Pioneering adult film star Robin Byrd has revealed a surprising list of celebrity fans, including Oscar-winning entertainer Liza Minnelli. Byrd, who hosted a late-night, low-budget talk program on Manhattan Cable Television for 21 years starting in 1977, shared anecdotes about her interactions with Minnelli on a recent podcast episode.
Byrd, now 71, described how she and Minnelli, 80, would frequently encounter each other during late-night grocery shopping trips at a local Food Emporium. "She lived in my neighborhood and we used to run into each other [after] the show… on Wednesday nights," Byrd recalled on the podcast "Finding Fire Island." "Because Food Emporium used to be 24 hours when they were around."
According to Byrd, Minnelli once approached her at the supermarket to express her admiration. "I’m such a big fan of yours," Minnelli reportedly said, to which Byrd reciprocated, "I’m such a big fan of yours!'"
Byrd, who is the subject of the new HBO documentary "Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story" produced by Sarah Jessica Parker, described herself as the "entertainer’s entertainer" and noted that other mainstream Hollywood figures were also fans, including Barry Manilow.
Minnelli was recently honored with an 80th birthday concert at Carnegie Hall. The HBO documentary about Byrd premiered on June 30.