Poll Center: Anna Nicole's Full Court Press

AS THIS WRITER wrote on Friday, the day after Anna Nicole Smith collapsed and died in Florida, "[i]t's hard to figure out the impact, if any, yesterday's death of Anna Nicole Smith has on the nation's capital." And for that matter, it's hard to figure out the impact, if any, the former Playboy playmate and celebrity curiosity had on the nation. But those who were watching the coverage of Smith's death on Thursday may have felt as if they were transported back to 1997, when Princess Diana died after a high-speed crash the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris.

Of course, 39-year-old Smith was not America's princess in the traditional sense, but her enduring celebrity intrigue captivated those who crave star-studded dirt, highlighted by the drawn-out inheritance battle with the family of her deceased Texas billionaire husband — a legal challenge that made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Naturally, the national media has made Smith's death into a spectacle, focusing on all the twists, turns and mystery surrounding Smith's death and the generous buffet of side-dish gossip items that came before and after it, e.g., the death in September of Smith's 20-year son; her relationship with her lawyer; and now, the publication of photographs showing Smith in bed with the immigration minister of the Bahamas, who has been "accused of showing Smith preferential treatment by fast-tracking her residency application last year," the Associated Press reports.

So is Smith's unfortunate death worth all the attention? As the left-leaning Think Progress organization wrote last week:

NBC's Nightly News devoted 14 seconds to Iraq compared to 3 minutes and 13 seconds to Anna Nicole. CNN referenced Anna Nicole 522% more frequently than it did Iraq. MSNBC was even worse — 708% more references to Anna Nicole than Iraq.

Or is her passing a worthy news item to placate the American public that needs its celebrity diversions?

For today's Poll Center question, we ask: Does Anna Nicole Smith's death deserve so much press? Go vote (and comment) here, and see how your fellow commuters responded, station by station, line by line.

» "The Morning News: Anna Nicole's Impact on D.C." [Free Ride/Express]
» "Attorney: I'm Anna Nicole's Baby's Father" [CNN]
» "Anna Nicole Smith’s Adult Son Dies in Bahamas" [AP via MSNBC]
»"Anna Nicole Smith, Official Photographed" [AP via CBS News]
» "Anna Nicole Smith And Our National Media Embarrassment" [Think Progress]

Photo by Getty Images

Posted By Michael Grass at 8:22 AM on February 13, 2007 Tagged in Free Ride , People , Poll Center

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