Episode Summary
In this podcast episode about culture we are discussing Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, defamation and sexual assault allegations. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are in a public trial centered around accusations made about assault by Amber Heard. Johnny Depp is attempting to restore his reputation and filed a lawsuit for defamation which is currently under trial in Fairfax, VA this week here in April 2022. In this podcast episode, we will dive deeper into the reason why Johnny Depp is suing Amber Heard & what it means for their ongoing court proceedings moving forward. Is Amber Heard telling the truth or is Johnny Depp privy to some information that has yet to be disclosed. Tune in to the latest episode of the Karat Juice Podcast to find out.
Sources courtesy of NPR, Vulture, Washington Post & The Guardian.
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Podcast Transcript:
Montay Lee 0:00
In this podcast episode we are discussing Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in the ongoing trial that’s going on, that focuses around defamation, domestic violence, the me to movement, and false accusations. That’s a lot to chew on. But that’s what we have. My name is Montay Lee, this is the Karat Juice Podcast. Thank you for watching, thank you for listening, you are appreciated. If this is your first time listening to the Karat Juice Podcast, thank you, it really helps out the program and the podcast if you do me one favor. And that is, please pick up your phone, your device, whatever you are listening on, and go to Apple podcasts and leave a rating and review five stars is appreciated. And give me some feedback on what you think of this show. That helps other people to find it. It also helps for it to get searched and found in the various podcast platforms. Also, you can view this podcast episode on Spotify, if you so choose. And without further delay, I want to get right into the content. I have multiple sources here. They’re going to be courtesy of multiple platforms. And they’re going to be in the show notes show notes, as always. So housekeeping done, the trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard commenced Monday, I believe, and actually Johnny Depp took the stand today, which is Tuesday, April 19 2022. But before we get ahead of ourselves, what is the main reason why all of this happen?
So if you’re not familiar,
Johnny Depp and Amber, her both are actors, and they got married back in 2015. It was a whirlwind romance, yada, yada, yada.
They ended up getting divorced in 2016. Okay,
Amber Heard divorced Johnny Depp in 2016.
In 2018,
Amber Heard wrote a article where she outlined some abuse that she had suffered at the hands of an individual.
And I’m going to read what she posted. And then we’ll go from there, because this sets the scene as to why this ongoing trial is going on. And it’ll give you some further context on the situation, courtesy of the Washington Post. Amber Heard, I spoke up against sexual violence and faced our culture’s wrath that has to change. Amber Heard is an actress and an ambassador on women’s rights at the American Civil Liberties Union. She says I was exposed to abuse at a very young age.
I knew certain things early on, without ever having to be told. I knew that men have the power physically, socially and financially, and that a lot of institutions support that arrangement. I knew this long before I had the words to articulate it. And I bet you learned it young, too. She goes on to say like many women, I had been harassed and sexually assaulted by the time I was of college age, but I kept quiet. I did not expect filing complaints to bring justice, and I didn’t see myself as a victim. Then two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse and I felt the full force of our culture’s wrath for women who speak out. She says friends and advisers told me I would never work. Never again work as an actress, that I will be blacklisted a movie I was attached to recast my role. I had just shot a two year campaign as the face of a global fashion brand and the company dropped me questions arose as to whether I would be able to keep my role of Mira in the movies Justice League and Aquaman. She also said I had the rare vantage point of seeing in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse. Imagine a powerful man as a ship like the Titanic. That ship is a huge enterprise. When he strikes an iceberg. There are a lot of people on board desperate to patch up holes, not because they believe in or even care about the ship, but
because their own fates depend on the enterprise. In recent years, the metoo movement has taught us about how power like this works, not just in Hollywood, but in all kinds of institutions, workplaces, places of worship are simply in particular communities. In every walk of life, women are confronting these men who are bullied by social, economic and cultural power. And these institutions are beginning to change. She continues, we are in a transformative political moot moment. The president of our country has been accused by more than a dozen women of sexual misconduct. President Trump was in office at that time, including assault and harassment, outrage over his statements and behavior has energized a female led opposition, hashtag me to start a conversation about just how profoundly sexual violence affects women in every area of our lives. And last month, more women were elected to Congress than ever in our history, with the mandate to take women’s issues seriously. Women’s rage, remember that women’s rage and determination to end sexual violence are turning into a political force. So that’s some of what she had to say that’s not the full context there. But you get the gist. There are other things that she put out, but that gives you the gist of the mindset of where she was coming from when she came out with these allegations. Okay. I will give you this caveat in the initial allegations that Amber Heard put out, she did not, say Johnny Depp’s name, expressly. But it can be implied that that is who she was referring to, because that’s who she was married to, in the timeframe that she was putting out in the public writing about how she was abused, assaulted, a cetera, et cetera. That is the reason why Johnny Depp has lawyered up, filed a claim of libel defamation of his reputation, because he is claiming that these are these allegations are not true. Okay, that sets the table.
