Melissa Byrum entered adulthood at a much younger age then most of us usually do. At age 13, she left her home to escape the abuse of a sexually deviant step-father after already surviving brutal beatings at the hands of a former step-father.
By age 16, armed with a fake ID, after a stint of menial and minimal paying jobs, she was already a seasoned dancer at the north Houston topless club, The Executive Suite. She was working the day shift in 1987 when Vickie Lynn Smith entered the club.
Missy, as she is called, befriended the frightened new girl and asked the other dancers to give her a break. She writes that a girl as pretty as Vickie Lynn would not have lasted long at the job due to harassment and jealousy with the other girls fearing the loss of their customers.
There began a six year odyssey as Missy and Vickie Lynn became best friends and room mates and Missy lived and experienced what she has chronicled in her new book entitled, “When You Wished Upon A Star, The Evolution of Anna Nicole Smith”.
The book is the first and only true account of how “Nicki” the dancer became the internationally famous model and actress that we came to know as Anna Nicole Smith.
I write “first and only” as Missy points out in the introduction of her book, because other Anna Nicole Smith books written by Eric Redding and then Donna Hogan were published, falsely claiming they had long term and intimate knowledge of Anna Nicole.
Just recently Missy prevailed in a lawsuit against Eric Redding for publishing false information about her in his book “Great Big Beautiful Doll”. Donna Hogan who is a half sibling to Anna Nicole penned “Train Wreck: The Life and Death of Anna Nicole Smith”.
When asked, Missy states that she wrote the book to correct some of the misinformation not only about Anna Nicole’s early years and rise to stardom but also concerning Anna’s relationship with her mother Virgie Arthur.
Missy writes that her best friend “Nicki” as she called Anna Nicole, had a warm and loving mother who came to the rescue of her daughter and Anna’s son Daniel Smith many times and raised the boy until Anna Nicole established herself financially enough to provide a good home for Daniel when he was six years old.
Next time, Ill list some of the rumors and misinformation about Anna Nicole that Missy clears up in this emotional and loving account of her “golden spirited friend”.
You can catch Missy’s four part interview on Houston’s ABC 13 website
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{ 33 comments }
I read the book and loved it. Missy is a great person and is truthful in all she wrote. I am so glad she won the court case against Eric. Hi Missy and love chatting with you.
Missy is a beautiful girl and I am sure her memories of Anna will be remembered forever. She said in the book that Anna was Nicky then. I wish the rest of the story had been different so we could still see Anna and Daniel now. Love you Missy.
WoW! That is great for Missy. I did not even know they were going to court. I read Missy’s book and I loved it.
QV, thanks again for all you do.
Ill repost this here
Mishme Says:
April 4th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
OK, my inquisitive side is coming out….As Im reading different things I begin to question a few.
Missy,though I dont doubt somethings you say, I question you call Anna “Nicki” but yet in her card to you she signs it “Vicki” why is that?
You talk of Virgie like you knew/know her well. How many times did you see Virgie back then with or without Anna? Do you or why dont you have pictures of Virgie?
Why did you hate Anna? Were you jealous of her success?
Mishme Says:
April 4th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Actually before anyone takes it the wrong way…..
“Why did you hate Anna? Were you jealous of her success?”
Im talking about what you said in your interview
I saw Missy’s interview and it was touching. Missy, you are to be applauded for having the strength to straighten your life out and be the beautiful person that you always were inside.
Glad that you prevailed in the suit with Eric Redding.
You are to be admired along with QV for standing up for the truth.
Bless you both.
Hi ‘Mishme’,
Don’t know if Melissa wishes to answer your queries albeit those who have followed Vickie Lynn Hogan’s history know that she jumped from one name to another at the drop of a hat.
Her thumbnail bio mentions it as does her Mother On The Record.
ARTHUR: ” No. She called up — this is how I would always know she was messed up. She would call and she would say, “Momma, this is Vickie.” That meant she was OK. But if she called and she would say, “Momma, this is Anna,” then you knew she was messed up because she never ever called herself Anna to me when it was us. She never did.”
