Killer Thriller: I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco

Summary

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Podcast Summary

Podcast: Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present
Episode: Killer Thriller: I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco
Air Date: January 15, 2026
Host(s): Alisa Donovan (with producers)
Guest: Sheri Singer (Executive Producer, “I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco” Lifetime film)

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into the infamous 1992 shooting of Mary Jo Buttafuoco by Amy Fisher—the case that shocked America and came to define "true crime" tabloid culture. Host Alisa Donovan explores both the sensationalism of the era and the rarely heard perspective of Mary Jo herself, brought forefront by Lifetime’s new film, “I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco.” Executive producer Sheri Singer joins to discuss the film’s approach, Mary Jo’s harrowing journey, issues of victim-blaming, media exploitation, and changing societal attitudes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Re-examining the Buttafuoco Case — The Power of Perspective

• Shifting the Narrative:
  The hosts note how the story, long called "The Amy Fisher Affair" or “Long Island Lolita,” sensationalized the perpetrator and erased the victim.

  • “The story really became about Amy and Joey and no one was talking about the woman who was the victim of this heinous crime.” — Alisa Donovan [04:44]

• Lifetime’s Dramatization:
  The new film centers, for the first time, Mary Jo’s own voice—literally, through direct-to-camera interviews interspersed with dramatic recreation.

  • “It’s the first time that we’re hearing Mary Jo’s story from her own mouth.” — Alisa Donovan [02:24]

2. Public Fascination & Tabloid Culture

• Media Frenzy:
  The case dominated headlines, spawning three competing TV movies and turning the infamous figures into household names.

  • “There were three TV movies made about the crime… between 100 and 125 million people watched at least one of them.” — Alisa Donovan [00:45]
  • “It captivated the entire country.” — C [06:03]

• Misogynistic Framing & Infamy:
  Discussion of the media labeling Amy Fisher as “Long Island Lolita” and how it both demonized and sexualized a 17-year-old.

  • “How dare they use this terminology in this regard. I mean, it’s just despicable.” — Alisa Donovan [03:15]

  • The meaning of infamy: “Infamy is becoming famous for something bad, but it is still fame. And so many people thrive off of being famous, even if it is infamous.” — C [13:07]

3. Mary Jo’s Experience and Resilience

• The Forgotten Victim:
  Discussion on how Mary Jo was nearly erased from her own tragedy and often ridiculed for standing by her husband, Joey.

  • “She seems like a very tender person… I hope she feels some… vindication, some healing, that she’s had her voice heard.” — Alisa Donovan [08:13]

• Addiction and Coping:
  The injury led to a long, unaddressed addiction to painkillers—a struggle now discussed openly in the film.

  • “She developed an uphill addiction from her injuries, but then also as sort of a coping mechanism…” — Alisa Donovan [06:45]

• Forgiveness and Complexity:
  Mary Jo testified in support of Amy Fisher’s early release, showing uncommon forgiveness while never excusing the crime’s impact.

  • “Mary Jo came and gave a statement on her behalf, which I think is extraordinary.” — Alisa Donovan [09:54]
  • “Mary Jo can see how this girl had a rough upbringing… but it doesn’t excuse her behavior.” — Alisa Donovan [10:13]

• Cultural and Family Pressure:
  Staying with Joey for years was shaped by religious (Catholic) and societal pressures to keep the family intact despite trauma.

  • “That’s a really, really central part of understanding why she stayed for 11 years after the incident…” — Sheri Singer [20:28]

4. Joey Buttafuoco’s Role & Social Context

• Joey’s Manipulation and Denial:
  He lied about the affair for years, pled out to statutory rape, and was celebrated on release from jail.

  • “He was almost like they were trying to champion him as if he’s such a great guy. And then the neighborhood threw him a party when he got out of prison…” — Alisa Donovan [10:50]

• Changing Times:
  The guest and host reflect that such community support for Joey’s actions would likely not happen today, highlighting shifts in social mores.

  • “I don’t think that would happen today… That wouldn’t happen, but it did.” — Sheri Singer [18:29]

5. The Making of “I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco” (Lifetime Film)

• Authenticity and Input:
  The film stays close to Mary Jo’s telling, with her supervising and inserting her own voice in the script and on screen.

  • “She saw all the things she was going to say and had her own input in that…” — Sheri Singer [18:29]

• Accuracy of Events:
  Events like Amy’s pretense with candy bars and failed murder-for-hire attempts are fact-checked and corroborated.

  • “We took almost no creative license because we couldn’t… what you saw happened.” — Sheri Singer [25:19]

• Production Challenges:
  Precise casting and dialect work were needed to capture the authenticity of Long Island, which felt almost like a character itself.