Why is Johnny Depp saying that these allegations are not true? Let’s get to the bottom of it, courtesy of the Guardian and you know me I like to go to the source so we can get more of the story. This indicates it was published July 14 2020. Amber hertz claim she had two black eyes was false. A High Court told day some things are starting to unravel. There is a picture of Johnny Depp there waving his hands.
Let’s continue on. Amber Heard asked a US stylus Can you believe I just did that show with two black eyes.
Following a television appearance the night after she was allegedly hit by her then husband Johnny Depp, the High Court has been told but Samantha McMillan, who worked with the couple. When they were together, it continues to work for depth. disputed. Herds claim as the stylists gave evidence at the X actors libel trial recently, Macmillan says she spent much of the afternoon and early evening of the 16th of December 2015. With heard as the star prepared to appear on James Corden’s, The Late Late Show. She said she could see clearly that heard had no marks cuts or
bruises.
McMillan said in a witness witness statement after the show, Miss Hurd said to me, can you believe I just did that show with two black eyes
misheard did not have any black eyes, and had been visibly uninjured throughout the day and at that moment, McMillan said she later
earned their herd had accused DEP of violently abusing her the previous night. Depth 57 is suing publisher of the Sun News Group newspapers, and its executive editor Dan Wooten over an article that call him a wife beater, and refer to overwhelming evidence that he had attacked heard. Depth denies ever hitting her 34 Who has submitted details of 14 occasions during their relationship, where she says he assaulted her 14 occasions, she said and is claiming that he assaulted her. The trial also her evidence from Hilda Vargas, a housekeeper who has worked for debt for over 30 years. Wait for this guy’s wait for this story you won’t believe. In a witness statement. Vargas the housekeeper said she found in the bed on a day after the couple had a bitter argument. Johnny Depp arrived late from herds 30th birthday, and that had been what stemmed their dispute. Amber Heard said that the feces that was found in the bed by Ms. Vargas belong to one of their small York Shire terriers.
Johnny Depp told the court it was a mystery, who defecate it in their bed. He said he was convinced misheard or one of her co hurt, was involved in the defecation incident. Speaking through a translator Ms. Vargas said she had taken photographs to show her supervisor and regarded it as a lack of raw sewage SPECT for sure. Wow. Really? Did she really do that? Okay. The housekeeper went on to say more to give us further context about what goes on in the relationship between Mr. Debt and at that time Amber Heard. Vargas said she often heard Miss heard yelling at Mr. Depp and other people. She said she has a bad temper in my opinion, and I did not want her to yell at me. On the contrary, in the 30 years, she worked for Mr. Debt. She had never seen Mr. Debt, be physical, or yell at anyone. earlier. It was alleged that Amber her shouted insults at Deaf calling him washed up fat, and was physically aggressive towards him during the Christmas visit to the Caribbean. This is all given us further context. The claims were made in a witness statement by Tara Roberts, the estate manager at Depp’s home on a private island in the Bahamas. Roberts elaborates that while they were in the Bahamas, this is important, Roberts said, while they while they were in the Bahamas, Amber Heard was screaming and berating at Johnny Depp as he yelled at her to go away and says she had seen a red swelling gash on his nose. DEP told her that Amber threw a can of lacquer thinner into his face. That’s according to Tara Roberts. Roberts, who worked for DEP since 2008 called him an unusually kind man. And she said she had never seen him be violent or aggressive with Amber or anyone else. She indicated that she observed in 2015, along with her colleagues that Amber was a thrower someone who threw projectiles. Someone that threw projectiles. She said she saw heard, lunge violently Ajani, pull his hair, and commit other aggressive physical acts against him. The alleged events took place in December 2019 When Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were staying on the island with his two children and a friend referring to an apparent argument. While I cannot hear what caused the fight, Amber repeatedly berated him with increasing ferocity she elaborated She was insulting him calling him names. And in the middle of this onslaught, I heard her say specifically, your career is over, no one is going to hire you. You’re washed up fat, you will die a lonely man and also screaming things that were in comprehensible. Let’s go further. During evidence in the morning, Depp’s bodyguard said the actor initially made up an excuse after his wife allegedly severed his finger during an incident in Australia in 25th. Teen Wow, did you use will that a victim is going to protect their abuser for some reason, you know, the psychological bullying. They fit the same criteria. They never come forward with the information. He said, Wow. Wow. So that kind of gives you some further context of what other people around them in this situation have been experiencing between the housekeeper said that she saw human feces in the bed.
