Don’t misuse the term ‘tragedy’

Some broadcaster used the word “tragedy” when referring yesterday to the death of Anna Nicole Smith . “Tragedy”?

Look, when Oedipus – without realizing it but through overinflated pride – killed his father and married his mother, that was a tragedy. When 800,000 people were killed in Rwanda, that was a tragedy. Jets flying into the World Trade Center? Tragedy.

But the death of a not particularly attractive, overly publicized, obsessive-compulsive celebrity who didn’t accomplish a single memorable television of movie performance?

A woman who will be remembered mostly for having married an old man for his money, then who fought like hell in court when the man’s family refused to pay her the inheritance she thought she deserved?

Whose only son died of a fatal combination of drugs in the same hospital room where she had just delivered his baby sister?

That’s many things – among them pathetic occurrence, tough break, definitely a setback, a real bummer and even a sad event – but tragedy? Hardly.

Newscasters use that word because it’s easy. They should reach for their thesaurus and find a more appropriate term. Or make one up.

For those who will do anything to attract the media spotlight, I suggest the following: occupational hazard.