Amy Fisher
Encyclopedia
Amy Elizabeth Fisher is an American woman who became known as "the Long Island Lolita" by the media in 1992, when, at the age of 17, she shot and severely wounded Mary Jo Buttafuoco, the wife of her lover Joey Buttafuoco
. She was initially charged with first-degree attempted murder
, but eventually pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated assault and served six years in prison. After her parole in 1999, Fisher became a journalist
and writer
, before embarking on a career as a pornographic actress
in 2007.
, to Elliot and Roseann Fisher; her father is a Jewish-American and her mother an Italian-American. As a 16-year-old student at Kennedy High School in Bellmore, New York, Fisher began a sexual relationship with Joey Buttafuoco after damaging her parents' car and appealing to Buttafuoco, who owned a body shop, to make repairs without her family knowing of the damage.
, New York. When Mary Jo Buttafuoco answered the door, Fisher told her that Joey was having an affair with Fisher's younger sister, providing a t-shirt advertising Joey's auto body shop for her "proof." When Mary Jo turned away Fisher shot her in the head on the front porch and left the property.
Fisher was charged with first-degree attempted murder, but pleaded guilty to one count of assault in the second degree, and in December 1992 was sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison.
Based on a signed hotel receipt dated days before Fisher's 17th birthday, Joey Buttafuoco was charged with statutory rape
. He was convicted in October 1993 and served six months in prison.
In 1999, after Fisher served seven years in prison, Nassau County
District Attorney
Denis Dillon
consented to vacating Fisher's original plea bargain
and a new plea was entered with a 3– to 10-year sentence, ensuring her immediate release on parole.
for the Long Island Press
. She wrote a book about her experiences, If I Knew Then..., published in 2004. In 2003, Fisher married Louis Bellera. The couple has three children.
In March 2008, Fisher was a commentator on truTV's The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest...
, a series that depicted people caught on tape doing and/or saying foolish things.
and its spin-off The Insider
. Fisher said she wanted to heal and move on with her life. However, two years later she said she felt "no sympathy for Mary Jo." Fisher and Joey Buttafuoco eventually reunited for the first time at the 2006 Lingerie Bowl
for the coin toss.
On May 13, 2007 the New York Post
reported Fisher had left her husband and Buttafuoco his girlfriend, and were meeting near Central Park
on May 14 to either reconcile or pitch an idea where they would cohabitate for a reality television
series. However, Buttafuoco's second wife, Evanka, withdrew her divorce petition on June 22, 2007.
of Los Angeles. Red Light District Video published a press release stating it intended to release a sex video of the couple. On October 31, nude pictures of Fisher from the video were posted at various internet sites, and on November 1, 2007, a teaser clip was released by Red Light District Video that showed a nude Fisher showering and sunbathing. Of note were a tattoo surrounding her navel and a breast augmentation. On November 6, 2007, Fisher sued Red Light District and its owner David Joseph, claiming copyright infringement and other damages. By November 8, 2007, amyfisher.com, a website Fisher previously fought to win ownership of, began pointing directly to the Red Light District website.
In early January 2008, Fisher announced that she had settled with Red Light and agreed to do a related promotional appearance. The same announcement indicated that she and Bellera had reconciled. The promotional appearance took place at Retox in New York City on January 4, 2008.
Clips of the video were played on The Howard Stern Show. On March 6, 2008, Fisher was a guest on the Stern show and one topic of discussion was meant to be her video, but after the first phone call was from Mary Jo's daughter Jessica, Fisher left the show six minutes into her interview.
On January 12, 2009, Fisher released a pay-per-view
adult film titled Amy Fisher: Totally Nude & Exposed. She also started a porn site where she limits herself to girl-on-girl scenes because her husband would be uncomfortable with her doing scenes with men. Fisher signed a deal with Lee Entertainment to become a stripper
doing club shows at least once a month. Fisher claimed she plans to strip until her fans tell her, "Dear, please put your clothes back on. You're too old."
In July, 2010, it was announced that Fisher would star in a series of adult films in 2010 and 2011. In June, 2011, Fisher disclosed that she was not making adult films at that time but did not rule out doing so in the future.
series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
, which aired on VH1
in June and July, 2011.
Joey Buttafuoco
Joseph A. "Joey" Buttafuoco is an auto body shop owner from the USA, notable for his affair with Amy Fisher , who subsequently shot Joey's wife, Mary Jo Buttafuoco , in the face.-Incident:...
