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.

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Comments

[sIOBHAN]

I drew a little tombstone with the boobs sticking up out the ground. The epitaph reads: Died Fucked.
And an eerie whisper rising..."how do ya like my body noooowwww????". Too bad I can't post it all pro-like.

[Viper Tetsu]

Here I am, Fanny! I've missed the GOTA Coffee Clutch greatly...Damn day job, grumble...

Two of the (Many) things I love about this piece, O Most Gifted of Two-Digit Numbers:

1) You've managed to effectively ridicule yet another deserving doofus in the Anna Nicole saga, yet radiate some genuine compassion for Anna Nicole herself without getting too gooey.

2) In your magical Pop-Culture-Umbrella Way, Dear Quatorze, you've unearthed Larry King's astonishing resemblance to Bub the Zombie from George Romero's Day of the Dead.

[midevil]

I just checked out that video of the photogs snapping pics and the flash constantly going off. I dunno, but I would have snapped a long time ago. I know nothing of what it is like to be in the camera's eye all the time and I just have to say, wow, I'm so glad I'm not rich and famous. I'd never be able to handle that kind of life EVER.

[Bea Gass]

ANS was a joke alive, and now more of a joke dead. DAMN, she WAS talented.

[Bea]

Has anyone seen the pics/video of Britney attacking a photog and his SUV with an umbrella? If not, check it out here. It makes me pity her. Seriously.

http://www.hollywoodgrind.com/?p=4693

[Damien]

Yeah you just knew that there was something more to her, you know past the sound bites and everyting.

[louise]

i just saw your drawing in bust magazine- awesome! <3

[zay]

do u no, where can i see a pic of the actual portrai? im curious to c

[fanny pack]

It's nice to see that folks are starting to get the satirical aspect of your wonderful art and the gossip that you paint. Or maybe I am delusional as most of these comments are from the regulars -- Kai, Demon K, Deanna, the new kid Pun... (Where is Viper Tetsu these days?)

I love this image. You captured farting/let her rip Larry flawlessly. And your tribute is perfection. After all, Anna's life was a circus with all these wonderfully bizarre characters she surrounded herself with. I bet she was never bored.

The bottom line is that tragic things happen to all of us. We’ve all lost friends and family members and probably all done our own share of fucked up things. We, however, are not narcissists who choose a life in the spotlight. At least I don’t. When I get famous and throw a tantrum at the Ivy, by all means, paint my flared nostrils and me.

[Allison]

Wow. Not too bad for a blonde pinup, eh?

[Ali]

That is actually really cute that she did that. I'm pretty curious about the painting now. Anyone know where I could find it or if that clip is up on youtube?

This was really nice of 14 to paint this rather than making fun of poor Anna which would be all too easy.

[Kai]

Demon Kitty- Ah! Nononono! It's okay. I occasionally include neo-Nazis in my art. Well, once, a currently unfinished piece of me sitting on a neo-Nazi that is lying on the ground looking rather thrashed, as a way of making a point to a neo-Nazi "friend" of mine. (You wouldn't believe how many of these kind of "friends" I have). I was worried I'd upset you Demon Kitty! Don't worry, I mean, looking at Britney, she does kinda look like a neo-Nazi, I just can't draw her in a humorous manner that way and feel good about it. By the way, Demon Kitty, you're like the 10th person to call me a Mensch! People keep calling me one, maybe it's true! I don't deserve it, though. Oh, and I am German. I don't worry about people thinking I'm a Nazi because that would be silly. Wow okay I planned on writing a long complicated entry adressing everything but I find myself suddenly violently ill. Time for club soda and comforting myself. See you after this passes.

Shalom,
Kai
(Your token Jewish commenter- my tagline for you, deanna.)

[deanna]

I really have to admit this picture is a bit of a tear jerker. It is incredibly ironic Larry King has lived to see a day he would hold up a picture, given to him as a tribute for his accomplishments, in rememberance of the young artist who gave it to him a few years earlier.

Uhmm Kai, what's going on with the new tag name? I really grew accustomed to the token jewish line because I can always use the reliable hacknyed comment, "well I do have a jewish friend" if ever I need to prove a point. Soo for old time's sake? Pleeeezz?
The best way to get a job Kai is to call and pester the folks until they feel they have no choice but to hire you or deal with the full fury of your redialing capabilities. Now, read this very carefully. Do not try this with the military, ESPECIALLY the army, as my father found out the hard way as he is now stationed at camp speicher in Iraq. He gladly serves his country!! I spoke to him yesterday which is when they found out about anna nicole's passing. I couldn't dare tell him about Brittany's hair cut as I feared that news might have been too overwhelming and so I decided next week would be more approriate to break the news to the old man since my patient load should be lighter and thus I can charge him for the full 20 minutes of therapy without interruptions. Well 20 minutes is all the talk time he is allowed per call per week. Heaven knows what will happen between now and then and whether or not we'll ever get caught up in real time so he and all the troops can get caught up and cope right along with this country's distress over all the distressing behavior as of recent. I better not get started.

[katie]

I never knew Anna Nicole was a folk artist...That really is very sweet, a rare bright spot in all the media coverage. It puts Bobby Trendy and China Doll to shame!

[Demon Kitty]

Dear Kai,

I am sorry about bringing up the Neo Nazi thing with Britney's shaved head. I didn't mean to be insensitive. Sometimes I think if you make fun of something, you take its power away and make it less than what it is. Once again, my apologies.

P.S. I once had an interview in the German Bundestag. Everything was in German. The first question they asked me was, "how would you describe typical German?" I was nervous as hell and ended up telling them that we all still thought they were a bunch of Nazis. It was a really ugly interview. If there are any Germans reading, I don't think you are Nazis. Mensch, I am sorry I brought it up!

