Warnakey's Beach Boys Blog: 2014

Hello friends!

It's me Eric.

For the past few days the entire internet has been freaking out over Sherry Hutsell's scheme (read 3 entries below if you don't know what I'm talking about) and this has a lot of people asking me what I knew about her. My knee-jerk reaction has been to say "I never spoke to her at all!", or "I spoke to her once or twice, but she creeped me out!". Both of those are lies. I spoke to the character "Denni Leann" for 15 days.

I believed the lie for 15 days.

It happened between August 1st, 2011 and August 15, 2011. I had seen Sherry Hutsell on the Smiley Smile board since 2006 when I first joined, then the year after the character of Denni Leann began to gather believers on the forum. I never bothered to read any of her threads, so I had no idea that this was happening. I never spoke to her until she added me on facebook on August 1, 2011. In the conversations you are about to read (or not, its pretty long) I tried hard to be a friend to the perpetually sad pseduo lost Wilson. I attempted to raise her self esteem and show her that life wasn't so bad. I tried to get her to say ANYTHING at all related to me...but it never happened. She was only interested in herself and essentially used me to vent the frustrations she felt of managing such a complex digital life.

She was also determined to get me involved in her drama and when I chose to steer our conversations in a healthy direction, she would try a different piece of gossip to drag me in. She complained about the Wilson children not accepting her. She mentioned that someone arranged for the actual Wilson children to speak with her on the phone, and, according to her they kind of liked it. She mentioned a lot of wacky stuff. I believed her initially, but as time went on I tried to get more and more information out of her, which ultimately led to our parting of ways. World, please forgive me for being so gullible for 15 days.

On the last day of our friendship, the last message she sent said that she had to go to work at 6:51pm (may have been 3:51pm her time, but still, who goes to work at that time?). About an hour later I asked her to post a time stamped photo on her Facebook wall and she blocked me immediately (from work?), followed by about 30 other friends who blocked and de-friended me, some of whom messaged me, outraged that I could doubt her story. It was wacky in retrospect that any of this ever happened.

So, without further introduction, here is the unedited, complete transcript of my conversations with Denni Leann, aka Sherry Hutsell.

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Conversation started August 1, 2011

8/1, 8:56pm

Eric Warncke

Beach boys fans forever.

8/1, 10:10pm

Denni Leann

right on...

August 4, 2011

8/4, 9:20pm

Denni Leann

8/4, 9:20pm

Eric Warncke

hey!

8/4, 9:20pm

Eric Warncke

sorry to hear about your hand accident

or read about it i suppose

8/4, 9:20pm

Denni Leann

it will be ok

im tough

8/4, 9:21pm

Eric Warncke

rawr, etc

8/4, 9:21pm

Denni Leann

it wasn't that bad

lol

haha

8/4, 9:21pm

Eric Warncke

what are you stressing over?

8/4, 9:21pm

Denni Leann

i had worse

my mom

8/4, 9:22pm

Eric Warncke

yeah, my dad stresses me out a lot

i know

8/4, 9:22pm

Denni Leann

no my mom lost my stepdad last feb and shes not well im taking care of her

and my love life too

8/4, 9:23pm

Eric Warncke

thats darling of you

8/4, 9:23pm

Denni Leann

im hurt because of someone

8/4, 9:23pm

Eric Warncke

8/4, 9:23pm

Denni Leann

and i dont take my feelings hurt well

8/4, 9:23pm

Eric Warncke

want to hear about my last break up? it might cheer you up?

8/4, 9:24pm

Denni Leann

i would rather hurt in my body then my heart

8/4, 9:24pm

Eric Warncke

i think most people would

but yeah i really liked this girl

and we had been dating for only like a week, but i liked her for a long time before we dated

and it was on my 24th birthday

we both went to warped tour together

and she saw her exboyfriend there with a new girl and she got upset and broke up with me

and the whole car ride home was SO awkward

then on the way home I locked my keys in my car and had to smash my back window with a fire extinguisher to get home

worst break up ever. I'm glad it happened though, because I know the next break up can't be that bad!

8/4, 9:26pm

Denni Leann

this wasnt a break up just hurt me

8/4, 9:26pm

Eric Warncke

well, that kind of hurt

but i obviously don't know the circumstance that you are under

8/4, 9:27pm

Denni Leann

i know

8/4, 9:27pm

Eric Warncke

you feel like telling me? I am good with the advices

8/4, 9:27pm

Denni Leann

im on meds right now

8/4, 9:27pm

Eric Warncke

which meds?