  • “Long Island was almost like a character in the story.” — Sheri Singer [40:59]

6. The Healing Power of Telling Her Story

• Catharsis and Closure:
  Mary Jo’s participation in the film is seen as liberating, allowing her to process and “set the record straight” after years of being misunderstood.

  • “If you feel totally misunderstood and you get a chance to, in your own words, try to set it straight… that would feel liberating to me.” — Sheri Singer [43:57]

• Perspective on Closure:
  “This idea of closure, which I always think is… is there ever really… is a farce. There is somewhat, anyway.” — Alisa Donovan [43:13]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “She has still to this day the bullet in her head.” — Alisa Donovan [00:26]
• “It was, it was absolutely crazy…the story really became about Amy and Joey and no one was talking about the woman who was the victim.” — Alisa Donovan [04:44]
• “She never wanted to be famous. She never wanted any attention like this…She was raised Catholic, very traditional, wanted to be a wife and a mother, and she chose the wrong dude for that.” — Alisa Donovan [13:31]
• “It’s unfathomable…she’s still got a bullet in her head.” — Sheri Singer [17:44]
• “Joey… lied straight to his wife’s face [and] to the police…his lawyer said something to the effect of…‘he’s a great family man.’” — Alisa Donovan [10:50]
• “I just want her to be heard authentically, as herself.” — Sheri Singer [41:41]
• “Long Island was almost like a character in the story.” — Sheri Singer [40:59]
• “Her strength is something else.” — Alisa Donovan [30:22]

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Important Timestamps

• [00:04–02:24] – Background of the crime; explosion in the media; dominance of tabloid culture
• [03:15] – Discussion around the “Long Island Lolita” moniker and media exploitation
• [06:45] – Mary Jo’s first-person account in the new film; addiction and resilience
• [09:54] – Mary Jo supporting Amy Fisher’s early release and the film’s treatment of forgiveness
• [13:31] – Mary Jo’s original aspirations vs. reality, importance of her having a voice
• [15:04–17:44] – Filmmaking choices; Mary Jo’s emotional journey on set
• [18:29] – Authenticity, creative license, and social context of the 1990s
• [20:28–21:04] – Religious and family pressures to remain in the marriage
• [25:19] – Fact vs. fiction in the depiction of the shooting and events
• [30:02] – Mary Jo’s capacity for forgiveness and host reflections on personal strength
• [33:11] – Correction of the “Long Island Lolita” narrative and focus on the nuances of youth and victimization
• [40:59] – Long Island’s role as a “character” and challenges in casting

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Takeaways

• Mary Jo Buttafuoco’s story has for decades been overshadowed by sensationalism, but the new Lifetime film offers a reclaiming of her narrative with respect and depth.
• The podcast and film unpack the role of media, community complicity, and outdated attitudes towards women, victimhood, and infamy.
• Audiences are invited to reflect on how cultural standards have shifted, and to approach such true stories with empathy, recognizing the complexities behind the headlines.

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For listeners:
If you’re interested in true crime, media history, or stories of survival and reclamation, this episode offers a nuanced, reflective conversation on an iconic American scandal—one that ultimately asks us to hear the voice of the woman whose pain was for too long a public spectacle.

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Next Episode Plans & Audience Feedback:
The hosts invite listeners to suggest cases and guests for future episodes via Instagram and TikTok @IllerThrillerPod.

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Transcript

[A]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[B]

Guaranteed Human.

[A]

Today we are talking about one of the most infamous crimes that continues to capture the public's imagination, and that is the shooting of Mary Jo Buttafuoco by an underage girl who was having an affair with her husband. This crime absolutely dominated the press. If you are unfamiliar with this case, Mary Jo Botafuoco, a stay at home mother of two small kids, opened her front door and was shot in the head at her home in Massapequa, New York, by 17 year old Amy Fisher, who was having a salacious relationship with Mary Jo's husband, Joey Buttafuoco. Mary Jo sustained severe permanent injuries, including partial facial paralysis and deafness in one ear. And she still to this day has the bullet in her head. The case exploded nationally with the press dubbing Amy the Long Island Lolita. And Joey denied the affair. For years, Mary Jo stood by him, a choice that made her a target of public ridicule. I mean, this family and Amy were on the COVID of every magazine and newspaper. There were three TV movies made about the crime, and between 100 and 125 million people watched at least one of them. Scandal media had become dominant in mainstream culture at this time, and this story had everything. Obsession, stalking, a shocking act of violence, and a controversial plea deal that left Mary Jo stunned. Amy Robach and T.J. holmes present killer.

