I wrote some of what I felt over at Alex’s– but I’ll add a bit here.
It’s strange to remember an ad campaign – and normally I don’t – but I remember Anna Nicole Smith’s Guess campaign, when she first made her splash. It was kind of startling, as I recall. Guess sometimes has a misogynistic feel to their campaigns – the whole heroin chic thing … but the Anna Nicole campaign did not have that anti-woman feel to it. It was campy. It had a referential quality to it – there was the great photo (which I’m trying to find) of Anna Nicole and a brunette sitting at a table at what was supposed to be an awards ceremony. Anna Nicole is smiling at the camera, spectacular cleavage on display. And the brunette (also gorgeous) is glancing sideways at Anna – looking at her bosoms. There is an actual photograph of Jayne Mansfield [corrected! thanks, Pappi!] and Sophia Loren – sitting side by side – and Loren is surreptitiously eyeing Mansfield’s bazoombas. So the ad campaign had a kind of humorous quality to it – I enjoyed them. Also: A woman with those dimensions? When models like Elle McPherson and Linda Evangelista – tall lanky broads – ruled the day? The Guess ads were eye-catching. Truly. I loved them. I loved her kind of silly blonde vibe, there seemed to be a self-effacing quality to the photos. Now I don’t think Anna Nicole Smith was truly aware of what she was doing … she was pretty and all that … but I don’t think that she was like Marilyn Monroe – a true MASTER of print work. Nobody knew how to be photographed like Monroe. I think Anna Nicole Smith used what she had … and if she was part of a good campaign, that used her properly, she could shine.
But I never got the sense that she was really in charge of her image, like Monroe was.
That was part of the sadness I felt surrounding Anna Nicole Smith. We now live in the era of EX-supermodels. When people like Cindy Crawford and even earlier – lauren Hutton – etc. – have to diversify, go into business, whatever … Models never were that big a deal in earlier days. They would have their day in the sun on magazine covers – and then disappear into obscurity. No more.
And Anna Nicole Smith never seemed to fit into that post-model thing. Who knows why. I think she was surrounded by bad people who did not have her best interests at heart. I watched only one episode of her reality show and couldn’t bear any more. The thought of how blatantly she was being used made me uncomfortable. And like I said over at Alex: Yes, she was complicit. Yes, she agreed to do the show. Yes, yes, yes. I know all the arguments. I think they’re all correct. But I still felt sad for her.
I also feel lucky. I feel lucky that I have good friends. That I have had good boyfriends. All of them. That I have a family who gives a shit. I have people in my life who can say to me, “Uhm … do you really want to do that?” When I’ve had my depressions (which I don’t have anymore, knock wood) – I have people who surround me, with love, support … they listen, they give advice … and even if I can’t appreciate it in that moment, I am buoyed up. If I am injured (emotionally) – then I have friends and family who can pick up the slack for me until I am better, stronger. I am lucky. I am lucky but also: I chose well. I have the strength of character to choose well.
Anna Nicole Smtih did not have that. And I guess it makes me sad.
Anyway. I went out and found some of my favorite images of that age-old Guess campaign – and I’ll post them here, in memory. I remember these images. How long ago was that campaign? Years, right? But the images have stuck in my head. They’re just delightful, I think.
I hope you rest in peace, Anna Nicole Smith, and I hope you can hang out with some angels up in heaven who will treat you better than your “friends” did in real life.
I am so conflicted about her. I mean, it’s not her fault that the media is blowing this thing up like the President just got shot or something, but I remember those Guess campaigns too. Seeing those pictures of her – god, she was truly STUNNING to look at – and being proud. Proud of having curves and not being a walking stick with a pumpkin head. She looked like a WOMAN.
But your post really made me think, you know? Like how much of her flailing in the media was because she wasn’t surrounded by people who had HER interests at heart and not their own? How many people clung to her out of love of nothing but the money? She obviously made some bad choices in life, but we all do. We’re just fortunate enough to be able to make them without the world watching us.
I hope that young child of hers is raised by people who remember good things about her and are reminded often of them.
Yeah … and I just don’t think she was obviously the brightest bulb. You know? And seeing that show of hers – which just made me too uncomfortable to watch … It was like participating in the freak-show of taking advantage of her.
I know she signed up for it. Again, I know that. But lots of models end up being OKAY after their moment in the sun stops … because, maybe they have a good family – or good friends – or, like Brooke Sheilds, decided: Okay. I need to break away from my mother … who is … against my best interests … and I need to maybe give my shot at acting, maybe write a book, get married …
You know … she obviously is trying to create a life for her that is meaningful even though she has been famous since she was exploited at the age of 7, at the hands of her mother.
