This is a partial transcript of "The Big Story With John Gibson," June 27, 2007, that has been edited for clarity.
JOHN GIBSON, "BIG STORY" HOST: Who could forget his jubilant declaration?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY BIRKHEAD, EX-BOYFRIEND OF ANNA NICOLE SMITH: I hate to be the one that told you this, but I told you so.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIBSON: Larry Birkhead told the world he was going to prove that he was indeed the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby, and he did. Two-and-a-half months later he is busy changing diapers and buying baby clothes. But I'm sure he wouldn't have it any other way.
Let's find out how Dannielynn and her proud papa are doing from daddy himself. With me now live from L.A. is Larry Birkhead. He will answer some of your questions in a moment. Also with us is "At Large" host Geraldo Rivera and the host of "The Lineup," Kimberly Guilfoyle, both of whom are dying to ask Larry some questions as well.
So, Larry, first thing's first. Everybody wants to know about Dannielynn. How is she?
BIRKHEAD: She is doing great. She's getting big, gaining lots of weight. The teeth keep popping in. Every day, it seems like there's a new one sprouting out. And she is just having lots of fun and getting to know friends and family. And every day is new adventure for us. We have games we play together and things we do and activities. And it is just — it's really some of the best times of my life.
GIBSON: Geraldo?
GERALDO RIVERA, HOST, "GERALDO AT LARGE": My question?
(LAUGHTER)
RIVERA: You know, I wonder, Larry, you love that baby so much, and you have spoken about how the baby reminds you of Anna. And, yet, when you think of the whole sad saga you went through and what she went through to remove you from the scene, trying to ditch you as the dad, moving to the Bahamas really to escape, you know, a kind of a paternity action brought by you, I just wonder if that taints in any way your memory of the woman that you loved.
BIRKHEAD: You know, not really, because what you are speaking of is basically the public fight that we had. And, behind the scenes, we still had conversations, many great conversations that, you know, I will always remember and, you know, about our relationships and the baby and things that, you know, that we talked about for the future and things about the past.
But we had some really great moments together. And I think that's one of the things that a lot of people don't really know. Even though there is this public fight and you go to a courthouse, it doesn't mean that you didn't love this person or they didn't love you. It just means that, at one point, you didn't see eye to eye.
And I truly thought that things would blow over and that things would be different, of course. But, you know, in my head, at times, I think about it, but it doesn't taint my memory.
GIBSON: Larry, before I go to Kimberly let me — we asked people on the street, we went out to see what, you know, the average citizen wants to ask of you. Here is a question from somebody, a man-on-the-street question.
BIRKHEAD: Sure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, Larry. I want to know how the baby is doing right now and how you are adjusting to being a single father and relationships with the family?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIBSON: All right. So she wants to know about being a single father.
BIRKHEAD: Well, you know, it is a lot of work. It's a lot of time, but it's in a good way, you know?
I have long hours. And I'm getting really creative. I'm learning to do a lot of things with one hand free, one hand with the baby, and juggling a lot of different things. And I'm probably — now I'm able to win a speed test on changing diapers. And it's great. It's one of the greatest things.
GIBSON: Larry, Kimberly has a question for you.
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, HOST, "THE LINEUP": Hi, Larry. You and I spoke for a while on the phone on Monday. And one thing that you said struck me. You were packing up, I guess, this weekend, both Anna's belongings and Daniel's belongings. It must have been incredibly difficult for you. And during this whole process when you were fighting for your daughter, you have had to grieve for these two people. What did you hold onto, in terms of for strength, to get through it?
BIRKHEAD: Well, you know, packing up, in the sense that, you know, just not getting rid of anything just because those are memories for Dannielynn and those are things that I will always keep for her. But there are certain things that I have kept, personal things, you know, just near me in the home, not — because, again, I kept everything — but just little things that are reminders, maybe presents that I bought Anna and little things that — from trips that we took together — and things that I can tell Dannielynn about one day and maybe — just, it was a combination of things, really.
But every — what is so strange about that is that every little thing that I touch, every little thing that I see is a memory of not one, but two people that are no longer here. And, sometimes, that is really kind of hard to digest and process.
GIBSON: Larry, I have an e-mail question from a woman named Denise. And she says: "How are you going to explain to Dannielynn her mother? How will you tell her of her life with and without you?"
BIRKHEAD: You know, I guess, unfortunately and fortunately, there is a combination there of things that, in this information age, that Dannielynn will be able to probably get herself. But the story that I would like to tell is the one that — of just a sweet down-home girl that, you know, away from the cameras and away from all the glitz and glamour, that just really loved people, loved life, and loved her son, Daniel, and loved her. And she did a lot of things for charities and a lot of things for people that — a lot of things that she didn't get publicity for and helped families in need. And those are the types of things that I would like for her, Dannielynn, to know about her mother.
GIBSON: Larry, stand by. Kimberly, Geraldo, stand by. We will have more with all three when "The Big Story" continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many diapers do you change a week?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIBSON: Larry Birkhead, there is a question from the street. We are back with Larry, Geraldo Rivera and Kimberly Guilfoyle.
