MAY 1992 HOLDS A VERY SPECIAL
PLACE IN MY HEART.
KRIS KROSS MADE ME JUMP, JUMP,
JOHNNY CARSON PASSED
THE "TONIGHT SHOW"
TORCH TO JAY LENO.
AND MOST MEMORABLE OF ALL,
A TEENAGE GIRL
RINGS THE DOORBELL OF HER
LOVER'S WIFE'S HOME...
[ DOORBELL RINGS ]
...AND SHOOTS HER IN THE FACE.
[ GUNSHOTS ]
I'M TRACI STUMPF,
AND MY TWO FAVORITE THINGS
ARE CRIME STORIES
FROM THE '90s AND POGS.
I'M, LIKE, OBSESSED WITH POGS.
THIS IS
"THE 1990's TOTALLY SCANDALOUS."
THERE IS NOTHING CRAZIER
THAN "LONG ISLAND LOLITA."
THE LOVE AFFAIR BETWEEN
35-YEAR-OLD JOEY BUTTAFUOCO
AND A 16-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOLER
WHO LITERALLY TRIED TO
BLAST HIS WIFE
OUT OF THE PICTURE.
AND WITH US TODAY IS THE GAL
WHO LIVED THROUGH IT ALL,
THE DAUGHTER OF JOEY
AND MARY JO, JESSIE BUTTAFUOCO.
IT'S A STORY THAT EVERYBODY
THINKS THAT THEY KNOW ALREADY,
AND THE TRUTH IS, YOU DON'T.
LIKE EVERYONE IN THE STORY,
JESSIE'S DAD WAS BORN AND RAISED
IN LONG ISLAND AND ATTENDED
MASSAPEQUA HIGH SCHOOL,
WHERE HE MET THE LOVELY MARY JO.
Jessie: THEY MET IN, LIKE,
NINTH GRADE,
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST MARRIED
IN THEIR 20s,
HAD A COUPLE KIDS,
AND LIFE WAS AWESOME
UNTIL IT WASN'T AWESOME.
Traci: THE MISTRESS, AMY FISHER,
BORN IN 1974,
GREW UP IN THE BEACH TOWN
OF WANTAGH.
ON HER 16th BIRTHDAY,
SHE RECEIVED A WHITE
1989 DODGE DAYTONA, AND AFTER
A SERIES OF ACCIDENTS...
[ CRASHING ]
...SHE TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIRS
AT THE COMPLETE AUTO BODY SHOP,
OWNED BY...
JOEY BUTTAFUOCO.
AMY FISHER BECAME A REGULAR
AT COMPLETE AUTO BODY,
AND JOEY BEGAN CHECKING MORE
THAN WHAT JUST UNDER THE HOOD.
THEY HAD SEX.
BY JULY, 1991, AMY AND JOEY WERE
HAVING A FULL-BLOWN AFFAIR.
AMY CLAIMS THEY MADE
SWEET, SWEET LOVE MORE THAN
FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A WEEK.
SOMETIMES MORE THAN ONCE A DAY.
THAT'S A LOT OF SEX
WITH A MECHANIC.
SHE SAYS THEY DID THE DEED
WHEREVER THEY COULD --
HER HOME, HOTELS, THE SHOP,
HIS HIGH-SPEED BOAT.
[ BOAT HORN HONKS ]
IT'S A LOT OF WORK,
HAVING AN AFFAIR.
HOW OLD WERE YOU AT THE TIME?
I WAS 9.
MY PARENTS AND MY FAMILY
WERE ADAMANT ABOUT
KEEPING ME OUT OF IT.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA TELL
A 9-YEAR-OLD?
I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT
GOING TO RECESS
OR TRYING OUT
FOR THE SCHOOL PLAY,
WHICH I DIDN'T GET TO DO
BECAUSE MY MOTHER GOT SHOT
ON THE DAY OF AUDITIONS,
AND I WAS GONNA SLAY
AND BE JAMES IN THAT
GIANT PEACH, BUT NO.
[ TRACI LAUGHS ]
SO, THE DAY OF THIS INCIDENT,
CAN YOU JUST KIND OF LIKE
WALK ME THROUGH WHAT HAPPENED
MAYBE LIKE FROM
YOUR MOM'S PERSPECTIVE?
Jessie: MY MOM WAS PAINTING
IN THE BACK YARD,
AND THE DOORBELL RANG.
[ DOORBELL RINGS ]
AND THEN THIS TEENAGER
STARTS EXPLAINING THAT
HERE LITTLE SISTER IS HAVING
AN AFFAIR WITH MY DAD.
MY MOM WAS LIKE,
"ALL RIGHT, THAT'S CUTE.
