in the room. So overdose is now said was unlikely.
Also, I found it hillarious that all the "entertainment" and celeberties magazines that were out in the end Walmart isles I just came back from are all hillariously outdated, talking more about the next anerexic boney star and a astronaut love triangle that ends with attemted murder of the rival. Seriously, by the time they get the next addition out everybody will know all about what happened to her thanks to the internet. I mean I hear there's a video of her short after death where bodyguards were attempting to give her CPR that was bought by some Germans and I believe its up on the internet already. It will probally take only a day or less that the thing will be ported to youtube.
Unless that kid finds a surrogate family, they're in for a very hard life.
And I'm saying there is no doubt at all that this kid will find a surrogate family.
Also, I found it hillarious that all the "entertainment" and celeberties magazines that were out in the end Walmart isles I just came back from are all hillariously outdated, talking more about the next anerexic boney star and a astronaut love triangle that ends with attemted murder of the rival. Seriously, by the time they get the next addition out everybody will know all about what happened to her thanks to the internet.
Holy sh*t! So you're telling me that this internet thing is faster than print?! No kidding! I should check it out!!
Spoilers (Select To Read): Welcome to, like, 1995.
I think everyone is taking this whole thing way too seriously.
We should all just say "lulz dead pornstar lulz" and move on to the next OMFG CELBIRTY SCANDLE.
Today, the Poynter Institute of Journalism reported that 50% of cable news coverage since Anna Nicole Smith died was devoted to her.
Wow...just...wow...I don't think I've ever been more ashamed to be a journalist.
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I didn't like her either, but do we have to be rude about it? Her kid's been left motherless, for crying out loud.
allegedly she's got plenty of fathers so i think she'll be able to deal with it.
Seriously. Just let the woman rest in peace and move on to, well, you know, NEWS.
Join the club, Srol. We should print t-shirts. 🙁
I was somewhat grimly amused by a comment from a newspaper reviewer over here.
Normally, if you have doubt over the paternity of a baby, the potential fathers're scrambling over each other to get away from the idea of taking responsibility.
But make the kid the heir of a nine figure fortune, and all of a sudden you've got four guys voluntarily fighting to say "Me! Me! Me!". 🙁