. She was initially charged with first-degree attempted murder
Attempted murder
Attempted murder is a crime in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.-Today:In English criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit unlawful killing and at the same time having a specific intention to cause the death of human being under the Queen's Peace...
, but eventually pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated assault and served six years in prison. After her parole in 1999, Fisher became a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, before embarking on a career as a pornographic actress
Pornographic actor
A pornographic actor/actress or a porn star is a person who appears in pornographic film. Most actors appear nude in films...
in 2007.
Early life
Fisher was born in Wantagh, New YorkWantagh, New York
Wantagh is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York, United States...
, to Elliot and Roseann Fisher; her father is a Jewish-American and her mother an Italian-American. As a 16-year-old student at Kennedy High School in Bellmore, New York, Fisher began a sexual relationship with Joey Buttafuoco after damaging her parents' car and appealing to Buttafuoco, who owned a body shop, to make repairs without her family knowing of the damage.
Crime and prison
On May 19, 1992, 17-year-old Fisher had an accomplice drive her to the Buttafuoco home in MassapequaMassapequa, New York
Massapequa is a hamlet located in the suburban Nassau County, New York. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 21,685.Massapequa is located on the South Shore of Long Island....
, New York. When Mary Jo Buttafuoco answered the door, Fisher told her that Joey was having an affair with Fisher's younger sister, providing a t-shirt advertising Joey's auto body shop for her "proof." When Mary Jo turned away Fisher shot her in the head on the front porch and left the property.
Fisher was charged with first-degree attempted murder, but pleaded guilty to one count of assault in the second degree, and in December 1992 was sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison.
Based on a signed hotel receipt dated days before Fisher's 17th birthday, Joey Buttafuoco was charged with statutory rape
Statutory rape
The phrase statutory rape is a term used in some legal jurisdictions to describe sexual activities where one participant is below the age required to legally consent to the behavior...
. He was convicted in October 1993 and served six months in prison.
In 1999, after Fisher served seven years in prison, Nassau County
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
Denis Dillon
Denis Dillon
Denis E. Dillon , a graduate of Fordham University School of Law and Fordham University, served as the District Attorney of Nassau County, New York from 1974 to 2005...
consented to vacating Fisher's original plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
and a new plea was entered with a 3– to 10-year sentence, ensuring her immediate release on parole.
Post-release
After her release from prison, Fisher became a columnistColumnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
for the Long Island Press
Long Island Press
The Long Island Press is a free newsweekly serving Long Island with extensive coverage of arts and entertainment, sports, and alternative political viewpoints. The newspaper started in 2003 after its parent company, Morey Publishing, bought The Long Island Ear, which was a free bi-monthly...
. She wrote a book about her experiences, If I Knew Then..., published in 2004. In 2003, Fisher married Louis Bellera. The couple has three children.
In March 2008, Fisher was a commentator on truTV's The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest...
The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest...
truTV Presents: World's Dumbest... is a cable television series produced by Meetinghouse Productions, Inc. and is airing on truTV...
, a series that depicted people caught on tape doing and/or saying foolish things.
Fisher and Buttafuoco revisited
In 2006, Fisher reunited with Mary Jo Buttafuoco in sessions televised for Entertainment TonightEntertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
and its spin-off The Insider
The Insider (TV series)
The Insider is an American tabloid television news program covering events and celebrities. It debuted on September 13, 2004 as a spinoff of Entertainment Tonight and started as a popular segment that took viewers "behind closed doors" and gave them "inside" information...
. Fisher said she wanted to heal and move on with her life. However, two years later she said she felt "no sympathy for Mary Jo." Fisher and Joey Buttafuoco eventually reunited for the first time at the 2006 Lingerie Bowl
Lingerie Bowl
The Lingerie Bowl is an annual Super Bowl halftime alternative shown on pay-per-view TV. It features a game of full-contact American football with female athletes playing seven-on-seven tackle football. Lingerie Bowl I aired during Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004 with Team Euphoria losing to the Team...
for the coin toss.
On May 13, 2007 the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
reported Fisher had left her husband and Buttafuoco his girlfriend, and were meeting near Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
on May 14 to either reconcile or pitch an idea where they would cohabitate for a reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series. However, Buttafuoco's second wife, Evanka, withdrew her divorce petition on June 22, 2007.
