Howard Stern Slams Johnny Depp's Behavior At His Defamation Trial

The following article includes allegations of domestic abuse.

After Amber Heard wrote an essay for The Washington Post in 2018, alleging she was a survivor of domestic abuse, her ex-husband Johnny Depp took Heard to court. He's seeking $50 million in damages in his defamation lawsuit against Heard, but when Depp first took the stand at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Virginia, he explained that this brutal legal battle isn't about the money.

"I felt it my responsibility to stand up not only for myself in than instance but stand up for my children," Depp said, referencing his daughter Lily-Rose and son Jack, whom he shares with his ex Vanessa Paradis. "My goal is the truth," he added. Those following the trial have seen plenty of truths revealed in video and audio evidence from both parties. But if you take a look at Twitter, Depp seems to be winning in the court of public opinion. "Johnny Depp provided 80+ CCTV videos, hours of audio, and more than two dozen eyewitnesses, and people still wanna rock up and say 'I think it was mutual,'" one viral tweet argued.

Some social media users have also praised Depp's sometimes playful performance in court; the actor has joked about his early morning alcohol consumption and giving Marilyn Manson drugs. "Is it weird that this trial actually makes me love Johnny Depp as a person even more? Dude is low key hilarious," author Ross Patterson tweeted. One person Depp has failed to impress, however, is radio host Howard Stern.

On his SiriusXM radio show, Howard Stern blasted Johnny Depp's behavior in court, deeming the actor "a huge narcissist," per Mediaite. Stern also accused the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star of using his celebrity to turn the tide of public opinion in his favor. "He figured, 'I'll put this on TV and because I'm so persuasive and because I'm so smart, I'm such a wonderful guy,'" the shock jock speculated. But he opined that Depp was doing himself no favors. "He's so over-acting," Stern sniped. "He shouldn't be putting this on TV in any shape." 

Attorney Rachel Fiset of Zweiback, Fiset & Coleman told the Los Angeles Times that Depp's conversational tone and lengthy responses to questions are unusual for witness testimony, but she disagreed with Stern's assessment of the actor's performance. "If this approach could work for anyone, it would be a superstar like Johnny Depp," she said. Depp even seems to have an appreciative audience in the courtroom; he had spectators laughing at his wisecracks about some of the tabloid stories about him.

Stern didn't just criticize Depp. He included Amber Heard in his rant, saying, "It's not going well for anybody. You sound like two battling children." But Depp's fans seem to be enjoying the show — they applauded him on Twitter after he concluded his testimony for sharing his story.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.