Kurt Cobain's daughter hosts party with a suicide theme

by Angie Felton (Subscribe to Angie Felton's posts) Sep 15th 2008 11:00AM

(Darkly comic, or just tacky? Click the photo to see which celebs contemplated suicide for real)

It's hard to believe, but Frances Bean Cobain, daughter of Courtney Love and the late Kurt Cobain is old enough to have had her Sweet Sixteen birthday party. Frances was only a toddler in 1994 when Cobain was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, which makes her "My Suicidal Sixteen" party theme all the more disturbing.

Frances' soiree, marking the "death of childhood," was held at the House of Blues in Los Angeles. Frances asked her guests to wear black or red and to participate in a "Who Looks the Most Dead" contest (prizes: "IPOD TOUCH and a $200 gift certificate to amoeba"). Guests were also warned that, due to House of Blues rules, bags would be searched at the door ("so don't be stupid and try to bring shit it do it b4 you get into the party if you have to and try to be stealth!"). Apparently, Frances can plan a party but cannot spell check her email invitation.

The party reportedly cost mom Courtney Love a whopping $323,000. Love arrived for the soiree in the dress Angelica Houston wore in the movie "The Addams Family." Ooooh classy.

Looking at her family tree, it's pretty amazing that France Bean has never made the news for drug abuse or mental health issues, so I'll give her a pass on hosting such a tacky themed party. Growing up with Courtney Love as a mom, a woman with a long history of drug abuse, it's not likely that Frances could count on her to step in and tell her what is inappropriate and what is acceptable.

Hopefully the Suicidal Sixteen party was just a dark humor joke and not a sign of what is to come for Frances Bean.

10 Celebs Who Thought About Suicide(click thumbnails to view gallery)

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Comments (67)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

Paul Cyopick 9-15-2008 @ 11:14AM

OMG, she's 16 already? I met her backstage at a Lollapalooza in Barrie years ago, a couple of years after her dad died. She was as cute as a button.

As for the party theme, it's her party, so why not. It's better going at her family history head on, and not shy away from the issue.

Hopefully she's a strong enough person to deal with all of the pressure of having celebrity parents, especially how crazy hers are (or were).

Lehigh 9-16-2008 @ 2:45PM

Hi Paul. I have to disagree. A suicide party isn't cool and I hope it's doesn't become a trend. I've lost several friends in Highschool to suicide, at least three. Most kids don't understand the concept of death and that death is forever. As for her mother, she is not right, as least she doesn't portray herself or even try to portray herself as being decent. I hope this young girl grows up to be talented and artistic, smart and educated.

not sure but guessing 9-16-2008 @ 8:07PM

Paul,
Agree with you. Some people will never understand what its like to grow up with the death of father. Although I will say that after reading the spell check comment in the story, I am inclined to believe that Courtney had more to do with this than meets the eye...

c_rousseau05 9-15-2008 @ 11:41AM

We can't judge kids by their parents. I'm sure little miss Bean has been through enough in her life to carry on in her fathers footsteps. I'm sure his death hurt her in more ways than we can imagine and she's old enough to understand that impact on the lives of others when someone selfishly takes their own life.

Having two very creative parents, both probably with darkish humor that i'm sure her mother still exibits, it's only expected. I find nothing wrong at all with her themed party, actually I think it's pretty clever. The death of her childhood and her coming of adulthood. Some people don't want to grow up, she evidently does, she's symbolicly killing her child self and moving on into the next phase of life. Death, whether it be real or symbolic is only a transition from one phase of life to another (if you believe in that like I do). You end one phase, say your goodbyes, make your peace with the past and look forward to your future life phase.

Don't many cultures do this? A quincenera? A sweet sixteen? A bah mitzfa (or however you spell that)? The celebration of a young woman coming into adulthood and the goodbye to her childhood, the death of her childhood. It almost is cause for a "funeral". We bury our past in many ways, i'm sure this was hers. I think we can look forward to a happy future for her. BTW, she still looks just like her dad. RIP Kurt Cobain, you are missed.

JenMcD 9-17-2008 @ 12:06AM

Couldn't have said it better myself :) It's not really my place to judge her intentions or sense of humor. Only her loved ones know her well enough to make that call

G 9-16-2008 @ 2:12PM

She was so young that she doesnt remember him, she doesnt have that emotional connection that it would bother her. I doubt she has wonderful stories of her father that she was told, I mean he was pretty messed up, which tells me he probably wasnt a very attentive father to her.

sheriann 9-17-2008 @ 9:01AM

When a child has a parent who dies or commits suicide they never forget, no matter how young or old they were when the parent died...they can act like they dont remember but it is something that will always be in the back of their mind....maybe she want trying to be disrepectful maybe she was trying to remember

deb 9-16-2008 @ 2:23PM

OBVIOUSLY SHE IS AS MUCH AS A FREAK AS HER MOTHER. NEVER HAD MUCH OF A CHANCE TO BE NORMAL I GUESS. HER MOTHER SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER PARENT AND STOPPED THIS NONSENSE BUT WHO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT COURTNEY WHO

Mickey 9-16-2008 @ 2:24PM

As a parent of a son who completed suicide early this year, I think it's extremely tacky, tasteless, sick, disrespectful on her part to have a suicidal party. Obviously another Hollywood type who has nothing meaningful to do with her life.

