Is Anna Nicole overexposed? More to come
Coverage of former Playmate Anna Nicole Smith's death has gone overboard according to US consumers, but media experts warn there is more to come.
Six in 10 Americans surveyed by Pew Research felt that the Smith story had been "over-covered" by the press. But the sudden death of the buxom blonde at 39 years old on February 8 in Florida has fascinated both the public and the media.
Eleven per cent followed Ms Smith's story more closely in the week after her death than any other story - this, said Pew, is on par with the number who cited news about all the 2008 presidential candidates put together, 13 per cent.
"This is an ongoing soap opera," says Ken Auletta, media writer for The New Yorker. "Even people who don't care now know who Anna Nicole Smith is."
The former stripper and Playboy model, who married an 89-year old billionaire and took an inheritance battle to the US Supreme Court, is as fascinating to many watchers in death as she was in life.
Ms Smith died just five months after her 20-year-old son died in the Bahamas under mysterious circumstances. Now there is a custody battle over her five-month-old daughter while a tussle over where her body will be buried was concluded on Thursday. She will be buried in the Bahamas after most of the parties feuding over the corpse reached a deal to lay her to rest next to her son.
The story is much better than anything that the media could hope for or even make up, say media watchers, meaning the public should expect the saga to continue.
"It's incredible melodrama, all these people sort of feeding off the cadaver ... it's going to go on for months and months. At least we hope so," said Michael Musto, entertainment columnist at the Village Voice.
Ms Smith had lived the last years of her life in glare of tabloid coverage and is seen with the likes of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears as a case study of modern celebrity culture.
But Ms Smith was unlike Ms Hilton, who was born into society, or Ms Spears, who had sold millions of records. "She came from seemingly nowhere, not book-smart in the least, and charmed and seduced her way to the top," Mr Musto said. "It was definitely the American Dream."
The American public has always loved gossip about the "dark side of celebrity", said Mr Musto, who had interviewed Ms Smith for his book of celebrity interviews La Dolce Musto.
People have a tendency to idealise figures in public life - sometimes trying to assume their qualities; but when those figures fail, it creates a sense of disappointment or rage, said Charles Goodstein, clinical professor of psychiatry at New York University Medical School.
"There is a moralistic quality to this story that reassures the person that's reading or watching that they would not have fallen this fate," Dr Goodstein said.
As the disappointment sets in, the media in turn are regularly blamed for creating celebrities who are famous simply for being famous.
"On the day she died I switched on the TV to see World War III coverage of Anna Nicole Smith," says Mr Auletta. "I don't see anything about Iraq, Korea... it was one of the more depressing moments in media coverage." Mr Auletta says there's a simple explanation. "People like to be entertained and they don't want to just eat their spinach."
Housewives star Marcia Cross has twin girls
Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross has given birth to twin girls - the first children for the actress and her stockbroker husband Tom Mahoney, People magazine reported.
Publicists for the 44-year-old redhead told the magazine that the twins, named Eden and Savannah, were born at a Los Angeles hospital on Tuesday and both mother and babies were doing well.
Ms Cross had been placed on bed rest by her doctors in January for the remainder of her pregnancy, forcing production of the ABC network hit TV show to move to her real-life Los Angeles living room.
Ms Cross plays the perfectionist Bree in Desperate Housewives and her expanding waistline had become harder to conceal during the last two episodes planned for her in the current season.
Ms Cross and Mr Mahoney, 49, were married in June 2006.
Arden voices support for Britney, perfume line
Elizabeth Arden Inc. said it would continue to support troubled pop singer Britney Spears and her perfume line, although fans may shun the fragrances after her recent behaviour and negative publicity.
"We have a long-standing and very successful relationship with Britney Spears. We care about her personally and remain completely supportive of her," the beauty company said in a statement, after a New York Post story on Wednesday outlined how her recent antics may be hurting sales.
Celebrity perfumes have been a strong source of earnings for companies such as Elizabeth Arden, which makes and sells Spears' Fantasy, Midnight Fantasy, In Control and Curious scents.
Curious, which was launched in late 2004, was the first in the line and an instant success. The latest, Midnight Fantasy, also got off to a strong start, the company said.
Less than two weeks ago, New York-based Elizabeth Arden reported quarterly profits that topped Wall Street estimates.
Sales rose nearly 20 per cent, fuelled by sales of its fragrance brands. The Britney Spears fragrance line brought double-digit gains, chief executive officer Scott Beattie said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Ms Spears's in-again out-again rehab saga found her back in a Malibu facility on Thursday, halting an emergency court hearing in which estranged husband Kevin Federline planned to discuss custody of their two children.
Celebrity websites reported that the pop singer returned late on Wednesday to the Promises rehabilitation centre, which she had fled earlier in the day after less than 24 hours of treatment.
Ms Spears's spokesman did not return calls for comment on the reports, which followed a turbulent week that has seen one of the world's best-known pop stars in and out of rehab three times and shaving her own head.
The website of syndicated TV show Extra said there was video showing her driving through the gates of the luxury Promises centre with her mother.
Other reports said Ms Spears returned after seeking a meeting with Mr Federline on Wednesday but being denied entry to the house where he is staying with their children, Jayden James, five months old, and Sean Preston, 17 months old.