She has turned that into an asset. She went to college. She has friends who are not famous. Blah blah
Anna Nicole had none of that. It’s kind of like the image I have (awful) of River Phoenix ODing on the sidewalk – surrounded by people who … you know. The bottom feeders. You gotta have a really good head on your shoulders to resist people like that.
And yeah, that little baby – and her dead son … the whole thing is a mess.
I always found Anna Nicole very sexy, even in her larger moments. Ultimately the saddest thing about her death is how strong the spotlight now points on what a wasted life it was. I agree with your thoughts that she was probably never in control of her own life and didn’t have the personality or the support to take control. I feel the most sorry for the child who will have to now grow out of the shadow of all this gloom that it was born into.
wow, that last picture. she was stunning.
Sarah – that’s one of my favorite ones, too.
I’ve always felt so sorry for her.
She wasn’t smart enough to control her image and then she was surrounded by people willing to take advantage of that fact.
How can you be surrounded by that many people and still be such a complete mess?
She was extremely beautiful and those Guess ads were genius.
Such a shame.
This is part of the reason why watching Lindsay Lohan turn into a mess is painful. She is so talented – her potential is ENORMOUS. But seeing her kind of whittle it away with the excesses afforded her, and then to listen to her mother basically *defend* her behavior – I can’t stand it. I just want to scream. Somebody, PLEASE, somebody that loves her step in and give her the support she needs to grow the hell up before she wrecks her career and possibly her life.
Yeah, she’s another one – surrounded by people who are just bottom feeders, especially that mother. And the father. I mean, that’s an uphill battle right there.
I love her – I hope she cuts those folks loose – like Brooke Sheilds did. She’s so young, though. And … what … taking advice from morons like Paris Hilton?
Come on, hon. Get it together.
But when you’re young, rich – and willing to pay for drugs … you’re gonna attract a nasty group of friends. Like what happened with Belushi too – his friends tell stories about running into him near the end and he was surrounded by truly frightening people. The underbelly of celebrity. Users.
Run, Lindsay, run!!!
I hope you rest in peace, Anna Nicole Smith, and I hope you can hang out with some angels up in heaven who will treat you better than your “friends” did in real life.
That was pretty much my thought yesterday. Sort of wondering, “Was there absolutely NO ONE who could have stepped in to save her?” May have been, but they were likely kept at bay by the people profitting from her craziness.
Sorry to kind of correct you, but I thought that picture you were talking about might rather be of Jayne Mansfield and Sofia Loren, ala http://www.hollywoodcelebrityphotographs.com/slideshow/bw/1145B-ss.html
Btw, if you haven’t found the mock one with Anna Nicole, bam: http://dir.salon.com/story/sex/gallery/2002/08/23/federici/index.html
Hope that was more helpful than annoying :)
It was Jane Mansfield and Sophia Loren in the photo you mentioned.
Pappi – Oh, cool! Yes, that’s just the photo! Thanks for the correction and the image – I had obviously been looking for the wrong folks. :)
Here is a beautiful woman. People say beauty is a curse, and this is an example. If she were born ugly, would things ever have gotten to this? Well, who cares?
My feeling is this is a woman that was born beautiful, like many other women, but she had a little something extra. She kind of *got it*. She got it and it was great and she didn’t say,”geez, women should have come a lot further by now”, she just went on the sail boat. And when it stopped being windy, that woman rowed. God, she rowed. You got to give her credit for that. In my book, she rocked. Rest in Peace, feminist and goddess, Anna Nicole!
I hope Anna Nicole is happier where she is! For the people who supposely care for her, such mother or sister who want her baby for one reason–MONEY! I hope the judge realizes she needs to stay with Howard. My here legend live on forever!!
You will be missed ANNA!!
…she was so so beaytiful and to be beautiful is so hard and expensive but i feel so sorry that she paid so much for this beauty and for people around her…
its so sad when u have your castle and servants dont treate u like queen!
ANS,maybe u did mistakes but u also did a big steps for womanhood trying to tell them that ,,we need to do mistakes if we want to try something new in our life,, im proud that the womans like u egzist….rest in peace
I think this situation is very sicking. If Anna had burried her son in the Bahamas which she always made clear how much she loved him, Then get her burried with him in the Bahamas. I think her mother is a sick person. A real caring and loving mother, who really cared about her child would not want to prolong her burial only to make somekind of name for herself on the coattails of her decreased child. Let the poor woman be buried!!!!
Isn’t it obvious that she had hardly any relationships with her daughter?! I think this is just a very sad sad situation.
Rest in peace, beautiful Anna Nicole. Your life should have never been put on trial, bad judge, nothing new to you Im sure. You caught all the idiots, and clingers on as you stumbled through life trying to find your way. I hope you laughed from heaven at the ridiculous hubba bubba over where to bury you. May God hold you and Daniel safely in his arms until you meet your loved ones again. Howard K Stern will watch over little Dannielynn, dont fret. My household will miss you.