Finally—the word “sociopath” is being applied to a high-profile case that doesn’t involve a serial killer.
Mary Jo Buttafuoco, wife of Joey Buttafuoco, shot in the head back in 1992 by Amy Fisher, the “Long Island Lolita,” is telling her story. And the first words of the introduction are, “Joey Buttafuoco is a sociopath.”
Getting It Through My Thick Skull—Why I Stayed, What I Learned, and What Millions of People Involved with Sociopaths Need to Know, has just been released. Why did it take Mary Jo 17 years to write the book? Because it was only in 2007 that she realized the truth about Joey Buttafuoco.
Perhaps you remember the case. Mary Jo got shot. The police said her husband was having an affair with her assailant, who was 16 at the time. Joey Buttafuoco denied the affair, and Mary Jo believed him, defended him, and rallied friends and family around him. But the cops were right and she was wrong—her husband was sleeping with the teenager. Then Joey Buttafuoco said it was all Amy Fisher’s fault—and Mary Jo believed him again.
Mary Jo describes the craziness of life with her husband: how he continued to reel her back in, how she coped with the ordeal (she became addicted to painkillers) and how she finally recovered—from the addiction and from Joey. The book is co-written by Julie McCarron, a well-known celebrity collaborator, so it’s an easy read.
Mary Jo Buttafuoco has launched her media tour with an appearance today on Good Morning America. See the coverage:
Mary Jo Buttafuoco speaks out about her ex-husband Joey, the “Sociopath”
Excerpt: Getting It Through My Thick Skull/p>
In her book, this is the message Mary Jo conveys:
I wouldn’t wish marriage or an intimate relationship of any kind to a sociopath on anyone; my hope is that this book will inspire others to “get it” and get out far sooner than I did. I promise there is a great new life on the other side!
Mary Jo actually contacted me when she was starting her book, and we spoke on the phone. Now the book is done, and I hope she gets a lot of publicity. I hope a lot of people buy it—especially people who really don’t understand how many sociopaths are in the world, and what they look like. Maybe, just maybe, this book will be a big step in raising public awareness about sociopaths.
Getting It Through My Thick Skull is available now on Amazon.com.
PInow
That one put a huge smile on my face. Can we use it as a logo on LF opening page? Seriously, this pearl of a thought should stay in our faces. I think it’s so true!! Sleep well tonight, with a smile.
learnthelesson
Ditto…and lets wake up smiling too… thx PI..goodnight
libelle
Better late than never; my very best wishes for a pleasant, memorable, safe, relaxing trip! Matt, have a GREAT time!! I am so relieved that after X/S/N/P there are alternatives to “cloister or death”! You are THE perfect example to prove it. Towanda!!!!
Tilly
LTL:
“it will just always be the relationship that had the greatest meaning for me yet with the best fake friend Ive ever known.” That just about sums it up for me too! And yes! there is definitely something wrong with that! lol!
blueskies
Matt:) I just saw your post. Hope you’re having a good time and havent forgotton to bring an umbrella and wellies!!x (Actually, a rubber dingy might be in order!)x
ThornBud
blindsided31,
I can feel with u, and feel ur pain. It hurted me that i was replaced next day , until i came here and i have learned it is a pattern. It has nothing to do with u or me, it is THEM, they cant afford one single day to be alone. Usually they are backedup with more than one, just in case 🙂 and what i believe is that there is never just one “spare” victim. They need to be sure to provde a stock. If it is posible, they would also love to keep all former victims and use them (if they need additional source of supply later, after we recover). I dont hink he broke NC in order to hurt u more, but he just wanted to be sure if he can come back in case he need it. As someone wrote here: they dont want US, but they want us to want them. Gosh, what a freaks……….
Matt:
i am so happy for u! Thank u for giving a hope to all of us. Enjoy every moment of ur journey!
JaneSmith
Biglebowski,
Welcome to LF. As Oxy would say…”sorry you need to be here”, but it IS a healing place to be.
And, I love the Coen brothers’ movies. You should watch “Burn after Reading.” That film is virtually filled with personality disordered folks and also your garden variety immature, ridiculous pseudo-adults. Dark humor, yes, but so eerily realistic after researching PDs.
And to further elaborate on the answers LTL gave you, it really does depend on the psycho. From what I’ve read on here, the tragic stories of good people, some PDIs seek revenge from their former partner who got wise and/or simply tired of the BS, and then fled from the psycho.
Seems the P/S/N doesn’t like when his/her partner wakes up and smells the coffee to the realization that he/she is totally screwed up in the head, heart and spirit. Then the absurd slander begins. And it is absurd. It’s like the psycho is trying to save face, by creating a smear campaign against their former normal partner. Covering their tracks and seeking to maintain the illusion that he/she is not so bad a person. You know, so the new victims in their life remain confused for further exploitation.
But some PDs seem to lose interest and move on to the next victim fairly quickly. Without a backward glance to all the chaos, damage and destruction they’ve caused. It really depends on the situation, evil humanoid I guess.
I’m no expert, for sure, but I’ve had over 20+ years “experience” with PDIs so I would most certainly hazard a guess that I could rightfully state…”been there, done that, was hurt tremendously, now healed”
I would kindly suggest that you stay firm on your decision to have NO CONTACT with the ex. She is obviously not rational, not logical, not reasonable or sensible, not mentally normal or capable of honest communciation so…ignore her.
You’re aware that the crap that comes out of her mouth is a smoke screen for her machinations, her projection onto you to escape any type of accountability, responsibility for her devious actions.
If you’re done with her, completely, NO CONTACT indefinitely. Just my 2 cents.
blindsided31
I made it through today, the one year anniversary of D&D , when “he” turned into a monster before my eyes
(actually it was the 31st, but today feels like the anniversary because 7/31/08 was a Thursday).
I was very busy at work today so didn’t have much time to think. When I got home and logged onto to LF Blog, I saw all the nice responses to my post yesterday- and I actually felt OK. I thought back to how I felt a year ago- like I was punched in the stomach- I don’t think I ate for a week and cried non-stop. So I know I am healing- I did not cry today (yet) and had a fine appetite.
Thanks for all the support.
neveragain
Congratulations on passing that milestone. Way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hens
blindsided31 – I have always liked your screenname because blindsided describes so well the effect they have on us..my one year reminder was sometime back in april, I have no idea what the date was or day of the week – I just remember he said ‘you will never meet anyone like me again’ and drove away, I think I sat in that chair a week..anyway time is our friend, glad you are doing so well…..