I'LL CALL JOE.
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY."
Traci:
WHEN MARY JO TURNS AROUND,
AMY FISHER SHOOTS HER
RIGHT THROUGH THE FACE.
[ GUNSHOT ]
Jessie: I WASN'T ALLOWED TO
VISIT HER IN THE HOSPITAL
'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T TELL ME
WHAT HAPPENED.
THEY TOLD ME SHE HAD AN ACCIDENT
IN THE BACK YARD.
AND SO I WAS LIKE, "OKAY, THEN
I CAN JUST, LIKE, GO VISIT HER?"
AND THEY WERE LIKE,
"NO, THEY DON'T LET CHILDREN
IN THE HOSPITAL."
MY AUNT WOUND UP TELLING ME,
AND JUST HANDING ME A NEWSPAPER.
AND I WAS READING THE NEWSPAPER,
AND I JUST SEE MY MOM'S PICTURE
AND I SEE A PICTURE OF OUR FRONT
HOUSE THAT'S NOW A CRIME SCENE.
SO IT WAS PRETTY INTENSE.
Traci: DEAF IN ONE EAR AND WITH
HALF HER FACE PARALYZED,
MARY JO MIRACULOUSLY REGAINS
CONSCIOUSNESS TWO DAYS LATER
AND HELPS IDENTIFY AMY FISHER.
JOEY'S ADAMANT THAT
THE AFFAIR NEVER HAPPENED,
BUT THERE'S JUST SOME THINGS
THAT YOU CAN'T LIE ABOUT,
LIKE AN AFFAIR WITH
A 16-YEAR-OLD.
THE MEDIA IS A CIRCUS,
WITH PAPARAZZI OUTSIDE
THE BUTTAFUOCO'S HOME 24/7.
IT DID BLOW UP,
AND IT BLEW UP HUGE.
THERE WERE THREE
LIFETIME MOVIES ABOUT IT.
THEY ARE MAKING FUN
OF MY PARENTS ON
"SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE."
YOU KNOW, I WAS IN THE AUDIENCE
WHEN MADONNA RIPPED UP
A PICTURE OF MY FATHER AND SAID,
"FIGHT THE ENEMY."
FIGHT THE REAL ENEMY!
Jessie: AND I'M SITTING THERE,
AND I'M JUST GOING,
"LIKE, DO PEOPLE KNOW
THAT'S MY PARENT?"
LIKE, THEY'RE ALL LAUGHING.
WHY ARE THEY LAUGHING?
LIKE, MADONNA?
DADDY, WHAT'D YOU DO TO MADONNA?
A FEW MONTHS LATER,
AMY'S SENTENCED UP TO
15 YEARS IN PRISON FOR ASSAULT.
Jessie: HER SENTENCE
WAS A CROCK OF [BLEEP]
SHE WOUND UP PLEADING TO
RECKLESS ASSAULT.
SO NOT THRILLED?
NO THRILLED.
THIS [BLEEP] STALKED MY MOM
FOR SIX MONTHS,
CAME TO THE FRONT DOOR,
SHOT HER IN THE FACE, RAN AWAY,
DITCHED THE EVIDENCE,
AND YOU GET RECKLESS ASSAULT?
GIRL, THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW,
DRIVING YOUR CAR
INTO A POLE HERE.
Traci: JOEY WAS INDICTED ON
19 COUNTS OF STATUTORY RAPE,
SODOMY, AND ENDANGERING
THE WELFARE OF A CHILD.
IN OCTOBER, 1993, HE PLEADED
GUILTY TO ONE COUNT
OF STATUTORY RAPE
AND WAS SENTENCED TO
FOUR MONTHS IN PRISON.
IN OUR HOME, MY DAD CONVINCED
US THAT HE NEEDED
TO TAKE THE PLEA DEAL.
EITHER TAKE THE PLEA,
AND YOU'LL BE OUT IN SIX MONTHS.
OR GO TO TRIAL,
AND YOU'LL BE GONE FOR 20 YEARS.
SO MY DAD SAID, "IF YOU WANT ME
TO SEE YOU GROW UP,
I HAVE TO SAY I'M GUILTY
EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT."
SO, WHAT DID YOUR DAD DO
AFTER HE GOT OUT OF JAIL?
MY DAD DID A LOT.
HE WAS ACTUALLY INCARCERATED
ABOUT THREE OR FOUR
TIMES AFTER THAT.
HE SOLICITED A PROSTITUTE
AND GOT ARRESTED FOR THAT.
HE VIOLATED HIS PROBATION FROM
SOLICITING ANOTHER PROSTITUTE.
THERE WAS ONE TIME IN COLLEGE,
THE S.W.A.T. TEAM CAME
TO MY HOUSE FOR
AUTO INSURANCE FRAUD.
