Johnny Depp, Amber Heard: Plight of the Famously Insane

Is there anyone who hasn’t seen the news about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard?

If so, here it is. The two were married briefly and are now embroiled in a very nasty lawsuit basically over who’s a bigger jerk. Johnny Depp is suing Amber Heard for $50 million dollars over an op-ed she wrote in 2018. Amber Heard is countersuing for 100 million. In the op-ed, Amber Heard talks about experiencing domestic abuse but does not say who it was from. Johnny Depp claims this article was about him, that it is untrue and has done irreparable harm to his reputation and career. But, what we are seeing played out in the courtroom is so far from flattering for anyone involved, it’s shocking this is happening. Both sides look so spoiled and insane, my guess is this showdown will be the nail in both career coffins. So, why is this happening, and why do I care?

As my sponsee would say, “Why am I so crunchy about this?”

Crunchy meaning, irritated. It’s because this is not really about money or careers or even harms done. This is about hurt, unstable egos attacking one another in public to win…what? Money they don’t really need or the court of public approval? Either way, it’s upsetting because healthy people do not play out their horrific character defects for the world to see, they just don’t. Amber Heard has been diagnosed as having a borderline personality and a histrionic personality. Both are difficult to deal with and no one would advertise. I don’t know how much we all respect Howard Stern, but he’s been around and seen a lot. When he calls someone a narcissist, I believe him. So, Johnny Depp is being characterized as a narcissist and Amber Heard as a hysterical borderline. We are also being given a bird’s eye view into their crazy and mentally ill behavior–embarrassing pictures of a passed-out Johnny Depp in relapse have invaded our screens, as well as stories of Amber Heard defecating in their marital bed. Do we really need to know this? Or more importantly, could they handle this privately so relapse and mental illness aren’t given such a bad name and reputation?

It’s also a media circus

To complicate matters further, both stars have a coterie of exes testifying. Nothing like bringing Elon Musk and Winona Ryder into the picture to make things really weird and titillating. And, all of this is really over who’s worse? Who did more damage to the other? The sad part, well there are so many, is there is no winning this fight. I guess we can be glad there are no children in this picture but this is truly grotesque. And for the record, Johnny Depp, though he may be in the right with some of this (maybe…) he’s no angel. This is a guy notorious for his substance abuse, penchant for destroying things, and general bad-boy behavior–that’s been going on since the 90s.

It’s easy to paint a target on someone’s back, especially if she’s pretty and doesn’t have a great reputation herself; but Johnny Depp is in this situation because of his choices, no one else’s. For the record, this case has already been thrown out of court in England. Depp is forcing the issue here in the US. Again, why? To force us all through some show that outs everyone and possibly makes him feel better until he realizes what he’s done and his phone stops ringing completely? And, that my friends, is the real mark of mental illness. Continuing on down a destructive road having no understanding of what’s going to happen in the long run. We call them consequences.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are not good advocates for addiction recovery or mental health

I’m no Joe Rogan fan but he has noted how bad Johnny Depp looks and sounds and pointed out the drug use and the little exercise and wellness this guy gets. Listening to Johnny Depp prattle on is doing no favors for his future. Drug use and stardom have obviously eaten his brain, and these actors look like they’re acting in some movie that has no coherent script. It’s all disappointing. I liked both of these actors but no more. Seeing this much of who they really are and the way they behave has grossed me out. I prefer the movie versions…