[ricko]

we bleed the same blood. can you teach to feel the same???

w

[Kai]

To everyone who wished me luck, thanks, they said they'd call, which is probably code for "we don't need any of your sort", but anyway. I just noticed that Larry King reminds me of a history teacher. I like how this piece is touching yet still a bit absurd.... Speaking of absurd, I'm working on the Britney pics. I'm so far thinking of Mr. T, Kojack, not a neo-Nazi, sorry, not funny to me, Buddhist monk, punk/gangster, sailor, gay pirate, and I'll see about Bruce Willis... I'll take any requests! By the way, the intent of this is not to mock Britney, just give her some style tips on how to work with her baldness!

Shalom,
Kai
(Anyone missed my tagline yet?)

[Holly]

If you saw the footage of things that were stolen from her house after she died, her bedroom was full of paintings that she did and they were really cute. very pink but very anna

[Sage]

Thank you 14,
What you shared was the most genuine and thought-provoking tribute to Anna Nicole that I've seen. I haven't been able to figure out why her death has saddened me so. (I usually am not interested in celebrity addicts lives or deaths). But you helped highlight the child-like qualities
amidst her childishness. This story about the Larry King painting and her famous "do you love me more than all the raindrops in the world and all the fishes in the sea?" to and from her son is what I'll always consider most endearing about Anna Nicole.

I spent quite a bit of time staring at my monitor and appreciating this painting. It is so sweet and very funny...an 'uncanny likeness' indeed. Who knew that a little happy face could inspire tears?

[Erik]

The underbite is perfection! This made me laugh out loud!

[Majik]

that was nice.

[Cyclops Kitten Natividad]

This is really sweet, especially in all the media circus stuff and the tiresome Britney Britney Britney. As a painter ANS was up there with Shannon "The Goddess" Kring, but her heart was in the right place.

[pun_inpendid]

Bad press sells more than good - at least in terms of celebs who are controversial in some way to begin with. Was actually pleased to find that Britney had donated the $50,000 to Gilda's Club and think Make A Wish is a great charity and am glad ANS supported them. Most everyone says that she was a very good, kind hearted person - had seen people who said so even before she passed. To Kai - yes, definitely good luck on the job interview and keep a positive attitude. You are more likely to fail if you believe you are and how you feel about yourself comes out in interviews - sometimes in subtle ways (have this problem myself - am afraid to over promise, so under promise or under promote myself instead). You are clearly intelligent, discerning, and witty (as are the others who post here) and you can do it! Stand tall! Insecurity sucks, but most of us suffer from it. Trying to remember that about the celebs when they act out too. Though I don't think it is excuse for inconsiderate or bratty behavior or thinking you are entitled. Those things are more within our control (most of the time) and are things we can take ownership of and apologize for or change when we do slip and engage in them. Thanks for posting the good stuff also. 14 is unusual in that she also does that, and does not inject meanness into her satire as she so easily could. Why I feel free to laugh freely at her work : )

[midevil]

His eyes, man, his eyes!

[WTF]

I saw the snippet of Anna giving the picture to Larry then him bringing it back out when she died.

Under the craziness Anna Nicole was a very kind and loving person. I think it was the Swedish (?) bodyguard that started to say the nice things she did that we NEVER heard of. Make-A-Wish was what he was talking about. I had never heard that. And of course she loved Daniel so much.

It's just very sad.

I still say why Anna and not Shitney, Hohan or Nicky Hilton?

Kai--good luck on the job interview!!! Think happy thoughts!!

[pun_inpendid]

Hi there - I think Britney currently bears some resemblance to Charles Barclay, myself : ) -without the platinum, blond wig she has been sporting and of course, he is in no way pneumatic. Not saying Britney looks manly - but her facial expression, something about her eyes just shouted C.B. to me. Thank you for the additonal tee-hee's this morning, Demon Kitty. This is a classic, 14! To me, her painting (Anna's) looks like a Simpson's rendering of Larry King - particularly the coloring. I'm sure some people think he practices yellow journalism, but ... : ) I will give her (ANS) credit in that it is probably still better than I could do, but she is no 14 by any stretch of the imagination, intelligence, or tremendous talent and knack for capturing a person's true essence, expressions, etc. 14's version is dead on - as always.

[Kai]

I've never watched Larry King.... starting to think he might be worth it...

Hey Demon Kitty, that sounds like a good idea. If 14 won't do it, I'm on it! [stretches fingers] Okay, anyone want to give their input? Should I draw it by hand or use crappy Paint to do these? As soon as I get back from my failed job interview I'll work on it!

I wish I had my colored pencils... man... guess I'll go buy some..

-Meshuge Kai

[Demon kitty]

Everyone always talks about how Larry King farts on national TV during his interviews. I have never heard him fart while watching him, but then I have hardly ever watched him.

You know 14, that pic of Britney you did made me laugh so hard after I forgot all the crazy ass comments! You could do a Britney paper doll thing. Like Britney as Mr. Clean, Mr. T, Kojack- Britney as Yule Brenner, Britney as Mohammed Ghandi, Britney as a Neo Nazi skin head, or a Buddhist Monk - Britney as a member of a gang, Britney as a Navy Seal. Britney as a leather gay man, or as that Rob Halliford/or Halliwell guy from Judas Priest. Britney as Bruce Willis. Britney as a cancer patient going through chemo. My Dad was just a bald as she is when he was going through chemo. Britney as someone who is about to be burnt at the stake. All these social situations in which a bald head is perfect!

[gilmore]

Hey 14. Another great one. I love this feature media circus feature. Very appropriately titled. I saw a tribute Larry King did to Anna Nicole the other night and you could tell he did care for her.

You captured Larry King perfectly.

[Sylvia]

Fiiiiirst!!!
Yeah!