[C]

Thriller with your host, Alisa Donovan.

[A]

Today we are talking about Mary Jo Buttafuoco and her story. And first, I'm going to take you back with my producers here to 1992 when this all happened.

[C]

I think it's interesting right out the gate that we're talking about the Mary Jo Buttafuoco story, because in 1992, we all were calling it the Amy Fisher story.

[A]

Yep.

[C]

So I know we're going to talk today about the Lifetime movie that's coming out. I know you've seen it. Tell us about it and why it's different from the two or three versions we knew from the 90s.

[A]

Okay. So first of all, it's pretty extraordinary, I have to say. It's the first time that we're hearing Mary Jo's story from her own mouth. Quite literally. Some of the film is her speaking directly to camera about her story, and then the other parts are reenactments with actors that drive the narrative. And, I mean, I absolutely remember this case. I grew up 30 minutes from where this happened, so I was living in Manhattan at the time, but I grew up on Long island right by there, and it just dominated everything. You could not get away from this story.

[C]

How did you feel about her, Amy Fisher, being nicknamed the Long Island Lolita? What did that do to somebody from Long Island?

[A]

Well, first of all, nobody is going to care. But I a huge Nabokov fan, so I loved the book Lolita and I felt like, how dare they use this terminology in this regard. I mean, it's just despicable is what I felt. But at the time I was so young, I wasn't thinking about how she was being exploited in the process while also having made these horrific decisions, obviously, which are inexcusable.

[C]

Do you think that that's why this story, this crime is so ever present in our memories because we are her age and it just was flabbergasting that some 17 year old was dating this old man and then just tried to attack, kill his wife.

[A]

I, I mean, I don't know if I think about it like the age. I was probably a couple of years older than if it was 92. I was probably 20, but certainly close enough in age, I think. To me, I felt like I know these people's voices, I know these accents. I can imagine that guy who runs the shop, runs the auto body place. I can see this girl, I can see her in that outfit. I can see the things like I really went, oh my God, I know these people. It was, it was absolutely crazy. And the fact that Mary Jo, you know, this is what I think, you know, looking back now is really upsetting and unbelievable is that the story really became about Amy and Joey and no one was talking about the woman who was the victim of this heinous crime. I mean, she opened the front door of her house and opened the door to Amy and thinks, here's this young girl who is not threatening. And then the girl shoots her in the head. It's completely crazy.

[C]

One of the reasons for that is that in the 90s, after this case blew up, there were three different dramatizations of it. Two that stand out to me, the Drew Barrymore version and the Alyssa Milano version that aired on the same night on ABC and CBS with very big stars. So even though you could say Drew Barrymore is even a bigger star today, at the time she was a very big star. Very big was coming off of who's the Boss? Yep, very recognizable actors taking over and be portraying Amy Fisher. And both were from Amy's perspective, from her perspective, Fisher story where Mary Jo Buttafuko is really just sort of the victim. And a small portion where the affair and relationship between Joey and, And Amy was the focus. Yeah.

[A]

Yes. I mean, it was something like, I believe it was 100 to 125 million people watched one or the other of the. At least one of those movies. I mean, that is an extraordinary amount of people who watched something the very first time that it was on. I mean, it captivated the entire country.

[C]

You've now seen this Mary Jo Buttafuoco story that we're going to be talking about today. What is your takeaway or what surprised you in watching this dramatization and sort of documentary version the others maybe misled us with?

[A]

Well, I think first and foremost I was struck by just how raw and open she was about her own mistakes in the midst of something that no one could. I mean, she was utterly dropped into this. This is not her fault. Right. Any of this. And she really chose to be self reflective over the years and learning about how she developed an uphill addiction from her injuries, but then also as sort of a coping mechanism to, to deal with what was happening, which is entirely understandable. And I think I really, I really understood how her, her real goal in life was to be a wife and a mother, like a very pure goal she had. And it was decimated by this man, really by her husband. And I think this is the first time where you really see that she is accountable for, you know, her own decisions, but you really see how she is finally, I think, making him accountable.

[C]

Been 30 years and it's still a story that captivates us and obviously is the driving force of her life.

[A]

Yes. Yeah. I mean, it's her. I was also struck by how kind of sweet. She seems like a very tender person. And I don't think that was. She was ever portrayed as that somehow. I just. So I, I feel like it's very revelatory and I, like I said, I hope she, I hope she feels some, you know, if not closure, some, some vindication, some healing, some, you know, that she's had her voice heard.

[C]

She never changed her name. She's still Mary Joe Buttafuko. So when she tells this story, does. Is she. I'm Mary Jo Buttafuoco.

