'70s Adult Film Star Robin Byrd Thought Sarah Jessica Parker Hated Her for 30 Years After an Awkward Encounter (Exclusive)

Sean MandellWed, July 1, 2026 at 6:54 PM UTC

0

Robin Byrd (left) and Sarah Jessica Parker at the premiere of 'Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story' at the Tribeca Festival in New York, N.Y., on June 9, 2026.Credit: Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock -

Robin Byrd believed Sarah Jessica Parker "hated" her after a tense encounter on Fire Island over 30 years ago

Parker executive produced Byrd's new HBO documentary Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story, which premiered at The Tribeca Film Festival

Byrd shared how surprised she was by Parker's enthusiastic praise of her work while speaking with Jess Rothschild for the docuseries Finding Fire Island

Robin Byrd spent more than 30 years convinced that Sarah Jessica Parker hated her after an awkward encounter on Fire Island. Then Parker executive-produced a documentary about her life.

Byrd, the former adult film star who became an iconic New York City public-access TV host, appeared in the 1977 cult classic Debbie Does Dallas and had a late-night show that ran from 1977 to 1998. She's the subject of the new HBO documentary Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story, executive produced by Parker.

Byrd shared the story behind her longtime misconception while speaking with Jess Rothschild in a bonus episode of Finding Fire Island. It stemmed from an encounter with Parker on Fire Island more than 30 years ago, when a publicist hired Byrd to bring a group of men in Speedos and G-strings to a club for a movie promotion event with a "sex in New York" theme.

Robin Byrd.Credit: Robin Byrd/HBO

When the men walked past a table where Parker was seated, Byrd said she heard the actress ask, "What is she doing here with them?" Byrd told Rothschild she fired back with a wisecrack and spent the next three decades convinced she'd made an enemy of Parker.

It wasn't until the Tribeca Festival premiere of Bang My Box in June that Byrd finally brought up the moment. After embracing on the red carpet, Byrd whispered in Parker's ear that she'd always believed Parker hated her because of what happened all those years ago.

Parker's response? "No! No! No!"

Advertisement

"I always thought for 30 years she hated me," Byrd told Rothschild. "And here she is producing my film."

Byrd said she was also struck by the irony that Parker praised her so enthusiastically without realizing Byrd privately considers her old show to be a forerunner to Sex and the City.

Sarah Jessica Parker in London on Nov. 10, 2025.Credit: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty

"She gave me such kudos — without knowing that I paved the way for Sex and the City for her."

— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Byrd is a longtime resident of Fire Island Pines, the setting of Finding Fire Island. The GLAAD-nominated episodic documentary series about the history of the famed LGBTQ vacation destination is streaming on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, SiriusXM and Amazon Music.

Bang My Box premiered on HBO on June 30, and is now streaming on HBO Max.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”