8/4, 9:28pm

Denni Leann

vicoden and i cant remember

meds are cool

sorry

maybe we talk another time sweetie

dont get mad ok

8/4, 9:29pm

Eric Warncke

oh im not mad at all

i just wanted to ask you some stuff

8/4, 9:29pm

Denni Leann

8/4, 9:29pm

Eric Warncke

and now is an awkward time

thats all

8/4, 9:30pm

Denni Leann

tomorrow ok

8/4, 9:31pm

Eric Warncke

got it

sleep good

is Leann your name?

8/4, 9:31pm

Denni Leann

im ok. i promise

the wilson kids

dont want me in their lifes

they hur me too

8/4, 9:32pm

Eric Warncke

8/4, 9:33pm

Denni Leann

they know im their sister but dont want nothing to do with me

im going through alot

8/4, 9:33pm

Eric Warncke

yeah, thats what i wanted to ask you about

8/4, 9:34pm

Denni Leann

now u know

im going now love you

8/4, 9:34pm

Eric Warncke

did you mean to send that to me?

8/4, 9:34pm

Denni Leann

lol sorry im funny

8/4, 9:34pm

Eric Warncke

i just didnt know we were in love already

foolin, see ya

8/4, 9:35pm

Denni Leann

ok. we can

August 5, 2011

8/5, 1:03am

Denni Leann

sorry. im better now. the meds wore off and i can see what i said. Please forgive me. Dont say anything about the wilsons. thats my problem and i will deal with it. im better off without them. it's their loss. I hope your not mad.

8/5, 1:09am

Eric Warncke

hi, its alright! i won't say a word to anyone. also, i wouldnt be mad about you getting loopy on meds. happens to everyone!

8/5, 1:10am

Denni Leann

thanks

8/5, 1:10am

Eric Warncke

oh youre awake

8/5, 1:10am

Denni Leann

my hand hurts like fire

im taking more meds

8/5, 1:10am

Eric Warncke

so who is your dad?

while you are sober

8/5, 1:10am

Denni Leann

i need to stay off the computer when im on meds..lol

denny wilson was my bio dad but the man that raised me is my dad but he passed in feb

8/5, 1:11am

Eric Warncke

is that why everyone is so gaga about you?

8/5, 1:12am

Denni Leann

i just want to be like normal because thats all i am is like you and everybody here

8/5, 1:12am

Eric Warncke

also, sorry about your non-bio dad =[

8/5, 1:12am

Denni Leann

who is gaga

8/5, 1:12am

Eric Warncke

thats just an expression

8/5, 1:12am

Denni Leann

lol

8/5, 1:12am

Eric Warncke

i notice jerry boyd always comments on your page

and thats bizarre to me

ya know?

8/5, 1:13am

Denni Leann

the wilsons dont want me aroud. im better off

8/5, 1:13am

Eric Warncke

i wouldnt sweat it

8/5, 1:13am

Denni Leann

why. jerry is a facebook friend

8/5, 1:13am

Eric Warncke

well i dont think anything differently of you

i think youre normal and all

8/5, 1:13am

Denni Leann

good

8/5, 1:14am

Eric Warncke

its just obvious that beach boys fans adore you

8/5, 1:14am

Denni Leann

i dont see any difference myself

8/5, 1:14am

Eric Warncke

and family stuff has always been tough

8/5, 1:14am

Denni Leann

why do you bring up jerry

8/5, 1:15am

Eric Warncke

he was just the first person that came to my head

i didnt mean anything about him in specific

8/5, 1:15am

Denni Leann

i dont care i talked to some and they are dtranfe to me

strange to me..the wilson kids

8/5, 1:15am

Eric Warncke

how do you talk to them?

8/5, 1:16am

Denni Leann

ok. im going to lay back down

i did on the phone john stebbins set me up

8/5, 1:16am

Eric Warncke

oh, that sounds awkward.

8/5, 1:16am

Denni Leann

just carl b and jonah

jonah is great he wants to meet me but dennys kids dont

'they are afaraid of me

8/5, 1:17am

Eric Warncke

the thought of you? or you in general?

8/5, 1:17am

Denni Leann

i kmnow things from mom that they dont want public

they are strange and not a close family

'they hardly see each other

i will explain tomorrow

8/5, 1:18am

Eric Warncke

sure

id like to talk to you more

8/5, 1:18am

Denni Leann

i must get my hand to stop hurting'

8/5, 1:18am

Denni Leann

good night

8/5, 1:19am

Eric Warncke

i must say though

8/5, 1:19am

Denni Leann

what

8/5, 1:19am

Eric Warncke

DW was a gorgeous man

8/5, 1:19am

Denni Leann

im a loving person. i just had a bad day..

his ther kids are nothing like him

'only me from what im told by friends that knew him

8/5, 1:20am

Eric Warncke

keep it that way!

