Gallery of the Absurd

The Anna Nicole Media Circus: Larry King's Painting

A few years ago, Anna Nicole Smith painted a portrait of Larry King and presented it to him during an interview on his show. She told him it was a gift to celebrate his 45 years in broadcasting. The painting looked as though it was painted by a young child (which is why I liked it) and Larry didn't know quite what to make of it. He looked somewhat shocked and finally said "You're very good. You got a lot -- this is a great use of colors, signed it with a little happy face." During Larry's coverage of Anna Nicole's death, he mentioned her painting a few times and even brought it on his show. Of all the Anna Nicole Media Circus coverage, I found Larry King's few moments of sharing Anna's art with his audience the most poignant. You could tell he truly cherished and appreciated the gift she had made for him and by sharing the painting with his viewers, he managed to give Anna Nicole's life a proper tribute by focusing on her kindness instead of her troubles. Medium: acrylic on paper.

Oscar fans, don't miss out on the lively speculation over at Film Experience Blog's 2nd Annual Oscar Symposium.

The Anna Nicole Smith Media Circus: Chyna AKA Joanie Laurer

One of the more interesting freaks starring in the Anna Nicole Media Circus is the trainwreck ex-wrestler Chyna Doll. Larry King's producers somehow thought it was a good idea to invite her on the show to discuss her "friendship" with Anna Nicole. I'm sure Larry was looking for some insight into what it was like to be Anna Nicole's friend, but what he and his viewers got instead was an embarrassing display of self-promotion, incoherent babbling and a snippy cat fight between Chyna and the Trim Spa Wife. Chyna said she was a friend of Anna Nicole, but Trim Spa Wife disagreed and called Chyna a "stalker". A defiant Chyna told Trim Spa Wife to "go get some Trim Spa". Chyna might be able to beat you to a pulp, but she isn't very good at formulating snappy comebacks. Medium: Acrylic on paper, photoshop, much thanks to Holly Aguirre for the title.

The Anna Nicole Smith Media Circus: Bobby Trendy

What is this little pink fluffy poof of satin and tulle that calls itself Bobby Trendy? I know he made a few appearances on The Anna Nicole Show, but why is he being dragged out and interviewed as though he's some sort of authority on Anna Nicole's life? Is it because he "decorated" her home with clever wisps of pink fabric and sparkles? I'm not sure what his relation to Anna Nicole is...all I know is that he's got shiny pink swollen lips paired with a slight smudge of facial hair. It's all I could focus on while I watched him primp and pose as a flamboyant clown starring in the Anna Nicole Smith Media Circus. Medium: Acrylic on paper, warm cups of spite, faux toe shop.

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The Anna Nicole Smith Media Circus: Prince Von Anhalt

Watching the frenzied media coverage of Anna Nicole's tragic death is not unlike attending a carnival sideshow and gaping in awe at the collection of freaks and whackos on display. Many bizarre characters have crawled out of obscurity to "comment" on Anna Nicole's untimely death, but what amazes me is how they use the occasion to talk about....themselves. I've created sideshow banners for some of the more entertaining characters featured in the Anna Nicole Smith Media Circus and will post a new one each day. Step right up and be amazed at the deranged old man who calls himself Prince Frederic von Anhalt. This "Prince" has been married to Zsa Zsa Gabor for 20 years and yet claims to have fathered Anna Nicole's baby. When reporters asked for details regarding his decade-long affair with Anna Nicole, he muttered something like "I cannot talk about zee affair because you see, I am a married man." Huh? Then why are you parading yourself out in front of the media?! A few days later, he then opens up a bit and says "Sometimes I'm a bad boy". Medium: Acrylic, prismacolor on paper.