It seems all all signs are pointing towards Amber Heard did that out of a vendetta during an argument after an argument with Johnny Depp. Other people that were observing them interact with one another, were saying that she had a temper that she also was somebody that would throw things out of a fit of rage out of a fear of emotion during an argument, which is not out of the realm of possibility. A lot of men know and have seen during an argument, you know, some people are throwers, some people are people that just hold it in. It’s not out of the realm of possibility. Okay. So that’s kind of some further context on the backdrop and the story now, present day. What we have going on at this moment, the trial, Johnny Depp took the stand today, April 19, Tuesday, April 19 2022, to say to tell his side, I don’t have a video of that, but I am going to give you some of the information that he talked about. This source is courtesy of npr.org and it’s as follows. Johnny Depp is expected to take the stand in Virginia court Tuesday afternoon to test the fit to testify in his defamation case against his ex wife. Amber Heard He’s suing for $50 million dollars, saying her claims of domestic abuse have harmed his career and reputation. Heard 35 filed a countersuit against seeking $100 million in damages and saying his legal team falsely accused her of fabricating claims against debt. The jury trial in Virginia just outside of Washington, DC has generated intense interest prompting Circuit Court Judge judge pinnae ask her right to issue detail orders for journalist suspect Taylor’s including a ban on camping out on the grounds of the judicial complex. Okay, so that’s some of the information they talked about the essay that we went over in the Washington Post that I talked about, so it’s kind of give you some further context on the things that have been going on. Johnny Depp his side, he’s claiming that the allegations were a hoax to boost. Amber Heard career. depths filing against heard accuses her of using domestic abuse allegations to boost her career and public standing. Hurts claims made her a darling of the me to movement who gained prestigious positions at the United Nations Human Rights Office, and the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as a deal with L’Oreal. The complaint states Mr. Depp also accuses Amber Heard of using her allegations to promote her big budget film Aquaman, which was released days after the post essay was published. It went on to make more than 1 billion globally the complaint notes. In contrast, depth says his own career was severely damaged by the NSA. days after hurt. Op Ed was published. His complaint says Disney announced it will remove Johnny Depp from his leading role as Captain Jack Sparrow a role that he created in the multibillion dollar earning Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. DEP also accused her of making false claims against him motivated by malice. His complaint also says Hurd is not a victim of abuse but perpetrator, accusing her of physically abusing him during their relationship. The court filing also cites hertz 2009 arrest for domestic violence, which did not result in charges being pursued her partner in that relationship to saya van ree has defended heard saying her actions were misinterpreted and over sensationalized. This still adds further context. Johnny Depp also is I think we already mentioned this, but he sued the son publication out of the UK for calling him a wife beater and a 2018. Article. Okay, what did he actually say on the stand? No, we’re getting to the last act here. What did he actually say on the stand? Johnny Depp took the stand. Okay.
Bye. And this is what he had to say. So it was my responsibility. I felt to not only attempt to clear my name for many reasons, but I wanted to clear my children of this horrible thing that they were reading about their father. My goal is the truth. My goal is the truth. Johnny Depp set in a gravelly voice with a vaguely British accent. Truth is the only thing interested in lies will get you nowhere. Amen. I’m obsessed with the truth. Deb said that he had an abusive upbringing. claiming his mother, Betty Sue Depp was quite violent, and that his father, John Christopher Depp, abandoned his family. Johnny said she was quite cruel. There was physical abuse, which could be in the form of an ashtray being flown. It hits you in the head, or you get beat with a high heeled shoe or telephone, whatever is handy. When his father finally left, I was very disappointed, because I started to believe that his exit was sneaky, cowardly. During his testimony, Johnny Depp’s depiction of his childhood as abusive and humble. extended into his journey of becoming an actor. He moved to California with his band. When they broke up, he was scrambling to survive. He was filling out job applications in video stores, clothing stores, anything just to be able to pay the rent. Dept said that his friend actor Nicolas Cage toe him, I want you to meet my agent. Cage told that he thought he could act, Depp told took cage up on his offer and the agent sent him to read a script for the casting director of West Cravens at Nightmare on Elm Street. He was then asked to read for Craven, who cast him in the film, Deb said he was by no means an actor. I didn’t have any desire to be an actor. I was a musician. But the fact that these people are going to pay me what I found to be a ludicrous sum of money. I had never seen that kind of dough in my life. Deb said he picked up other parts to cover his bills then suddenly found himself on the road on that road. And I had been placed on that road as an actor. He revealed that he’d never seen Pirates of the Caribbean but acknowledged that the film I mean did pretty well apparently. And they wanted to keep going making more making more and I was fine to do that depth describe preparing for the role of Captain Jack Sparrow. He