8/5, 1:20am

Denni Leann

i got to go..thanks

8/5, 1:20am

Eric Warncke

welcome!

night

8/5, 1:20am

Denni Leann

you bet

night

August 7, 2011

8/7, 7:57pm

Denni Leann

hello

8/7, 7:57pm

Eric Warncke

denni!

8/7, 7:57pm

Eric Warncke

how are you?

8/7, 7:57pm

Denni Leann

after what happened earlier im doing good

8/7, 7:57pm

Eric Warncke

what thing earlier?

just so we are clear

8/7, 7:59pm

Denni Leann

look at my wall. a guy called me a fake and a lier in a message, i posted and told everyone. all of dennys older friends come out message me wanting to know his name

8/7, 7:59pm

Eric Warncke

sorry, i dont check facebook like too too often

8/7, 7:59pm

Denni Leann

ven moon

was his name

he wont be bothing me no more

8/7, 8:00pm

Eric Warncke

8/7, 8:00pm

Denni Leann

how are u

8/7, 8:00pm

Eric Warncke

well lets cheer up!

8/7, 8:00pm

Denni Leann

cool

8/7, 8:00pm

Eric Warncke

i actually saw one of my ex-friends today

so we talked and stuff

it was kind of nice

we are getting along better now than we ever did before sort of

maturity is whats up

8/7, 8:01pm

Denni Leann

i see

well is that good or bad

8/7, 8:01pm

Eric Warncke

its good

8/7, 8:02pm

Denni Leann

nothing wrong with friends

8/7, 8:02pm

Eric Warncke

otherwise, i am doing well.

8/7, 8:02pm

Denni Leann

good

im getting ready to swim

8/7, 8:02pm

Eric Warncke

oh you have a pool or something?

8/7, 8:03pm

Denni Leann

yes. my mom had a pool its 104 here

8/7, 8:03pm

Eric Warncke

oh man

get at me later!

have you seen the harry nilsson movie?

8/7, 8:03pm

Denni Leann

8/7, 8:03pm

Eric Warncke

oh! its on hulu for free

you should watch it later

BDW is in it!

8/7, 8:04pm

Denni Leann

sure ok.

8/7, 8:04pm

Eric Warncke

go swim and we'll talk later!

8/7, 8:04pm

Denni Leann

ok. bye for now be good

8/7, 8:05pm

Eric Warncke

you too!

8/7, 9:47pm

Eric Warncke

so ive been thinking about it

and basically there are always going to be people that don't want their "vision" of one of their heroes to be tarnished

8/7, 9:47pm

Denni Leann

yea

8/7, 9:48pm

Eric Warncke

i think thats why that guy freaked at you

8/7, 9:48pm

Denni Leann

i lost 2 friends, well not so good friends today for no good reason

another one that was his friend to

8/7, 9:49pm

Eric Warncke

ya know, maybe they werent really good friends to begin with

8/7, 9:49pm

Denni Leann

go look at my hand in my pics 3rd album. they say its fake!!!!

8/7, 9:50pm

Eric Warncke

well, your fingers look really really fat

and swollen

and wrinkly

that thing that hit you must have been beastly

my lord

8/7, 9:50pm

Denni Leann

from getting hurt bad

8/7, 9:50pm

Eric Warncke

im no doctor

8/7, 9:51pm

Denni Leann

8/7, 9:51pm

Eric Warncke

so i have no comment on this

8/7, 9:51pm

Denni Leann

later

8/7, 9:51pm

Eric Warncke

but i also have no reason to not believe you

whatsoever

i just like, try to avoid drama completely

thats my style

8/7, 9:52pm

Denni Leann

i have lost 2 people today, one i dont care about he was strange. but then his friend turned on me also

i am

8/7, 9:52pm

Eric Warncke

i feel bad about that!

8/7, 9:52pm

Denni Leann

they can go to hell

8/7, 9:54pm

Eric Warncke

hey, we both know you are awesome

so lets get arrogant and not worry about it!

right?