Coverage of former Playmate Anna Nicole Smith's death has gone overboard according to US consumers, but media experts warn there is more to come.Six in 10 Americans surveyed by Pew Research felt that the Smith story had been "over-covered" by the press. But the sudden death of the buxom blonde at 39 years old on February 8 in Florida has fascinated both the public and the media.
Eleven per cent followed Ms Smith's story more closely in the week after her death than any other story - this, said Pew, is on par with the number who cited news about all the 2008 presidential candidates put together, 13 per cent.
"This is an ongoing soap opera," says Ken Auletta, media writer for The New Yorker. "Even people who don't care now know who Anna Nicole Smith is."
The former stripper and Playboy model, who married an 89-year old billionaire and took an inheritance battle to the US Supreme Court, is as fascinating to many watchers in death as she was in life.
Ms Smith died just five months after her 20-year-old son died in the Bahamas under mysterious circumstances. Now there is a custody battle over her five-month-old daughter while a tussle over where her body will be buried was concluded on Thursday. She will be buried in the Bahamas after most of the parties feuding over the corpse reached a deal to lay her to rest next to her son.
The story is much better than anything that the media could hope for or even make up, say media watchers, meaning the public should expect the saga to continue.
"It's incredible melodrama, all these people sort of feeding off the cadaver ... it's going to go on for months and months. At least we hope so," said Michael Musto, entertainment columnist at the Village Voice.
Ms Smith had lived the last years of her life in glare of tabloid coverage and is seen with the likes of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears as a case study of modern celebrity culture.
But Ms Smith was unlike Ms Hilton, who was born into society, or Ms Spears, who had sold millions of records. "She came from seemingly nowhere, not book-smart in the least, and charmed and seduced her way to the top," Mr Musto said. "It was definitely the American Dream."
The American public has always loved gossip about the "dark side of celebrity", said Mr Musto, who had interviewed Ms Smith for his book of celebrity interviews La Dolce Musto.
People have a tendency to idealise figures in public life - sometimes trying to assume their qualities; but when those figures fail, it creates a sense of disappointment or rage, said Charles Goodstein, clinical professor of psychiatry at New York University Medical School.
"There is a moralistic quality to this story that reassures the person that's reading or watching that they would not have fallen this fate," Dr Goodstein said.
As the disappointment sets in, the media in turn are regularly blamed for creating celebrities who are famous simply for being famous.
"On the day she died I switched on the TV to see World War III coverage of Anna Nicole Smith," says Mr Auletta. "I don't see anything about Iraq, Korea... it was one of the more depressing moments in media coverage." Mr Auletta says there's a simple explanation. "People like to be entertained and they don't want to just eat their spinach."
Housewives star Marcia Cross has twin girls
Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross has given birth to twin girls - the first children for the actress and her stockbroker husband Tom Mahoney, People magazine reported.Publicists for the 44-year-old redhead told the magazine that the twins, named Eden and Savannah, were born at a Los Angeles hospital on Tuesday and both mother and babies were doing well.
Ms Cross had been placed on bed rest by her doctors in January for the remainder of her pregnancy, forcing production of the ABC network hit TV show to move to her real-life Los Angeles living room.
Ms Cross plays the perfectionist Bree in Desperate Housewives and her expanding waistline had become harder to conceal during the last two episodes planned for her in the current season.
Ms Cross and Mr Mahoney, 49, were married in June 2006.
Arden voices support for Britney, perfume line
Elizabeth Arden Inc. said it would continue to support troubled pop singer Britney Spears and her perfume line, although fans may shun the fragrances after her recent behaviour and negative publicity.
"We have a long-standing and very successful relationship with Britney Spears. We care about her personally and remain completely supportive of her," the beauty company said in a statement, after a New York Post story on Wednesday outlined how her recent antics may be hurting sales.
Celebrity perfumes have been a strong source of earnings for companies such as Elizabeth Arden, which makes and sells Spears' Fantasy, Midnight Fantasy, In Control and Curious scents.
Curious, which was launched in late 2004, was the first in the line and an instant success. The latest, Midnight Fantasy, also got off to a strong start, the company said.
Less than two weeks ago, New York-based Elizabeth Arden reported quarterly profits that topped Wall Street estimates.
Sales rose nearly 20 per cent, fuelled by sales of its fragrance brands. The Britney Spears fragrance line brought double-digit gains, chief executive officer Scott Beattie said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Ms Spears's in-again out-again rehab saga found her back in a Malibu facility on Thursday, halting an emergency court hearing in which estranged husband Kevin Federline planned to discuss custody of their two children.
Celebrity websites reported that the pop singer returned late on Wednesday to the Promises rehabilitation centre, which she had fled earlier in the day after less than 24 hours of treatment.
Ms Spears's spokesman did not return calls for comment on the reports, which followed a turbulent week that has seen one of the world's best-known pop stars in and out of rehab three times and shaving her own head.
The website of syndicated TV show Extra said there was video showing her driving through the gates of the luxury Promises centre with her mother.
Other reports said Ms Spears returned after seeking a meeting with Mr Federline on Wednesday but being denied entry to the house where he is staying with their children, Jayden James, five months old, and Sean Preston, 17 months old.