SO, YOUR DAD GETS OUT OF JAIL,
GOES BACK TO JAIL IMMEDIATELY?
I HAD TO PUT GEL
IN HIS HAIR
WHILE HIS HANDS
WERE IN HANDCUFFS
'CAUSE I WAS LIKE, "HIS MUG SHOT
CANNOT LOOK LIKE THIS.
CAN I DO SOMETHING,
PLEASE?"
THAT'S A GOOD DAUGHTER.
SIX YEARS LATER,
AMY APOLOGIZES TO MARY JO,
AND MARY JO FORGIVES HER.
I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD
HAVE DONE THAT.
AND IN MAY, 1999, AMY FISHER
IS GRANTED PAROLE
AFTER SERVING 7 YEARS
OF HER 15-YEAR SENTENCE.
SHE MARRIES IN 2003
AND HAS THREE CHILDREN.
SHE RELEASES A TELL-ALL BOOK
CALLED "IF I KNEW THEN."
AND IN 2007, HER SEX TAPE LEAKS
AND FORCES HER INTO
A NEW CAREER PATH -- PORN.
DID YOU EVER SEE OR, LIKE,
MEET AMY AFTER THIS?
OH, HONEY, YES.
SHE WAS APPEARING ON
"HOWARD STERN,"
AND SO I CALLED INTO THE SHOW.
HOWARD WAS LIKE,
"WELL, WE ACTUALLY HAVE
MARY JO'S DAUGHTER ON THE LINE."
LOOK WHO'S
ON THE PHONE.
JESSICA,
MARY JO'S DAUGHTER.
AND SHE GOES, "OH, NO,
I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO HER."
YOU KNOW WHAT? I REALLY JUST
PREFER TO TALK TO YOU.
-REALLY?
-I CAME TO TALK TO YOU.
Howard: JESSICA, AMY DOESN'T
WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU.
Robin: WELL, MAYBE
JESSICA CAN TALK TO US.
Jessie: WELL, TOO BAD.
I DIDN'T WANT AMY TO COME
ON TO MY FRONT DOORSTEP
AND SHOOT MY MOTHER IN THE FACE.
THE LEAST SHE CAN DO
IS FIVE MINUTES.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE
A LOT TO SAY TO HER.
WHAT?
YOU'RE LEAVING?
WELL, YOU DROVE AMY
OUT OF THE DOOR.
SO, COURT CASE ENDS, YOUR DAD
ADMITS TO HAVING THIS AFFAIR.
WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
YOUR MOM AND YOUR DAD
AT THAT POINT?
MY MOM STAYED WITH MY DAD
BECAUSE SHE'S PARALYZED,
SHE'S DEAF, SHE'S INJURED.
SHE HAS TWO LITTLE KIDS
AND A BULLET IN HER HEAD.
WHERE'S SHE GONNA GO?
WHAT'S SHE GONNA DO?
MY DAD LOVES
MY MOTHER SO MUCH.
HE MADE POOR CHOICES,
AND HE'S SOCIOPATHIC,
SO HE DOESN'T THINK
OF THE CONSEQUENCES
AND HOW IT AFFECTS OTHERS.
THEY STAYED FOR
10 YEARS TOGETHER,
AND THEY GOT DIVORCED WHEN I WAS
A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SO, I JUST WANT TO
KIND OF LIKE
ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR MOM
FOR A SECOND.
YOU KNOW, LIKE,
SHE REMARRIES,
SHE GETS BACK UP
ON HER FEET,
SHE GETS
RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY.
HER FACE LOOKS AMAZING.
LIKE, SHE'S ON "OPRAH."
PLEASE WELCOME
MARY JO BUTTAFUOCO.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
SHE BECAME A PUBLIC FIGURE,
AND SHE'S WORKING IT
AS BEST SHE CAN 'CAUSE SHE
CAN'T WORK ANYWHERE ELSE.
THIS IS WHO SHE IS NOW,
AND SO SHE'S USING IT
FOR GOOD, TO BRING AWARENESS
ABOUT FACIAL PARALYSIS,
TO GUN VIOLENCE.
WHAT CAN YOU TAKE AWAY
FROM THIS EXPERIENCE?
NOW THAT I'M ADULT
AND I CAN LOOK BACK ON IT,
I'M VERY LUCKY TO HAVE
MY MOM ON EARTH.
I KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE
FOR HER TO MAYBE NOT BE.
I APPRECIATE SHE'S
STILL HERE, YOU KNOW?
AND SO TO THIS DAY,
SHE'S STILL MY BESTIE.
♪♪
[ DIAL TONE ]