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,269821,00.html
“The erstwhile Mrs. Smith began stripping at Rick’s Cabaret, a tavern in Houston, where she performed as “Miss Nikki” and “Robin” before settling on “Anna Nicole” because it sounded classier. There she met billionaire Howard Marshall II, at 88 the richest old man in Texas. ”
http://www.nndb.com/people/512/000023443/
It srands to reason that when Vickie selected “Nikki” ( and later Nicole ) that she asked her friends to call her ‘Nikki’ regardless of what she may have called herself at any given moment.
I doubt anyone would be ‘jealous’ very long of a Listed Sex Offender such as Vickie Smith.
Sexual Harassment according to May-1994 lawsuit by Maria Antonia Cerrato, awarded $830,000
http://www.nndb.com/people/512/000023443/
Hope this is helpful.
QV, this is wonderful. Missy deserves this and much more. I loved the honesty that literally seeped from the book. It told a story without sensationalizing anything, and she told the good and the not so good about herself and about Nicki. I, like many others here only hope for continued success and happiness and peace for Missy and her family.
Hi Lin….read her book. I will teach you what integrity really is.
Oh yes, and I gotta say it Missy, sweetie,….you sound like Texas to me. lololol
I also own the book. I couldn’t put it down!!! I absolutely LOVE the TRUTH that is contained COVER TO COVER in this book. It is amazing the lies that have been told about Anna. It is so refreshing to read a book about Anna by someone that ACTUALLY KNEW her, and LOVED her. (I have also read everything written….no..sorry PUBLISHED about ANNA NICOLE SMITH)
This is by far my FAVORITE book about her HISTORY!!!!!! Actually the only factual one, the rest are fire starter at this point……lol
Missy, you are such a sweet wonderful person, I wish you all of the success in the world!!!! Thank you so much for sharing your Nicky with us, and especially the truth!!!!!!P.S. YOU took some absolutely gorgeous pictures of her, even better than Eric’s IMO!!!!!!!;)
Hey Missy, count it happyness when people are jealous of your looks and what you have done with the book. Good luck and I want you and Rick to have a blessed life
I agree with dolittle. They are jealous that Missy was actually friends with Anna. They are jealous she wrote a book about her friendship. Mostly I think they are jealous of Missys looks, I mean really, we have seen most of their pictures. LOL
QV, was she absolutely gorgeous tonight or what?
I must agree with you Red, she is Gorgeous herself!!!
lol yes Missy is gorgeous, but I was teasing QV, asking about her daughter. It was prom night.
:)
Oh, okay, lol. How fun!!!!
She did look very pretty. Her date was a cutie too, Love his hair.
My son is skipping his Prom. I told him “You are breaking ommys heart” he said “I promise next year”. Then I started rambling off the things mothers look forward to the moment their child is born. He says “I promise, I promise”……LoL.
1. first tooth
2. first step
3. first day of kindergarden
4. drivers license
5. PROM
6. graduation
7. colege graduation
8. marriage
9. Grandchilden
Thanks for covering this, QV.
It is awesome that Missy stood up to Eric Redding & won.
Anna was still alive when she originally filed her claim so the Sternies can’t use that claim.
I watched Missy’s interview & admire her greatly for stepping up to the plate & telling the truth.
Her book was an open, honest look at Vickie Lynn’s rise to fame & misfortune.
Missy put herself at risk for public ridicule, all for a friend.
I am thankful that Missy decided to come forward & let the world know the truth regarding the relationship between Virgie & Vickie Lynn.
Not only is Missy a beautiful lady outside but she is a beautiful person inside as well.
I am sure it was not an easy decision to write the book about her dear friend but she wanted to set the record straight.
Anna would be happy she did & I am sure Daniel is as well.
From reading the book it is very obvious that Missy loved Daniel & Anna.
