Dumb Blonde Podcast: Larry Birkhead (Part 1) — Summary
March 23, 2026 | Host: Bunnie XO | Guest: Larry Birkhead

Episode Overview

In this engaging and candid episode, Bunnie XO interviews Larry Birkhead, widely known as the father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter, Dannielynn. Far from focusing solely on familiar tabloid headlines, Bunnie dives into Larry's personal journey—his Kentucky roots, his early career in journalism and photography, his first meetings and evolving relationship with Anna Nicole Smith, the complex dynamics of Anna's inner circle, and the ways media narratives often misunderstood or misrepresented Anna. The episode provides a nuanced and empathetic look at both Larry and Anna as people, not just public figures.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Life and Entry into Journalism

• Larry grew up in Kentucky with a twin brother (04:13). He studied journalism and photography, aiming for a career in entertainment news even before social media and celebrity culture exploded (05:09–10:08).
• His "big break" came when a spontaneous photo and article about Gloria Stewart (the actress who played 'the old lady' in Titanic) at a Derby event landed him a byline in USA Today (08:12). This led to covering the exclusive Barnstable Brown Gala at the Kentucky Derby, where he became the go-to photographer for major magazines (09:06–09:48).

Media, Clickbait & Paparazzi Culture

• Larry shares the challenges and ethical dilemmas of journalism in the heyday of tabloid culture:
   "After that [incident], I understood where they were coming from of like, you know, why did this happen? ...I kind of changed my focus... I felt like the photographs, they're not going to edit my photographs..." —Larry (13:24–14:27)
• He turned away from written journalism after seeing how stories could be sensationalized or misrepresented, focusing instead on photography where "images speak for themselves."

Memorable Celebrity Encounters

• Larry has worked with musicians and celebs including the Dixie Chicks, Ricky Martin ("...one little sentence that I wrote... was the headline..."—13:44), Loretta Lynn ("sweetest person"), Tina Turner, and had a quirky red-carpet moment with Halle Berry (17:17–17:56).
• On photographing all kinds of wild scenes at the Derby, he notes, “It was a year... when Anne Heche, the actress, was there, and you know, a lot of crazy things...” (19:01–19:14).

First Encounters with Anna Nicole Smith (2003–2004)

• Larry first meets Anna at the Kentucky Derby gala while shooting photos for the press. He admits he was a fan: "Yeah, you know, I mean, obviously, posters... you know, when she was doing Guess and stuff." —Larry (20:08)
• He describes Anna as "extremely pretty" despite harsh tabloid criticism of her weight at the time. Anna gives him a peck on the cheek, captured in her reality show—an early, seemingly insignificant meeting (21:46–22:41).
• The next year (2004), Anna arrives "like the Beatles" in a black TrimSpa bus, having lost a significant amount of weight and riding a renewed wave of media attention. Larry vividly describes her presence: “She had on this black dress, low cut with these rhinestones... it was kind of like an aura...” (26:09–26:26).
• Anna is described as a master at "giving me the poses... not being obvious, but giving me what I needed" for the camera (28:41).
• Bunnie asks whether Larry ever thought he’d have a chance with Anna. Larry admits to lacking confidence but describes their interactions as playful, culminating in a memorable scene where Anna grabs his hand and later, gropes him in front of reality TV cameras—a moment his daughter would later call "cringe" (37:42).

Developing Relationship & Going on the Road

• After the Derby, Anna's attorney (Howard K. Stern) asks Larry to photograph Anna at a children’s camp charity event—an experience that, according to Larry, revealed Anna's true warmth away from the cameras:
   "She was with these kids... it was such a different type of Anna... it was that moment that I started feeling, okay, there's something special about her." —Larry (44:16)
• Larry’s personal-professional boundaries blur; he is excited for the access but self-aware about the ethics, saying he tried not to “become the story” (46:37).
• During camp, Anna invites Larry to join her in activities, and their relationship becomes more personal and playful, culminating with Anna signing a photo "to Larry, my pickly pop," complete with her number ("Call it, dummy," she teases—53:06).

Transition to Intimacy and Moving Into Anna’s Inner Circle

• Larry is reluctant to call Anna, but she promptly invites him to California to work on photos and quickly reroutes him to Vegas, where he enters Anna’s whirlwind world—her suite, her entourage, and chaotic scenes including dog room service and massages (58:22–62:55).
• Anna invites Larry to stay in her room in her Studio City home:
   "She was territorial about her closet... but you can stay in here." (72:15–73:54)
• The relationship deepens as they spend their time painting, talking, and watching TV—often in Anna’s sanctuary-like bedroom, filled with symbols from her past, including art featuring her late husband J. Howard Marshall (75:06).

Complex House Dynamics & Anna’s Inner Circle

• Larry describes feeling like "the new guy," noting the tension and jealousy among Anna’s staff and entourage over her attention shifting to him (70:23).
• He observes many in her circle had competing agendas—love, obsession, devotion, or simply employment (56:40).
• Anna was guarded due to previous betrayals, even warning Larry that as a member of the press, she could never fully trust him (75:58–77:14).

Anna’s Public Persona vs. Private Self

• Larry stresses Anna’s duality—performer for the world, but Vicki (her birth name) in real life:
   "I gave myself to Hollywood. So she really believed... they had a lease on her life... that’s why she signed every autograph." (79:15–80:29)
• He contrasts Anna's survival story and vulnerability with media narratives that reduced her to caricatures.