8/7, 9:54pm

Denni Leann

thanks. im not going to talk nomore today

thanks

8/7, 9:54pm

Eric Warncke

alright

8/7, 9:55pm

Denni Leann

bye for now

8/7, 9:56pm

Eric Warncke

have a good one

August 12, 2011

8/12, 6:42pm

Denni Leann

how are u

8/12, 6:42pm

Eric Warncke

hey, how are you?

bah!

im good. im at work

8/12, 6:42pm

Denni Leann

lol

im going back monday

8/12, 6:43pm

Eric Warncke

going back where?

8/12, 6:43pm

Denni Leann

hand is alittle numb but im better

work

8/12, 6:43pm

Eric Warncke

is it less swolen?

8/12, 6:44pm

Denni Leann

oh its much better

8/12, 6:44pm

Eric Warncke

awesome

8/12, 6:44pm

Denni Leann

its alittle numb but so far no tendons or nerve damage

8/12, 6:44pm

Eric Warncke

tonight im going to see my boss' band perform live

he is in an AC/DC tribute band

i kind of dont want to go, but i have to

8/12, 6:45pm

Denni Leann

why do u have to

8/12, 6:46pm

Eric Warncke

ive missed like 15 of his shows

and i feel guilty

8/12, 6:46pm

Denni Leann

i see

than you better go

8/12, 6:47pm

Eric Warncke

yeah. im hoping for the best

but i am glad you are doing better

how is your mom??

8/12, 6:48pm

Denni Leann

just put a smile on your face and act like you like it

she is fine, thanks

8/12, 6:48pm

Eric Warncke

cool

are you seeing the beach boys in pomona?

8/12, 6:49pm

Denni Leann

can't. have to work and its to far just for a day

8/12, 6:50pm

Eric Warncke

oh. just wondering if you knew about that

8/12, 6:51pm

Denni Leann

i heard something

8/12, 6:51pm

Eric Warncke

hey will you be on later tonight?

8/12, 6:52pm

Denni Leann

yes

8/12, 6:52pm

Eric Warncke

ill say hi to you then

i have to go

see ya!

8/12, 6:52pm

Denni Leann

cool bye

August 13, 2011

8/13, 1:43am

Eric Warncke

i just went to a good show

8/13, 3:06am

Denni Leann

cool. we got cut off earlier..sorry. Tomorrow tell me all bout it. Take care hun.:)))

August 15, 2011

8/15, 6:39pm

Denni Leann

8/15, 6:39pm

Eric Warncke

hello

8/15, 6:39pm

Eric Warncke

whats your full name denni?

8/15, 6:40pm

Denni Leann

DENNI LEANN IS ALL I CAN SAY..WHY

8/15, 6:40pm

Eric Warncke

whats with the caps?

and the secrecy?

8/15, 6:40pm

Denni Leann

sorry..didnt know

8/15, 6:41pm

Eric Warncke

i just figured out that that isnt your name

8/15, 6:41pm

Denni Leann

no ..i just dont want freaks trying to find me. im sure you understand

8/15, 6:41pm

Eric Warncke

so i wanted to know

8/15, 6:41pm

Denni Leann

denni is my first name leann is my middle

8/15, 6:41pm

Eric Warncke

haha

sorry

8/15, 6:41pm

Denni Leann

my last name cant be put out there yet

i have stalkers as it is

8/15, 6:42pm

Eric Warncke

oh yeah?

what's that like

because ive had like hackers before but probably not window peepers

8/15, 6:42pm

Denni Leann

john stebbins and others had to get my pics off many websites

8/15, 6:42pm

Eric Warncke

how could they do something like that?

are they hackers too?

8/15, 6:43pm

Denni Leann

they are dw freak that want my moms pic today and mine so they can sell them

to gossip mags

8/15, 6:43pm

Eric Warncke

you really think any gossip magazines would actually buy that?

8/15, 6:43pm

Denni Leann

i have to be careful

8/15, 6:44pm

Eric Warncke

the only reason i ask, is because ive tried to sell stories to gossip magazines

about Pauly D from the jersey shore

and they didnt buy them

they pretty much don't care unless its lindsay lohan or charlie sheen

8/15, 6:44pm

Denni Leann

they have offered my mom book deals

she will never

betray denny

8/15, 6:44pm

Eric Warncke

well thats not betrayal

at least the way i see it

unless she says something in the book that is a lie

or he promised her to never write a book about him

i would understand that

but other wise that doesn't make much sense

she writes a nice book about how great a guy he is and makes money

i don't see the immediate harm

8/15, 6:46pm

Denni Leann

she knew him the last year the most horrible time, not much good there

he told her stories that would make your head spin

8/15, 6:46pm

Eric Warncke

yeah

1983 was no doubt a bad time for him

but i am surprised that you would need to be so guarded

i guess i am so unimportant that the ideas of obsession is a bit radical to me

ya know?

