Savannah Guthrie recently interviewed Amber Heard’s lead lawyer Elaine Charlson on the Today Show and furious Johnny Depp fans wasted no time voicing their displeasure. The lead attorney on the case gave her reaction to the verdict, but a number of commenters questioned whether she should have been platformed at all. Unfortunately, Guthrie became a target for these disgruntled fans’ ire.
Savannah Guthrie Interviews Amber Heard’s Lawyer
Savannah Guthrie sat down with Amber Heard’s lawyer to discuss the verdict of the much talked about defamation case brought against Heard by her ex-husband Johnny Depp. Depp sued his ex-wife for $50 million over allegations that she defamed him by writing an op-ed referring to herself as a domestic abuse survivor. Social media reaction to the trial seemed heavily tipped in Depp’s favor, with some going out of their way to demonize Heard in the process.
The jury sided with Depp, awarding him $15 million out of his requested $50 million, though that number will drop to $10 million thanks to Virginia law. It’s unusual for defamation cases to win, which is why this verdict is such a surprise to some in the legal community, and Heard’s lawyer Elaine Charlson didn’t mince words while voicing her displeasure. See a clip of the interview below.
‘Today’ Interview Sets Off Johnny Depp Supporters
Charlson’s presence on the Today show rankled some fans of Depp, who began targeting Guthrie on social media, primarily Instagram, with disparaging comments and rants about the trial. “HORRIBLE AND ONE SIDED INTERVIEW TODAY WITH AMBER HEARD’S lawyer. You so made it obvious you were on Amber HEARD’S side. Unfollowing you and going back to ABC,” one comment read.
Another read, in part, “You lost a lot of [credibility] in my eyes…You are not a lawyer. You didn’t listen to hours and days of testimony. You automatically jump to Amber Heard’s side because she’s a woman…Come on Savanna, I thought you were an unbiased reporter.”
Plenty Of Criticism For Guthrie
Other Instagram comments also criticized Guthrie over her “bias,” with another person writing, in part, “I’m extremely disappointed and disheartened by the clear bias that was represented in this interview.” Yet another said, “Your interview…was a great example of Today Show deciding to ignore facts and unbelievable gender bias. Or did you get whoever you could on the show to gain views? Either way, it’s gross,” followed by a clown emoji.
After Guthrie posted a clip of the interview to her Instagram page, one person wrote, “Why would you even have her on and give her airtime??” seemingly referring to Charlson.
Some took issue with Guthrie’s mentions of social media’s influence on the case, leading one to comment, “To say ‘social media was a part of the judgement and lopsided and vitriolic towards Amber Heard’ is truly disappointing. How can you sit their as a journalist and continue this narrative that JD is a ‘woman beater’?…Such double standards. To be ‘unbiased ’ you sure are biased. You have a son… imagine this happening to him. #disgusted #mentoo”
It’s Just Part Of The Job
Despite the criticism from some on social media, an interview with the opposing counsel is par for the course when it comes to journalism. Reading these comments, one might think that Guthrie unabashedly announced her support for Heard rather than simply conducting an interview and asking questions that many have themselves. People are allowed to feel however they please about the outcome of this case, but that doesn’t mean they’re free to harass others for simply doing their job.