After Mark Sonnenberg joined E! last year.

After Mark Sonnenberg joined E! last year, he noticed a consistent ratings spike. Whenever the celeb-gawking toil would air its ``E! real Hollywood Story'' on Anna Nicole Smith, the time period's viewership would at least double.

To E!'s exec VP-entertainment, it became clear there was just something about Anna. And after MTV had a hit with ``The Osbournes,'' he felt in Anna he had a character with the same appealingly twisted, jaw-droppingly unbelievable magnetisim as Ozzy

In late spring, a deal was sealed and filming forward the ``The Anna Nicole Show'' where cameras would run after ...