Larry, I can't tell you how many people asked that. So what's the answer? How many diapers are you changing?
BIRKHEAD: Multiple. It seems like every few minutes the diaper — and I have this supersonic sense of smell...
(LAUGHTER)
BIRKHEAD: ...for these diapers. And it seems like...
RIVERA: Well, I can now change them standing up, my almost 2-year-old.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
BIRKHEAD: You have — I have her beat. Yes, a lot of diapers.
RIVERA: Larry, John has a copy of OK! magazine with this beautiful picture of you and the baby on the cover.
BIRKHEAD: Thank you.
RIVERA: You know, it reminds me of another picture I saw on the cover of Howard K. Stern with tears, holding the baby. And I know that you work with Howard because of the baby's interests and all the estate and all of the different complicated legal issues involved in your lives. But how can you have a man that tried to steal your baby in your life?
BIRKHEAD: Well, you know, that is a question that comes up all the time. And, you know, when I started fighting for my daughter and going to a courthouse and multiple appearances here and there and everywhere, I was just fighting for my daughter. And some people in this — I'm not saying Howard — but some people in this whole saga are fighting for money or their different interests and motives. And, to me, I got what I was fighting for. So, to me, it wasn't really important for me to hold grudges against this person or that person. I mean, you know, if Anna were alive today — Howard was a big part of her life and chances are that I would have to still be talking to Howard on that level.
And so, I mean, I guess you can only imagine with two people being dead, life is too short to sit and worry about everything that has happened. And I have my daughter. And that, again, is the most important thing, at the end of day, that I can go and scoop her up out of a nursery.
And it doesn't mean I agree with everything that has happened. It doesn't mean that I will ever forget, and not just one person, but many people that I think, you know, did certain things and said certain things. And so, basically I just, you know, have satisfaction, in the sense that I know that I have my daughter. And that's what is most important.
GUILFOYLE: Well, Larry, I guess we could all learn a lesson from that. It's very magnanimous of you to be so forgiving to Howard. For those of us who covered the story so closely, it was tough for us to be kind about him, that's for sure. But, going forward, what role do you see Howard K. Stern playing in the life of Dannielynn and in the litigation with the Marshall estate that is still outstanding?
BIRKHEAD: Well, I guess a couple weeks ago, Howard was named the executor of Anna's estate. And so, whatever role that an executor would play, I think that's what role he would have, as far as protecting things that belonged to Dannielynn's mother.
In the interest, in the estate, I think that's what role he will play for Dannielynn. And I was named guardian of my daughter's interests in the estate. So, you know, we will, you know, try to work hand in hand.
And then, anything, if — you know, you hope for the best, and you just try to work together and do what is right for the baby. That's really — I mean, she is all that, you know, that I have, other than my other family, but she is my main concern. And, as an executor, that's supposed to be the executor's main concern, is the survivor.
And, you know, hopefully Howard will do a good job. And, differences aside, he worked for years for Anna, and on different projects and things. And I know he's — for all things Anna, everybody went to Howard. And, in this situation, which seems awkward to most people, and sometimes to myself, I find myself in some of the same positions, going back and asking questions that actually relate to, you know, how to protect Dannielynn in this whole saga of the estates and in different things that she is due here, to preserve and protect things of her mother's.
GIBSON: Larry, on that point, because I think you sort of led up to this, you and Howard K. are working together now for Dannielynn's interests?
BIRKHEAD: Well, you know, I'm not every day concerned about, you know, the technicalities of things. I oversee and I watch and make sure that everything is right for Dannielynn. You know, as an executor, he has a different role. And, you know, yes, do I call him and say, you know, what about this contract that Anna signed or I have seen this published, and don't the rights belong to Anna? And those are things that he can answer and then really no one else can answer because he either helped orchestrate those things or he oversaw the contracts, in the way that they were negotiated.
And it is really a complicated thing, you know, when you are talking about rights and properties and interests and things like that. But I have my own attorneys. Howard is not representing me. I have my own attorneys that represent me. And they make sure that my daughter's interests are protected. So at the end of the day...
GIBSON: Hey, Larry, we have still got one more e-mail, before I run out of time. Let me just ask you this one from Violet in Gainesville, Florida. She wants to know: "If it were within your power, would you choose to remove Dannielynn from the public eye altogether and live a non- Hollywood lifestyle?"
BIRKHEAD: Well, you know, that's a good question. And that is something that really will be dictated, I guess, basically by, you know, the press, and how they treat, you know, us. And there's been occasions where we have gone out and we have been run off the road, basically, by chasing paparazzi. And if that doesn't cool down, and, you know, that was the purpose of me getting some pictures out there, to make sure to try to wean the interest. But it seems like, you know, it hasn't exactly worked. But, if things get too difficult, you know, then we will retreat maybe back to a different way, you know?
RIVERA: Don't marry Paris Hilton, Larry.
(LAUGHTER)
GIBSON: Larry Birkhead, thank you very much.
BIRKHEAD: Thanks a lot.
GIBSON: It's good to see you, and you're doing great with the baby.
Thanks, Geraldo, and thanks, Kimberly Guilfoyle, our two fine hosts here on the FOX News Channel.
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