8/15, 6:48pm

Denni Leann

from day one, i have had all kinds of crap. my pics on message boards and websites

8/15, 6:48pm

Eric Warncke

well

8/15, 6:48pm

Denni Leann

like i said dennys old friends came to my resuce

8/15, 6:48pm

Eric Warncke

if it makes you feel any better

im not going to post anything about you on my blog

mostly because you arent a bootleg album

8/15, 6:49pm

Denni Leann

theres nothing to post. i dont step over the line

8/15, 6:49pm

Eric Warncke

oh theres always something to post

regardless of the existence of lines

8/15, 6:49pm

Denni Leann

nothing eeryone already knows

8/15, 6:49pm

Eric Warncke

i guess thats true

8/15, 6:49pm

Denni Leann

i keep things to myself

8/15, 6:50pm

Eric Warncke

well, sorry if this is an awkward conversation

i didnt intend for it to be

8/15, 6:50pm

Denni Leann

no prob

goyya get head to work

8/15, 6:51pm

Eric Warncke

oh ok

didnt realize

have fun

Hello Beach Boys fans! It's me, Eric. I wanted to share my thoughts on a bizarre situation that has been unfolding for the past few years. In 2009 I got a friend request from someone on Facebook named "Denni Leann". I accepted as I usually do out of courtesy and learned that she believed she was "Dennis Wilson's illegitimate daughter". It kind of made sense...Dennis Wilson slept around a lot, she was 29 at the time (meaning Dennis could have been alive to father her), she seemed to know a lot of personal details about the family, but most of all, she seemed to believe her own story. She also always seemed to be in crisis. Either her mother was in the hospital, she was dying or she was about to be evicted. It was always a sob story. Some people even spoke to her on the phone, sent her money and spoke to her for over 3 years.

I figured out this was not a real person in late 2011 and called her out on it, only to have myself blocked on facebook and laughed at by about 50 of her believers. No big deal I thought...but for 2 more years this kept going on while I paid no more attention. Today when I logged in on facebook I saw the following:

There you have it. Julia Gifford is a real person who has had her identity stolen by someone for the past 5 years. When someone finally found her real profile, Denni Leann quietly deleted her Facebook account, fading into the maw of obscurity where she (or he) came from. Obviously the person responsible loves the Beach Boys and wanted to feel like they were important to this community of fans. But, there was also a financial aspect to it. A lot of older people like the Beach Boys, and when an older person hears that the child of his favorite musician is in trouble, it is near impossible to stop them from trying to help.

This person is a criminal and I feel very sad that this happened. If anyone spoke to Denni Leann or knows the person's real identity, I would love it if you would share your thoughts in a comment.

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EDIT: An anonymous Beach Boys fan has shared a real letter that Denni sent them. There was a return address on the letter, and, according to Google this person lives there. The picture on the left was included in an email from Denni Leann sent to the fan. The photo on the right is from her original Facebook account before this started.

Many times Denni Leann mentioned her mom and posted pictures of her. It turns out, Denni's mom IS "Denni". Kind of sad. Kind of lonely. Completely pathetic.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

EDIT 2: Since posting this article I have received A LOT of messages about this. I could completely re-write this article with more accurate information about what REALLY happened, but I'm not going to bother. This woman is sick in the head and this exacerbates her compulsion to pretend to be the daughter of a rock drummer (and dozens of other personalities) online.

She has dozens and possibly hundreds of facebook profiles that communicate with each other and I'm not sure if she actually believes these characters are real or not. It makes me not want to log into Facebook anymore.

I'm struggling to end this on a serious note, but unless someone puts a stop to this and reports it (like the woman whose identity was stolen) I think this woman, Sherry Hutsell, will just keep coming back under different names. It has bummed me out to see so many of my friends taken on a ride, believing her drama and caring about her for years, only to be devastated again to learn that the person they thought was real was, well, not.

That is a really terrible thing to do.

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EDIT 3: Apparently there was one other woman involved with Sherry Hutsell who would occasionally talk to some of her victims and pose as Denni on Skype or over the phone. Could have been her sister, or a friend or someone she met at the hospital. Who knows?

Monday, December 8, 2014

Rocketship Interview

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Aquarian Smile

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

My Conversations With Denni Leann

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

BBC Documentary 2004 "Wouldn't It Be Nice"

Monday, February 24, 2014

Now for some real news

Sunday, February 23, 2014

A serious thought about obsession

Monday, January 6, 2014

Happy New Year!