Lisa 9-16-2008 @ 2:52PM

I'm very sorry to hear about the loss of your son, things like this must really open old wounds for you. Continue to stay strong and best wishes moving on to the future....

nancy 9-16-2008 @ 5:54PM

Remember who her mother is and then you shouldn't wonder why this party was allowed.

Just Me 9-16-2008 @ 7:09PM

I absolutely agree....A party is to be a festive occasion especially a sixteenth bday......Why on earth would that theme be allowed and a better question who would spend that kind of money on any kind of a party. Sounds like little miss spoiled to me, no reason to have to commit anything in my opinion.

ChrisLyn 9-16-2008 @ 2:33PM

Wow. I can't believe that Courtney would allow her to have a party themed around suicide. Granted, it was exactly to those terms of the word, shouldnt that word be a touchy subject for both? I do say that Frances has grown up very well, and to me, it seems like she has dodged the limelight for the time being. Let's hope it stays that way.

gloria 9-16-2008 @ 2:30PM

its her party, let her do what she wants.
worry about your own kids.

vick 9-16-2008 @ 2:35PM

(She's very beautiful... has her daddy's eyes...)
being the goth teenager that i am, i really see nothing wrong with frances' choice of party. it's actually pretty creative. i personally had demented alice in wonderland... but whatever. the point is that she was not throwing this party to intentionally offend or "poke fun" at suicides or the surviving loved ones. she obviously just has an ironic, morbid sense of humor, and wanted to throw a memorable party that expresses that part of her. those who are offended are just too sensitive.

shannon 9-16-2008 @ 5:57PM

Kudos for openmindedness. We live in a society that never learned how to connect with their kids and choose to see appearances as a way to define them. Fact is, yes, Hollywood has its misfits, but who are we to judge right or wrong for others. We all need to learn to keep our noses in our own personal businesses. Granted people in fame don't have the option to be ignored because some people can't stand not knowing celebrity gossip. Fact is if you cannot get a grip on this little girls life, maybe you don't have to after all...just live and let live.

naya 9-16-2008 @ 9:17PM

That is weird but whatever! It is creepy but you know that if your kid wanted to throw a suicide party you would say no with a passion. A lot of teens are very impressionable and I would not want to be liable for some kid trying to off themselves off at my kids b-day party. But if she feels her daughter is mature to handle that then whatever.

Kurosaki 9-16-2008 @ 2:50PM

To be honest, I don't understand why some people find this so offensive. It's her party so she should be able to do as she pleases. It's not as though she said "I'm gonna have a Suicidal Sixteen party in order to mock people". She's just got her own unique brand of humor...let her be.

Celeste 9-16-2008 @ 2:53PM

Personally I think these rich kids should be thankful they can live their lives with no worries. The normal 16 year old may somedays go with out food and some may not but they appreciate their life and glad to part of the normal world, not a sick bunch of rich kids foolish parties that sound like to me she needs some help. My grandchild was a normal young 25 yr. old and killed by a drowsey driver, she lovedpeople of alll kinds and also loved children and lived her life with laughter and happiness and on a bright day in July that all ended.

kels 9-16-2008 @ 3:10PM

Gee! Look at those beautiful eyes!
This is a 16 year daughter of two VERY creative parents. It's her way of expressing herself without really expressing herself, you know what I mean? I think the word SUICIDE is not talked about enough. Yes it hurts! Yes it can be debilitating losing somone you love to suicide! Yes loved ones left remaining will have to deal with it for the rest of their lives and the ones that commit suicide, their pain ends. This is truly very creative and genius for a 16 yr old girl with no father wanting to express herself in such a healthy way. It may be her way of letting others know not to fear death & suicide so much. Remember she is 16 the age of impression, expression, creativity, showing off to her peers... just be careful, always remember she did lose her father to suicide and this is the crucial age where all her emotions are all over the place. Mad at her father for not being there, Missing her father, Angry at her father, all those emotions this BEAUTIFUL 16 yr old is going through is pretty tough. This is the only way she can show that she loves her father, as weird as it may be. Let her express herself its healthy. When she doesnt express herself is when you need to be concerned.
Peace!