approached it the very same way he’s ever approached any character looking for a back history. He didn’t explain. Edward Scissorhands, for example, was based on a dog that I’d had a newborn babies. That’s interesting. And he also adds, as the afternoon continue. You got a little further context on Johnny Depp there. He continued to talk about his career extensively, and then he switched the topic into substance abuse because that’s something that Amber claimed that he had going on during their relationship If he said that he first abused drugs at 11, when he took one of his mother’s nerve pills, he claimed he didn’t take any drugs for enjoyment. So, as we were all glowing growing up, it was always those kids who would say, let’s party Let’s go party I want to party. He says, I’ve never used the word party in my life. I’ve never taken any substance for a party. I have taken these substances over the years, on and off to numb to numb myself of the ghosts, the race that were still with me from my youth. At the same time, Johnny Depp rejected the idea that he was always under the influence. I’m not some maniac who needs to be higher loaded all the time,
claiming that he’s had periods of sobriety throughout his adult life, and that he was addicted to opiate, the opiate Roxi cotone after suffering an injury while filming The fourth Pirates of the Caribbean said he detoxed during his relationship with heard gifts about witnesses, other people who interacted with them. And gives further context on the reason why Miss Hurd is suing him the 2018 op ed that talks about domestic violence that’s kind of bolstered her career and damaged Johnny’s. It also indicates here that the testimony will continue and resumes tomorrow morning, Wednesday morning, April 20. And that gives you some further context on what’s going on with the developing story between Johnny Depp Amber Heard, what I’ll say is I have stood firm in my position when it comes to hearing any allegations in the wake and in the aftermath of me too. I understand that there are a lot of people in today’s day and age who do horrible things to people. Some of the worst things ever. But I will add and I’m not sure if Amber Heard is that type of person. But there have been people who have commandeered in used the ME TOO movement to make false accusations. And at the end of the day that harms actual victims more than anyone else and the people who need to speak up and talk about that type of situation more than anybody is actual victims of violence. I keep the same tact with this. Innocent until proven guilty when anything is still pending for both sides. However, you have further context now on what is happening with this Johnny Depp definate defamation lawsuit. I’ll put a bow on it and I’ll keep it clean with this. It is not believe all women. It is not believe all women, it’s not believe all men know it is listen to everyone. Investigate
Unknown Speaker 28:52
and believe all truth.
Montay Lee 28:58
I think people get set in stone. And we as a culture. Get into a muddy and murky situation, when we just believe someone right off the RIP without getting any further context. And in the wake of me too. That’s what people are starting to realize. Some things are not adding up here based on some of the sources based on some of the background information based on the history. What really stuck out to me in this situation was the conversation with the stylist that she had when she talked about having two black eyes during an interview on James Corden. I think people would have picked up on that. And why would the stylists lie about not seeing the black eyes? I will acknowledge this. Those people work with Johnny for many years. They could have some biases there. They could just be trying to help him out. But multiple people, multiple witnesses all saying no, I’ve seen her be violent. I’ve seen her throat things. And I do think that there was a story, correct me if I’m wrong, but there was a story how the original domestic violence claims and stuff were proven to not be true. And Johnny Depp was not convicted of any crimes. And I remember hearing and seeing reports to Amber, her was actually the aggressor. In some of those scenarios. So this is a multifaceted story. It has a lot of different parts. And I wanted to bring it to the forefront, forefront, because I think this needs to be done more by men in this situation. Hey, if you have somebody claiming that you did something, and you did not do it, you should definitely pursue legal action to make sure that if somebody makes an accusation, that is a valid accusation, it can be taken seriously, because there’s a lot of legwork and things that goes behind following up on these assault and serious crimes like this. And if there are people putting out false accusations to gain or notoriety, the person and the people in the group that it damages the damages the most are actual victims of these heinous crimes. And I’ll put a bow on it there. I will continue to follow this story to see what comes of it. And this has been another episode of the Karat Juice Podcast. If you enjoyed this breakdown this commentary on this touchy subject that has to do with Johnny Depp, Amber Heard domestic violence, assault and defamation. Then do me a favor. rate and review the podcast if you’re listening on Spotify, you could listen there you could watch it there Apple podcast leave a review Spotify leave a review five star five star five star as that helps with the podcast, SEO and algorithm and our YouTube YouTube stuff. liked the video if you enjoyed it, subscribe to the channel if you want to get more content and commentary like this. And like I say every time on the Karat Juice Podcast. love someone. Don’t forget to hug someone. Do something good for someone not expecting anything in return. And until next time. I’ll see you
next week. Peace.
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