[A]

Yes. Yes. Which I do think is interesting because the son did change his name. She has two children, a daughter and a son. And the son, from what I understand, changed his last name because it's, I mean, do you know anyone else with that last name? I, I don't. I've never heard of anyone else with that last name.

[C]

It's interesting. In 2006 on Entertainment Tonight, I think Amy and Mary. Mary Joseph did a.

[A]

An interview together. Yes. Which, you know, thinking about that now, I don't. I mean, the girl tried to kill her. I mean, that's one thing. There are a lot of things that are sort of unclear still, like whether Joey pressed her to do that or whether he even talked to her about it. But what is unequivocal, because she admits it, is she. She went there to kill her. Like that was this. That was the intent.

[C]

She served just seven years for the.

[A]

Crime of 15 fisher. And she was released early, mainly because Mary Jo came and gave a statement on her behalf, which I think is extraordinary.

[C]

Now, do they dig into that in this show, Mary Jo's ability to forgive?

[A]

Yes, yes, yes. Which is. But, you know, in this way where they show the complexity of. Of that. That, yes. Mary Jo can see how this girl had a rough upbringing. She was a child. She can have some sympathy for that, but it doesn't excuse her behavior.

[C]

Yeah, Initially, Joey. But if you go. Denied the affair.

[A]

Yes. He.

[C]

Later in court, Amy testifies against him, and he does admit he is a.

[A]

Diabolical human being, in my opinion. The fact that he could, first of all, just lie straight to his wife's face. The police, like everyone under the sun. And then afterwards, his lawyer said something to the effect of, oh, this is a. This is truly who he is. He's a great family man. So he pled guilty to this one count of statutory rape. Like, I don't. He was almost like they were trying to champion him as if he's such a great guy. And then the neighborhood threw him a party when he got out of prison for statutory rape.

[C]

He was still, at the time with Mary Jo, I believe. Yes. He was still married 2000s, he was released from jail, and Mary Jo and Joey moved to California. She filed for divorce from him in 2003. He was remarried in 2005.

[A]

Yeah. He also. Before. While they were still married, he was arrested for solicitation while he was on probation.

[C]

Oh, after. After he was released from prison.

[A]

After he was released from prison.

[C]

What do you think it is that makes this story so captivating still, that we just still are learning and watching? And there's a. This is a new version 30 years later. What is it about this one?

[A]

I think. I think it's really sort of unbelievable still. And then you think, well, it happened and this girl is still. I mean, she. I think part of it is somehow these. These people get to have a second life by doing these kind of exploitative shows about themselves. And that is so disturbing to me. So that's another reason that I feel. I feel really. Happy is the wrong word. You know, I feel really good for Mary Jo that she's able to have this platform and really be forthright and raw and honest and truthful about her own story.

[C]

Yeah, I think it's interesting that infamous is what these people are, which is a lot of people don't know. Infamy is becoming famous for something bad, but it is still fame. And so many people thrive off of being famous, even if it is infamous.

[A]

Right. And this is something interesting that Mary Jo does say in this movie that she never wanted to be famous. She never wanted any attention like this. Like I said, she wanted a simple life. This was a good person. She was raised Catholic, very traditional, wanted to be a wife and a mother, and she chose the wrong dude for that. Okay, let's get into it with the executive producer, Sherry Singer of the new Lifetime film, I am Mary Jo Buttafuoco. Welcome. Sheri, thank you for being here with me today.

[B]

I'm happy to be here.

[A]

I want to say, just to start, that I am so incredibly glad that this woman finally gets her time to take back her own story. We have been hearing about this for years, and I'm just. I feel very moved by the entire endeavor. So bravo.

[B]

Thank you very much. I was, too, and I didn't necessarily expect to be. You know, I just thought, well, I'll care, you know, but it was beyond, particularly once I met her and I directed all the inserts of her. And just watching her, you know, she's kind of amazing, too.

[A]

What happens is Mary Jo is sitting and she's quite literally speaking to the camera, telling her story, and then it's intercut with narrative and actors and acting it. And there is something incredibly powerful about that, that you see the. The nuance. It's almost as though you see her kind of healing while she's speaking. It's kind of extraordinary.

[B]

You know, when we filmed the wedding scene, she was on the set, she came for a few days, and she cried. I mean, it was. It was super emotional. Everybody on the set loved her immediately.

[A]

Oh, I love this so much for her.

[B]

Yeah, me too. Me too. How can you not?

[A]

How can you not? Okay, so let's. So that this case became tabloid legend. I mean, literally, almost instantly. And how did you approach dramatizing the story that people think they know, but really they mostly only know it through headlines and caricatures of these people?