Media, Exploitation, & the Netflix Documentary

• Bunnie and Larry discuss the “Anna Nicole: You Don’t Know Me” documentary. Larry refused to participate, criticizing it for recycling unreliable sources and failing to present Anna’s authentic self or primary documents.
   "They took the opportunity for her to tell her story herself, long after she passed, and it would have been such a unique story..." —Larry (95:41)
• Larry acknowledges possessing extensive archives and journals, defending his decision to keep these private for Dannielynn (85:57–86:11).
• He’s critical of how the Netflix film centers on dubious personal accounts ("Missy," "the brother," distant connections), and contextualizes Anna’s fractured family relationships (92:55–95:12).
• On the documentary’s portrayal:
   "They took the… thought that there was a girl who danced with Anna... and framed it around [her]... Anna supposedly hijacked this girl’s life. ...It was kind of like single white female." (93:04–94:20)

Relationship Strains, Pregnancy, and Anna's World

• Larry describes the constraints and strains of being Anna’s "hidden boyfriend," forced to play photographer in public and keep their relationship secret—at one point even dressing up in disguise for a staged photo for his niece’s birthday (123:01–123:59).
• Anna demanded near-total attention, often experiencing heavy emotional swings and guarding Larry from returning home to visit his family—reflecting her deep-seated abandonment fears (121:31–123:07).
• The secrecy would later complicate paternity revelations after Anna’s pregnancy, as Anna maintained the "sex goddess" persona and was reluctant to be seen as “taken” (105:52–106:16).
• Anna was determined to have a baby, wanting a girl; they experienced a miscarriage, which brought them closer but also introduced new stresses (114:33–116:15).

Anna’s Relationship with Mother and Media Misrepresentations

• The episode addresses Anna’s difficult relationship with her mother and the way this tension was exploited by the press and in documentaries.
   "When Anna would open up about her family ... she would just start shaking...I would go as far with it as I could ... she would long for her mother." (82:55–99:19)
• Larry disputes suggestions Anna fabricated her childhood traumas for publicity, citing Anna’s own writings that predate such claims (95:07–95:21).

Howard K. Stern and Anna’s Inner Circle

• Larry is asked about Anna’s attorney and constant companion Howard K. Stern. He notes Stern was often controlling, at times acting as a gatekeeper, and was possibly obsessed with Anna ("kind of like a cult ... Love Boat," 109:13), but also worked hard as her manager without taking a cut (110:09).
• He acknowledges tension, with Howard frequently inserting himself between Anna and those close to her, including Larry himself (112:28).

Relationship Challenges, Loss, and Legacy

• Larry is frank about the relationship's challenges—his struggle with Anna’s demands, lack of personal space, and her need to "triangulate" and control those around her.
• He notes that, while Anna performed a public identity as a single, available woman, privately their relationship was significant and lasted two years—often misunderstood or erased in public discourse (105:15–106:50).
• Bunnie and Larry discuss how media narratives, clickbait, and controlling entourages added layers of difficulty to Anna’s and Larry’s reality—a “survival story” with pain, joy, and ultimately, the burden of legacy for Dannielynn and those left behind.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I do have a twin brother...fraternal. Had we looked a lot alike, I would have probably used him as a decoy during a lot of my craziness." —Larry (04:13)
• "They took everything that I wrote. And then one little sentence was the headline and ran." —Larry on tabloid journalism (13:44)
• "She was a master at not being obvious, but giving me the poses..." —Larry on Anna’s media savvy (28:41)
• "We were just kind of like, it was like we were 18 years old... that's how we were maneuvering through this." —Larry (52:27)
• "She was walking around this hat shop...she got to this one hat and she tried it on. I had already seen her reality show, so I knew pink was her favorite color. ...she asked me my opinion on [the hat]... I said, that’s it." —Larry, on connecting with Anna through small moments (31:11)
• "She gives me this... [autographed photo]...to Larry, my pickly pop." —Larry (51:04–52:27)
• "She really believed that... Hollywood had a lease on her life." —Larry on Anna’s sense of public obligation (80:29)
• "They took the opportunity for her to tell her story herself, long after she passed... such a unique story." —Larry (95:41)
• "With Howard... it was like a little bit uneasy for me because, like, he'd bring the dogs in. The dogs want to see you again. I'm like, okay..." (111:39)
• "I was in love with her at that time. We had these big moments— miscarriages, things that, like, I never experienced... it brought us closer." (129:11)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:31 – Larry’s introduction and Kentucky background
• 08:12 – First published byline and start of celebrity career
• 13:24 – Navigating sensationalist journalism
• 18:49 – Crazy Derby celebrity encounters
• 20:00–22:41 – First sightings and impressions of Anna Nicole
• 26:09–28:53 – The "TrimSpa" Anna Nicole era and Anna’s media reinvention
• 37:42–41:41 – Anna gropes Larry (reality show footage) and invites him to charity events
• 44:16–46:03 – Anna’s true self revealed at a kids camp
• 51:04–53:06 – "My pickly pop" and Anna giving Larry her number
• 58:22–62:55 – Larry enters Anna’s whirlwind in Vegas
• 70:23–77:14 – House dynamics, gaining Anna's trust, and adjusting to fame
• 87:36–99:19 – Critique of the Netflix doc, Anna’s mother, and issues of legacy and truth
• 105:15–106:50 – Anna’s need for public "availability" and private relationship
• 114:33–116:21 – Anna’s desire for a baby and challenges conceiving
• 123:01–123:59 – Hiding the relationship from his own family for Anna
• 129:11–132:56 – Relationship highs and lows, infidelity, and the cost of Anna’s public/private divide

Tone & Language

Candid, self-deprecating, and empathetic, with a mix of humorous and poignant anecdotes. Both Bunnie and Larry keep the conversation relatable and honest, honoring Anna’s complexity while challenging public misconceptions.

For Next Episode

This is Part 1 of a multi-part conversation. Expect the next episode to explore Anna’s move to the Bahamas, the escalating paternity battle, and Larry’s ongoing journey as a single father and guardian of Anna Nicole Smith’s legacy.