Abby Lee Miller Offers Prison Life Advice to Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman
It has been a little over a year since Abby Lee Miller was released from prison and the Dance Moms star has some advice for fellow celebrities, Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, about their potential incarcerations.
“Don’t hire a prison consultant. That’s one,” Miller said in a candid interview with Entertainment Tonight where the famous dance coach opened up about her time behind bars where she served 8 months out of her one year and one day sentence after pleading guilty to bankruptcy fraud in 2017.
Both Loughlin and Huffman were charged in the recent college admissions scandal. Huffman pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud, and last week, prosecutors recommended 4 months of prison time as part of her plea deal. Loughlin, along with her fashion designer husband, J. Mossimo Giannulli, 55, pleaded not guilty to their charges of mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison on each charge.
Miller explained that Loughlin, 54, and Huffman, 56, should be aware of how their celebrity status will be a “big deal” and that they should be prepared to have many questions asked of them.
“Be open with people. They are celebrities. People know them from TV. TV’s a big deal in prison,” Miller, 53, advised Loughlin and Huffman. “A big deal. People watch it nonstop. So they’re gonna be interested in what it was like to be on a TV show. You know, what’s it like to, you know, be married to John Stamos?… What are all these things like? They’re gonna want to know.”
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“People will be interested in their stories and it’ll be important for them to share but to also listen to the other women’s stories as well,” she added.
“They’re interested, and I think if they share their stories and their tales of woe and all that, they will be just fine,” Miller continued. “And I also think, you know, it’s important to listen to every other woman’s story, because everybody there just wants to tell their own story and be heard. I think that’s what I learned most. Everybody’s there because of some, you know, crazy nonsense stupid mistakes that we made …. and they still are just trying to tell their story.”
But Dance Moms star specifically wanted to warn the stars about the prison guards, explaining that they can often take advantage of their power.
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“It was bad. It was really bad — more so the female guards than the male,” she revealed. “You know, you don’t need a lot of credentials to be a prison guard in a federal prison. And, you know, you give them a set of keys and a weapon and they’re in power.”
There is also something to be said of the actresses’ reputation as celebrities. For Miller, prison life was tougher because of the persona she portrays on Dance Moms, but the reality star thinks Loughlin and Huffman will have an easier time.
“Everybody wants to have their chance to get a baseball bat and smack me in the face with it. That’s what it was like,” Miller told ET. “ I don’t think Felicity and Lori are gonna hit that same thing, ’cause that’s not the persona they have on TV. I think [Loughlin is] still going to be [America’s Sweetheart].”
Dance Moms premieres June 4 at 9 p.m. ET on Lifetime.
