Celebrity gossip magazines never cease to amaze me. Just when you think the scandal couldn't get worse, it stoops a level lower to shock the public.
I returned to my house after working a long night at The Post to find a magazine strewn on my living room love seat. I saw that one of my roommates purchased the newest In Touc magazine, dated Oct. 2. All I could make out on the cover from the doorway was a photo of a fake-tanned, exhausted woman together with a college-aged boy cuddling an infant. As I walked closer, I noticed the words EXCLUSIVE: LAST PHOTOS OF ANNA NICOLE AND HER SON in large font across the photo.
I couldn't help but flip to page 12 to see what else In Touch could muster to print regarding the situation. The magazine continues for six pages with photos of Anna Nicole Smith's deceased son and newborn daughter, complete with a timeline of the events leading up to his death and a little recap of how he was such a great son.
The cause of Daniel Smith's death is still under investigation. But the spread on pages 16 and 17 reads in big, bold print: It (his death) was an accident. The article claims that famous forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht told In Touch There is no evidence of foul play. But the article continues about Daniel's prescriptions for antidepressant Alexapro and insomnia medicine Ambein, which a pharmacist with the American Pharmacists Association states can be a deadly combination if one overdoses.
Some rumors circulated blaming street drugs as his cause of death. I'm sure you could blame any celebrity death on the Los Angeles club scene, because, as all celebrity gossip mags imply, everyone in Hollywood is addicted to drugs.
The article also exclusively reveals that Anna Nicole's son had health problems and was in the intensive care unit for an elevated heart rate just a month before his death. Was his heart problem the cause of death, perhaps? Good job of blaming it on pretty much EVERY possible cause of death, In Touch. It might as well add choked on a pretzel to its list as well.
At first I thought just running the pictures of Anna Nicole and her late son was disturbing and insensitive. When I actually sat down to read the material, I realized it was absolutely ridiculous. What better way to increase magazine circulation than to report over-exaggerated, fabricated causes of death with pending lab results?
I'm not against these gossip magazines by any means ' they are perfect reading material for the beach or a trip to the hair salon. What irks me is the fact that sometimes (OK, pretty often) these publications take the whole celeb gossip thing too far. The last thing a grieving mother wants to see or experience is pictures of her deceased child plastered all over the media.
The next time a celebrity gossip magazine tries to be in touch with its public, it should try not to be as insensitive.
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Caitlin Price