There is no malice in “When You Wished Upon A Star” as there is in “Great Big Beautiful Doll & Train Wreck”.
Now if only others that know the truth would step forward.
I would love to hear from someone from Howard’s past (and not Ron Rale or Bonnie :o)
From what Im hearing…..
“Somebodys” telling tales out of school.
I also heard that “someone” is looking to score an interview. They might want to go to Melissa’s site and click contact Melissa.
As for me Im still waiting for Melissa to answer my questions. Simple questions……maybe Ill go click…….
I’d like to know about Howards childhood and teen years, BamaCat. What could have happened to him to make him the way he is today?
I’ve joked about it, but it’s almost like he was in a place, sort of like Juvenile Detention or something, and when he got out having his records sealed. He’s a ghost before college.
She wrote the book for money.
That’s the plain and simple truth.
Although she may be ‘sweet’ she also reminds me of ‘That Girl on The Beach.’
Anyone see “The Firm?”
You never know.
Actually she probably didn’t really even ‘write’ the book.
Who’s the Pusher…I mean Publisher?
Who really makes the money?
Still, I’m sure she must of made some.
freida1 Says:
April 8th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
She wrote the book for money.
That’s the plain and simple truth.
Although she may be ’sweet’ she also reminds me of ‘That Girl on The Beach.’
Anyone see “The Firm?”
You never know.
==
Frieda I love your writings but doesn’t everyone write a book or do a tv program for money. Missy was a great friend of Annas and they had wonderful and bad times both but still unconditional love means the good and the bad times and still a friend.
QV I miss talking to you. I love your site. I know you do not put things on this site unless it is of importance. Not like another site that puts anything on there just to fill in and make people say stupid things. Love it here and wish you all of kinds of good luck and Love you too.
Yep, dee, I think that’s why I still come back here…
It’s that definition you gave…the good and the bad times and still a friend.
When are you writing your book?
Seems you know so much.
Gee, where the heck are you QV?
Do you hate Art?
LOL.
freida1 maybe I will write a book. I do know quite abit now. As for the question to QV about Art, I don’t hate art but I don’t like what he stands for. If I wrote a book maybe everyone would be jealous of me like they are Missy. As Anna said it doesn’t matter whether its good or bad it press.
Hi Dee. Thank you. Hugs!!!
Hi Freida, I’m still here. I do not hate Art Harris. But like Dee, I do not approve of what he does. I think there is no such thing as professional journalism anymore and I am talking about every single one of them on CNN and Fox etc….
It saddens me that I can not turn on the news and expect to be told the truth anymore. I know it has always been this way to an extent but never like it is now. I have told my children specifically to not believe what they see on TV. I have told them to research important topics themselves for the truth or at least to discover all angles to a story. At least with the internet we can do that without having to leave our homes.
“It saddens me that I can not turn on the news and expect to be told the truth anymore”
yea what do you think “Journalist” RC is trying to hide? I thought she being a media personality/Journalist/writer.. ….(Oh wait that was so yesterday)would want all the “Truth” out there. But then again probably only her version of the “truth”.
Another question for Melissa
Simple one
In your pictures of Anna she has a tattoo on her left breast. What/who is that? Is that Virgie?
Thanks Melissa
Thanks Miranda
I heard from Melissa,and that wasnt very nice what you said about Anna.
Dear QV,
Was thinkin’ ’bout what you said about Art…
Aren’t you doing the same?
I started to curse to get more attention, LOL.
“The News” has always been mostly sad stuff, really.
People killing, and being killed, and kids getting hurt, and animals, too.
And so much pathetic stuff.
Even once upon a time…yet, it was done with ‘more manners’ and that thing called ‘Class.’
Easy does it, moderation needed.
Instead of building a fence I’d rather build a bridge.
Nice words anyway!!!
I hope Melissa thought my comment was a compliment…because it was meant to be, about ‘That Girl On The Beach.’
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