[B]

Well, we actually just Touched on that a little bit. It was meant to be. Lifetime has this sort of I am or I was franchise where a woman that was famous or infamous years later reflects back on the story that everybody thinks they knew and tells it, you know, pretty much entirely from her point of view. And that doesn't mean we didn't have other sources, but this is. This is the story that she wanted to tell. So we felt. All of us, you know, felt very responsible for being true to that.

[A]

Right. And how did she. How did you come to meet her? How did this. The project come about?

[B]

Actually was somebody at Lifetime, an executive that I work with frequently, who. Who I think they hooked up through Instagram, believe it or not.

[A]

I think, you know, I personally feel like that's how we heal through anything. Right. But she. I was so really moved by that, which I was not expecting, necessarily, because I feel like that there's a nuance in this, you know, that complication of how they always made Amy Fisher look like the victim.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And then at the same time, demonized her. So it's like all the women in this story just got the worst end.

[B]

Yeah, but especially Mary Jo.

[A]

But especially Mary Jo. Yep.

[B]

I mean, beyond everything else, you know, she's still got a bullet in. In her head.

[A]

It's unfathomable. So let's. Yeah, let's talk about the actual case a little bit. The. So how true is the portrayal in the film of her dealing with the issues of, like, Joey not being home or her being alone with the kids and him not growing up and his denial of the affair? Because I felt like those are the things that somehow no one ever talked about. Like, they never. He was just sort of excused for this behavior and almost championed, you know, the. The moment when they say. She says that they threw a party for him when he got out of jail, serving time for statutory rape?

[B]

I know it's. I don't think that would happen today, you know, because we're going back about 34 years, 35 years now. So for reasons that you and I and the audience have lived through during this time, you know, that wouldn't happen, but it did. And we had to have multiple sources for, you know, all of our scenes. It was. The writer did a tremendous amount of research, spent a long time interviewing Mary Jo and would go back to her, you know, when he was constructing things. And we made sure. I mean, the. The actual. The parts that she isn't in, she still read the script at a certain point, but she saw all the things that she was going to say, and had her own input in that. And, you know, I guess we've all decided to believe her. It's firsthand. And I do, by the way, believe it. In fact, I think it was probably worse than, you know, what we could portray.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I think it was a conservative view.

[A]

Yes. As a viewer, at moments I felt like, gosh, she just was able to withstand so much, but then also be very transparent about how awful some of these things were. And I just kept thinking, this is, you know, generationally, that is not normal. It's not something that, you know, we culturally have done in this country ever. And so I feel like. And her being raised Catholic and all of the sort of her own religious and cultural things that just said, you have to be a partner. That's what you do. You can't.

[B]

That's a really, really central part of understanding why she stayed for 11 years after the incident and why. And. And her family pressures, you know, from their, from their religion, because people say, oh, A, why didn't. Why did you so not believe him? You know, And B, why did you stay? And we felt it was really important to tell, to answer that question for the audience, because for those who already knew the story, those are the biggest questions.

[A]

Yes, yes. And when you hear it and you see this, it makes. I mean, it's utterly understandable, you know, the amount of. I just can't imagine that you could ever stand up to that at that time under those circumstances and wanting to be. I thought it was so beautiful. You know, we often do not champion and celebrate stay at home moms. And it's the single most important job there is, in my opinion. And oftentimes, you know, women sort of. They don't get appreciated enough for that. And this seems like a woman who. That's really what she wanted to do. She wanted to be a wife and a mother.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And it's such a pure, beautiful desire and to have it so destroyed, like, I just. It's devastating.

[B]

Yeah, it really is. And that really is who she was. And I think, you know, back then it was. We were also sort of struggling with women's rights and, you know, women's. And women standing up and saying, I can be a mother and a wife and. But some people just want to do one or the other, you know, and it's no different than, than many, many, many career women who have deep careers deciding that not having kids is, you know, right for them. So it, I think it was. It's a lot of. In the hindsight Looking at what was going on in the country then.

[A]

Right, right.

[B]

As well as this story.

[A]

Yes. As well as the specifics for them. And I. That also makes me think about the. Her addiction to the pain pills and the medications. You know, we didn't. No one was talking about addiction to opioids at that time. Nobody.

[B]

Seven years.

[A]

Seven years. So. Yeah. How much do you think. How much was that a part of her denial? Did she talk about.

[B]

I'm sure that. That, that was. It was all of the. All of the things you're bringing up, you know, were. Were a part of it, and she didn't want to believe it. She was told not to believe it by people in her life that mattered, and she had kids. And, you know, it's. I mean, I've been through it. It's really hard to get a divorce, even when you both want it.

