Blog by Sean Gehon, Wednesday, February 14, 2007

I find it difficult to say how one should react to the death of a stranger. Certainly all life has value and importance or it wouldn’t be placed on this earth, but is it strange to feel for someone you’ve never met? With the recent passing of Anna Nicole Smith, I found myself having a self reflecting moment. Nobody should find joy in the death of another human being, but do we have to care? Personally, I was never a fan of Anna Nicole Smith. Often, I found the trials and tribulations surrounding her life basically exhausting and didn’t have the energy to really follow it. But when Anna Nicole passed away, I found myself sad. I’ve chosen thus far not to make light of her death and to not blog about it because I find no entertainment in it whatsoever. However, with the recent scandal surrounding the father of her daughter, I can’t help but wonder… who isn’t the father of Dannielynn?

The entire paternity drama is starting to sound like an adult version of Clue. Was it Larry Birkhead in the kitchen with the Trimspa? Or maybe it was Howard K. Stern in the dining room with the Slim Fast? Whoever it was, a new suspect seems to be popping up every day. Former boyfriend Larry Birkhead, her lawyer Howard K. Stern, her bodyguard, Zsa Zsa Gabor’s husband, her son Daniel, and her deceased husband are among the possible fathers of Anna Nicole’s five-month-old daughter. I’m not sure if many of these theories are just a desperate plea for attention during a tragic situation, but it’s definitely a unique coincidence that most of these theories erupted after Anna Nicole’s tragic passing.

This whole event has turned into some bizarre Addams' Family circus. During this tragic time, the gossip media has turned a private battle into a global obsession. Whether Perez Hilton is referring to Howard K. Stern as a murderer or people are accusing Anna Nicole’s mother of simply trying to get some money out of her daughter’s death, this entire situation has gone from bizarre to cruel in a matter of minutes. Even in death the media is relentless in their pursuit of a story and a new scandal to talk about. Perhaps we should relax, take a break, and wait until someone decides to announce who the father is as opposed to causing needless stress in an already stressful situation.

I’m not sure who the father of Dannielynn is, but I’m almost positive that I would like it to be Larry Birkhead. It's difficult to say who should be the father, or why I think it should be Larry.  What I do know is that he seems to really want this child. During this entire process, Larry has consistently fought for Dannielynn and made it very clear that he wants to take care of her. For that reason alone it would be nice to see him take care of a baby who, at this point, has no family at all. I’ve often said that I won’t be having kids myself and that I’m not entirely sure what to do with a baby, but that certainly doesn’t mean I don’t want to see one happy.

As much as Anna Nicole may have been an unfit mother in the eyes of the world, I can’t help but wonder what Dannielynn will say when she grows up and learns who her mother was? For a long time Anna Nicole was a running joke through much of the media, a tragic woman who was mocked by an entire world. At the very beginnings of her life, Dannielynn has no father, a deceased brother, a deceased mother, and a whole lot of drama for someone who’s only five months old. I find it sad, and for the sake of the family, would like nothing more than to see this matter resolved as quickly as possible.

Rest In Peace Anna Nicole Smith.  You may have been crazy, but you were a mother, a daughter, and people loved you. You will be missed J

Sean (Do you think Elton John will Re-Re make Candle In the Wind now?)

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