Since the news of Anna Nicole Smith’s death broke on Feb. 8, there has been a non-stop media blitz surrounding her troubled life. Every waking detail of this woman has become the topic of blogs, news bulletins and polls, but when is enough, enough?

The fascination with her sudden death must stem from her relentless pursuit of fame during her lifetime. The whole sordid tale of drug abuse, promiscuity and legal drama make for one entertaining daytime TV show. However, this is not a daytime TV, it’s real life.

This makes me beg the question, has reality TV finally eroded the line between real life and syndicated drama? Is the fascination with celebrity dirt a result of the pedestal we put celebrities on that whenever we get a scrap of news which brings out a flaw a feeding frenzy occurs?

Like much celebrity dirt, the morbid fascination with Anna Nicole Smith has reached its peak. Like a horrible car wreck on a busy street, we must look ahead and move on. Under the façade of juicy tantalizing secrets are real people and real pain.

The fact of the matter is that when all is said and done there will still be a motherless child, and a broken family. What purpose does it serve to see Anna Nicole Smith in clown make-up or another paternity teaser headline?

This story has gone past the brink of exploitation. Let’s put the tantalizing scandal to rest and maybe we can all come out of this with a little dignity, especially for Anna Nicole Smith.