[A]

Right.

[B]

It's really hard.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And even if people are civil.

[A]

Right.

[B]

You know, so.

[A]

And.

[B]

And in those days, you were told it's better to stay in an unhappy marriage than to put your kids through a divorce. That was the more a. You know, from the late 80s, certainly through the 90s.

[A]

Yeah. And.

[B]

And some of us never agreed with that, but a lot of people did.

[A]

Yep. Yeah.

[B]

So I think she's. She's. I, you know, iconic in this way, you know, that. That the things that happened to her happened at a time and a place that they could.

[A]

Right.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Let's talk a little bit about the. The. The actual shooting, too, which I think, you know, we kind of gloss over the. This. The specifics of. She was standing on her own doorstep of her own home. Yes. With being unafraid of looking at this little girl. And so how. How true to reality were those, specifically the things when they. She goes and tries to sell her candy bars under the guises of doing that for school.

[B]

And we didn't make any of this up.

[A]

That's all real.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah, we did. We. We took very little, if anything, we took very. We took almost no creative license because we couldn't and.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And therefore, you know, what you saw happened.

[A]

You just see how young this person is, the Amy, the choices she made and so naive and so wildly dangerous by going to the door first. And so were those things were real that she, like, stopped her and tried to. I mean, it's just crazy.

[B]

Those two people that she hired, the first one who couldn't pull the trigger, and then the second one, where she got the gun, I mean, they testified, you know, on record.

[A]

They really Helped to prosecute.

[B]

They did, yes. You know, probably for a deal, you know, at that. But that'll. That's standard, you know, if you're going to step up and tell the truth and you want. You want something in return.

[A]

Right. Right.

[B]

No, they, you know, so they were very real people.

[A]

Right. And did she. When in the, in the movie they show Mary Jo and she comes to and she identified Amy in a. In a photo that was. That also really happened.

[B]

Yeah, we couldn't. We had very little creative license. I mean, you can. The kind of creative license you have is maybe a scene that really occurred, didn't happen in the park we shot it in, or, or, you know, maybe the, you know, the, the photos we took, for example, when she remarried, you know, that was representative of what, you know, what their life was like. Because it, you know, but those kinds of things, even with a, you know, with a. A based on fact docudrama, you can have a little attitude for setting things. You may be in a different place because you're shooting a movie.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

You don't. As opposed to a documentary. But even with documentaries now, you know, they're recreating.

[A]

Right.

[B]

You know, they're all the reality shows and the docs have lots of recreation in them.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So we obviously had. Had to do that. But I know it's kind of hard to believe that these things really happened.

[A]

It really is. It's unbelievable. Much of it.

[B]

I mean, I have to tell you, I was around and in the business producing, and some of my friends made those three network movies, so I remember them very well.

[A]

And.

[B]

It'S. They really were. You know, the fact that they did the Amy Fisher story, you know what I'm. Think back on that and it's. It's just so shocking. But a lot of it was. It was instantaneous. You know, it happened. I mean, she was on a set. Mary Jo was on a set six months after she was shot.

[A]

So those dates are real. That's what I was gathering. Oh, my gosh.

[B]

They all had to be real.

[A]

I mean, that's. They don't. They haven't even prostate. She can. She's still in very early stages of her injuries. Like, I can't even imagine the confusion of that. And the. And I really appreciated how she talked about, in retrospect now, like, how absurd all of that was that. But you. But you. What do you do all of the, you know, there's just a multitude. It was so complicated what was happening and then just having to go with it. And I Really, I really appreciated that and the complexity in Amy being portrayed as the victim. But then Mary Jo's opinion based on her own actual experiences. And did you feel this from her? Did you talk about that at all?

[B]

Yeah, well, one of the things we talked about was that obviously this is a woman who shot to kill her, you know, and she didn't die. And it up. It uprooted the entire. You know, her entire life, obviously, and her kid's life. But at a certain point, she started leaning into. And you saw this scene when she comes out of rehab where she's telling her kids, I have to forgive. And I think one of the things that I admire the most about her is I don't know if I could do that, to be perfectly honest.

[A]

I am telling you, I was asking myself that many times watching this movie, would I be capable. I'd love to think that that one. I would have left him immediately. Which, you know, I'm certain that wouldn't have happened either. But, you know, the. Her strength is something else.

[B]

I agree.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I still see it. You know, I. I saw it. And she also. She's very, very sweet. And the other thing was she was very. I mean, she's a lot of other things too. You know, I'm. But she. She wanted to do her best job, you know, of. Of telling the story from her point of view. And I. You know, the proof is in the fact that she's very close still to her kids. You know, I met her daughter. Yeah. And when we were shooting the inserts, who was lovely and therapist now. And, And. And she. She made it a priority to give do. You know, and that she had the opportunity to do that in really. I mean, lifetime was the right home for this.