Sex tape and adult entertainment career
In October 2007, the New York Post published allegations that Fisher's husband, Lou Bellera, sold a sex tape of the couple to Red Light District VideoRed Light District Video
Red Light District Video is an American pornographic film studio headquartered in Chatsworth, California.-History:The company was founded in 2001 by industry veteran Dion Giarrusso and his half-brother David Joseph, who co-owned the company. Giarrusso had previously worked as general manager of...
of Los Angeles. Red Light District Video published a press release stating it intended to release a sex video of the couple. On October 31, nude pictures of Fisher from the video were posted at various internet sites, and on November 1, 2007, a teaser clip was released by Red Light District Video that showed a nude Fisher showering and sunbathing. Of note were a tattoo surrounding her navel and a breast augmentation. On November 6, 2007, Fisher sued Red Light District and its owner David Joseph, claiming copyright infringement and other damages. By November 8, 2007, amyfisher.com, a website Fisher previously fought to win ownership of, began pointing directly to the Red Light District website.
In early January 2008, Fisher announced that she had settled with Red Light and agreed to do a related promotional appearance. The same announcement indicated that she and Bellera had reconciled. The promotional appearance took place at Retox in New York City on January 4, 2008.
Clips of the video were played on The Howard Stern Show. On March 6, 2008, Fisher was a guest on the Stern show and one topic of discussion was meant to be her video, but after the first phone call was from Mary Jo's daughter Jessica, Fisher left the show six minutes into her interview.
On January 12, 2009, Fisher released a pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
adult film titled Amy Fisher: Totally Nude & Exposed. She also started a porn site where she limits herself to girl-on-girl scenes because her husband would be uncomfortable with her doing scenes with men. Fisher signed a deal with Lee Entertainment to become a stripper
Stripper
A stripper is a professional erotic dancer who performs a contemporary form of striptease at strip club establishments, public exhibitions, and private engagements. Unlike in burlesque, the performer in the modern Americanized form of stripping minimizes the interaction of customer and dancer,...
doing club shows at least once a month. Fisher claimed she plans to strip until her fans tell her, "Dear, please put your clothes back on. You're too old."
In July, 2010, it was announced that Fisher would star in a series of adult films in 2010 and 2011. In June, 2011, Fisher disclosed that she was not making adult films at that time but did not rule out doing so in the future.
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Fisher's struggles with alcoholism are documented during her time as a cast member in the fifth season of the reality televisionReality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew is a reality television show airing on the cable network VH1 that chronicles a group of celebrities as they are treated for alcohol and drug addiction by Dr. Drew Pinsky and his staff at the Pasadena Recovery Center in Pasadena, California. The first season premiered...
, which aired on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
in June and July, 2011.
Books by Amy Fisher
- Fisher, Amy & Robbie Woliver (2004). If I Knew Then. iUniverse. ISBN 0-595-32445-2.
- Fisher, Amy with Sheila Weller (1994). Amy Fisher: My Story (reprint edition). ISBN 0-671-86559-5. (Originally published by Pocket Books in 1993; ISBN 0-671-86558-7.)
Books about Amy Fisher
- Dominguez, Pier (2001). Amy Fisher: Anatomy of a Scandal: The Myth, the Media and the Truth Behind the Long Island Lolita Story. Writers Club Press. ISBN 0-595-18417-0.
- Eftimiades, Maria (1992). Lethal Lolita: A True Story of Sex, Scandal and Deadly Obsession. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-95062-4.
Movies about Amy Fisher
- The Amy Fisher StoryThe Amy Fisher StoryThe Amy Fisher Story is a 1993 television movie dramatizing the events surrounding Amy Fisher's teenage affair with Joey Buttafuoco and her conviction for aggravated assault for shooting Buttafuoco's wife. The film was produced by ABC and originally aired on that network; in 1993 it was released on...
(1993) (TV) - Casualties of Love: The Long Island Lolita StoryCasualties of Love: The Long Island Lolita StoryCasualties of Love: The Long Island Lolita Story was the third made-for-television movie based on the story of Amy Fisher and Joey Buttafuoco, written and directed by John Herzfeld. Alyssa Milano and Jack Scalia played the main characters in this movie for CBS...
(1993) (TV) - Amy Fisher: My Story (1992) (TV)
- Lethal Lolita (1993) (DVD & TV)
External links
- Official website
- Amy Fisher on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Morey, Jed. "Changing Amy", Long Island PressLong Island PressThe Long Island Press is a free newsweekly serving Long Island with extensive coverage of arts and entertainment, sports, and alternative political viewpoints. The newspaper started in 2003 after its parent company, Morey Publishing, bought The Long Island Ear, which was a free bi-monthly...
, August 19, 2009 - Fisher, Amy. "Judging Amy", Long Island Press, June 19, 2002