[A]

I mean, it really is a. You know, we. I think about this a lot and talk about this a lot. You know, the idea of turning pain into purpose and all of that. And it seems so kind of trite at this point. We just say that as a term. But there is so much methodical, deep work that actually goes into being able to do that. And I've. I just, I'm. You know, I mean, she talks about. She uses the term having Stockholm syndrome, even. You know, because this is also about. He was an abusive man. Yes. Emotionally. And it's really. That's a whole other part that again, nobody really talks about. It's. It really is. Is shocking how much things have, you know, changed. So were you with, you know, this branding of the Long Island Lolita. We all just like Accepted that as, oh, okay. And let me read this article about, like, it just is. Is bananas when I think about it now. And that obviously shifted sympathy towards her, but also exploited her. But how conscious were you guys of correcting that narrative?

[B]

What we wanted the best way to do it is, I think, the way it turned out, which is for Mary Jo to say, you know, I. Yes, she did this. You know. Yes. You know, it. It ruined a big part of my life. Yes, it had a lot of impact on my kids. Yes, it broke up my marriage. But in a certain sense, you know, there were. She was so young. I mean, that's all you really have to say. She was 17 years old.

[A]

Right, right.

[B]

And, you know, and, you know, I don't know what was in her head because I haven't met her and I can't. I haven't talked to her. I. I mean, I've watched a lot of the old footage and seen statements that she has made, but I don't. I couldn't speak for her, but. But I. I can say that Mary. That having Mary Jo watch her come to that conclusion and say it both as the character and as the real Mary Jo was a priority for her. For sure.

[A]

It was. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Getting back to her daughter.

[C]

What.

[A]

Did her daughter have any reactions on set? Was she there when you wasn't actually.

[B]

On the set when we shot? She was, because we shot, you know, in it in a distant location. And Jessie, her daughter has a life in California and a therapy practice and other things, so she couldn't make it, But. And also, frankly, it can be very boring for somebody who's not.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

I mean, everybody thinks it's like, I want to go to a movie set.

[A]

Yeah. I remember my dad coming to the set. First time he called it. It's like watching the grass grow.

[B]

Oh, yeah. I like watching paint dry.

[A]

In Joey's sentencing, Amy Fisher spoke and implied that Joey knew she was planning to shoot Mary Jo and all these. Do you have any thoughts on that?

[B]

I have no idea whether that was true or not.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I think, you know, the human in me would like to believe that he didn't.

[A]

Right. The human in me would like to believe that also.

[B]

So I have no idea. Yeah, I doubt it, actually.

[A]

It's been such a long time since the crime occurred. But what do you think is the. The hardest thing for Mary Jo about making this film?

[B]

Saying, you know, coming to grips with. I think the easiest thing was. And then I'll say what I think the hardest thing was. I think the easiest thing for her was that she felt like she had an opportunity to really tell her story and with some distance. Distance and perspective, you know. So I think that part, I think the hardest part was, I mean, she was very, very emotional, you know, and she, it took her back through, you know, all the things.

[A]

Right.

[B]

That happened or most of them. And, but I, and I think she, I, I, you know, when, when we were shooting her on camera part and we got to the end and she started to cry, you know, she said, you could take that out. You don't have to use that. And I said, how can I not? You know, that's how you felt. And I'm not going to, you know, erase that, you know, to please, you know.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Because you think an audience might be upset by it.

[A]

You know, it absolutely humanizes her on a level that. And makes us realize just how exploited and forgotten and pushed aside she was in this whole, this whole situation, which is unimaginable when you think that she is the person who was the victim of the crime. She did nothing. She was utterly innocent. And somehow the story has always become about the other two.

[B]

Well, it's more tabloidy when it's, when it's about the other two that. Right, that is. And certainly, you know, the National Enquirer was a big deal then.

[A]

Yes. Really.

[B]

Didn't have the Internet yet or social media.

[A]

The National Enquirer, I remember it.

[B]

Yep, me too. And, you know, I was working in the world, so I, I, I don't know. I mean, I, in when it actually happened, I was making family movies for Walt Disney Television. I wasn't in that world until a few years later and when I actually started at Lifetime. And I, I just think that, that that was the thing to do then, you know, and it was not. I mean, I can think of a lot of sensational stories that happened to women, you know, that you could have blamed them for.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Remember the Burning Bed?

[A]

Oh, yes, indeed, yes. Lorena Bobbitt. All of those things that were, you know, we just sort of didn't question the narrative that was being sold. And it's really. Or. And I was also, so I'm gonna say moved again, but I was by her, by Mary Jo, talking about, you know, the SNL sketches, all of the comedy, the people turning it, the talk.

[B]

Show host, the snow. Snl. She talked about comedy sketches.

[A]

About comedy sketches. Sorry, she didn't call out anyone specifically. Yes, to be clear. But the comedy, you know, I just can't imagine how that felt.

[B]

I can't either. I mean, I hate watching myself doing a normal interview. You know, I can't imagine it either.

[A]

Right.

[C]

But.

[B]

And, and it was. She was just very, very open about talking about those.

[A]

I do think there is, as you said, you know, the distance and perspective really is key in this and also changing times.

[B]

You know what I mean? Not just that it was a while ago, but that times have changed.

[A]

Why do you think people are still so fascinated by this case?

[B]

Because I think it was. It was sort of a household name. I mean, people that. That are younger than I am, you know, vaguely remember it and people that lived in Long island remember it.

[A]

That's me. I grew up about 30 minutes from where this happened. And I was living in Manhattan at the time in. In college and auditioning. And so I. This was like, on every paper. And, you know, my parents still lived on Long island at the time, so it was everywhere. The local, the national. It just was absolutely everywhere and so identifiable because the act. That accent. I grew up with that accent. It's so specific, just kind of all of it.

[B]

Yes. It was challenging casting people who could.

[A]

Who could do it.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Because it's not a New York accent. It's. It's a Long island accent. Right.

[B]

Yes. You really have to listen to it carefully.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But, yes, that's kind of an unfair. That was almost like a character. Long island was almost like a character in the story.

[A]

Yep. Yeah. Because Joey sort of epitomized that.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And, you know, he. That guy, that Italian Long island guy who can do whatever and, oh, he's charming. You know, he just sort of gets away with it. So what do you hope that the millions of people who were obsessed with this and will watch this film, what do you hope that they will get out of it?

[B]

Well, first, I hope they watch it. I can't help it. But secondly, I hope they get out of it the things. Things we're actually talking about.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Which are how times can change, how social mores and religious mores can change, but can also really, in any direction, really influence people's opinions of things and the way they look at them. And I think that I. I just want her to be heard authentically, you know, as. As herself.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And I. I think we, you know, we worked really hard to have the. All the pieces that weren't actually her feel authentic. You know, we had three wonderful leads and. And I wasn't sure. And they were hard to. They were going to be hard to find because of the accents and the mannerisms and how many Years.

[A]

The.

[B]

You know, the. A lot of these stories do not cover that many years, you know, where you're changing hair and colors and the way you look and what's going on in the world and, you know, so there was a lot of production around, doing.

[A]

Yeah, the performances were very, very strong, everybody.

[B]

I'm really proud of them. I really am.

[A]

So after everything that Mary Jo has adored and been through, what do you think? I mean, this. This idea of closure, which I always think is.

[B]

Is there ever really is a farce? There is somewhat, anyway, Right. You get some.

[A]

Yeah. Like, what do you think it looks like for her? And do you think that she has gotten some healing from making this film?

[B]

I think she did. I mean, she. I think because she could let herself emotionally experience these things because of how she felt on the set and because of how she felt when she was, you know, delivering the things she wanted to say. Camera. I think she probably got some of that. And I think, you know, there's this feeling if you feel totally misunderstood.

[C]

And.

[B]

You get a chance to, in your own words, try to set it straight, you know, that would feel liberating to me in a certain way. She's also, like, you know, very close to her daughter and her son, and she's very present. You know, she was. I found her. I wasn't sure, you know, what it was going to be like, and I found her very, very present and really thoughtful, you know, about what was going on.

[A]

Oh, I love. I just love hearing that so much.

[B]

She really. I mean, I wouldn't say it if I didn't really believe it, so.

[A]

I am Mary Jo Buttafuoco will premiere on Saturday, January 17th at 8pm Eastern and Pacific on Lifetime. Everyone must watch it.

[B]

I'm glad you really liked the movie, and I hope a lot of people will watch.

[A]

I do, too. I do, too. Thank you so much, Sheri.

[B]

Thank you so much.

[A]

Okay, I want to hear what cases you all are interested in hearing about. What are you watching that you want us to talk about? What actors or producers or directors do you want to hear from? Hit us up at our DMS Iller Thriller Pod on Instagram and TikTok and let us know. Make sure to follow the pod on socials and subscribe to Amy and T Presents wherever you listen to podcasts that will wrap us up for today. Until next time, This is an I heart podcast.

[B]

Guaranteed human.