Monday Update: Amanda Knox Slams Matt Damon’s ‘Stillwater’ For Fictionalizing Her ‘Saga’, Soap Star Jay Pickett Dies On Movie Set, Willie Nelson Protests Texas Voting Laws

We’re tracking the conservative culture clash with woke Hollywood hypocrites to keep you up to date on who’s winning and who we hate. 

 Here’s what happened today:

Amanda Knox took aim at actor Matt Damon for his new film “Stillwater,” which  fictionalizes the killing of Knox’s roommate Meredith Kercher, for which she was wrongfully convicted of committing. 

“Does my name belong to me?” Knox wrote in a Thursday Twitter tirade. “My face? What about my life? My story? Why does my name refer to events I had no hand in? I return to these questions because others continue to profit off my name, face & story without my consent. Most recently, the film #STILLWATER.”

Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were convicted of the murder twice in Italy, then later acquitted in 2007. She expressed her anger that a Vanity Fair article promoting the film said that it was “loosely based” on the “Amanda Knox saga,” though she was not affiliated with the movie at all.  

“I want to pause right here on that phrase: “the Amanda Knox saga.” What does that refer to? Does it refer to anything I did?” She posted. “No. It refers to the events that resulted from the murder of Meredith Kercher by a burglar named Rudy Guede.”

“It refers to the shoddy police work, prosecutorial tunnel vision, and refusal to admit their mistakes that led the Italian authorities to wrongfully convict me, twice,” she continued. “In those four years of wrongful imprisonment and 8 years of trial, I had near-zero agency.”

She argued that the character based on her in the film has a sexual relationship with her murdered roommate, after Kercher’s death was painted as a sex game gone wrong, despite Knox’s claims that she “was nothing but platonic friends with Meredith.” 

“By fictionalizing away my innocence, my total lack of involvement, by erasing the role of the authorities in my wrongful conviction, [the film’s director] reinforces an image of me as a guilty and untrustworthy person,” she went on.

She slammed Damon for profiting off the fictionalization of her nightmare ordeal and challenged him to appear on her podcast to discuss how the film affects her public image.   

What A Joke

HBO host Bill Maher slammed cancel culture and mocked the CDC’s mask guidance over the weekend. During his Friday night program, he discussed how several Olympic officials have been fired for their offensive jokes at the games.

“Young people have to stop flattering themselves that they’re Nostradamus and would have foreseen had they been around back then everything that is unacceptable now,” he quipped. “Why do we allow the people who just want to b*tch always win?… This is called a purge. It’s a mentality that belongs in Stalin’s Russia.”

The “Real Time” host also bashed the CDC’s “confusing” updated mask guidance. “The CDC put out new mask guidelines now, which, it’s all just so f—in’ confusing,” Maher remarked. “Indoors, outdoors, vaccinated, not vaccinated, masked, not masked. The Walmart shoppers don’t know who to punch anymore.”

“So now we’re back to wearing the mask from the front of the restaurant until the waiter brings the breadsticks,” he continued. “It’s called science, people! Sometimes I think we have to cover our faces so other people can cover their a–.”

Deadline

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. might get slapped with millions of dollars in damages after he refused to respond to a lawsuit from a woman accusing him of raping her in 2013.  

A federal judge said that Gooding’s failure to respond to the claim was an admission of liability and forcing his accuser to wait any longer after the “Jerry Maguire” star willfully ignored her claims was unfair.  

The plaintiff alleged that Gooding raped her without protection in his New York City hotel room after luring her there under false pretenses, and is suing him for $6 million. The judge gave Gooding until Sept. 7th to participate in the case, and will decide on damages after that. 

Protest

Country music icon Willie Nelson performed his 2018 song “Vote ‘Em Out” at the Texas Capitol on Saturday at the rally closing out the four day “Moral March for Democracy,” in opposition of two new bills they claim infringe on voter’s rights.

The 27 mile march from Georgetown to Austin was a response to Texas republican proposed House Bill 3 and Senate Bill 1, which outlines voter ID requirements, restricts weekend voting hours, and limits ballot drop boxes. 

Nelson and his fans belted out the lyrics “If you don’t like who’s in there, vote ‘em out,” at the rally.

Heart Attack

“Better Call Saul” star Bob Odenkirk confirmed his onset collapse and subsequent hospitalization last week was due to heart attack.

“To my family and friends who have surrounded me this week. And for the outpouring of love from everyone who expressed concern and care for me. It’s overwhelming. But I feel the love and it means so much,” he tweeted Friday.

“I had a small heart attack. But I’m going to be ok thanks to Rosa Estrada and the doctors who knew how to fix the blockage without surgery,” he continued. “Also, AMC and SONYs support and help throughout this has been next-level.  I’m going to take a beat to recover but I’ll be back soon.”

RIP

Legendary soap opera actor Jay Pickett died unexpectedly on the set of his new film “Treasure Valley,” from a suspected heart attack at the age of 60.

Pickett is best known for his work on daytime television shows including “Port Charles,” “Days of Our Lives,” and “General Hospital.” He also appeared on “The Mentalist,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” and “Rosewood.” 

“[Pickett] passed away suddenly while we were on location preparing to film a scene,” said “Treasure Valley” producer Travis Mills. “There is no official explanation for the cause of his death but it appears to have been a heart attack.” 

“Everyone present tried as hard as they could to keep him alive,” Mills continued. “Our hearts are broken and we grieve for his family who are so devastated by this shocking tragedy.”

Native American character actor Saginaw Grant, known for his work on AMC hit “Breaking Bad,” died at the age of 85 of natural causes last week.

In his four-decade-long career, Grant appeared in “The Lone Ranger,” “Baywatch,” “Shameless,” and “My Name Is Earl,” amongst others.   

The United States Marine Corps veteran, who served in the Korean War, died in his sleep at a private care facility in Hollywood, California.  

Axed

Rapper DaBaby was canned from Chicago music festival Lollapalooza for remarks he made about LGBTQ members suffering from AIDS during a concert last week.

“Lollapalooza was founded on diversity, inclusivity, respect, and love,” festival organizers wrote on Sunday. “With that in mind, DaBaby will no longer be performing at Grant Park tonight.”

Singer Madonna admonished him for his commentary on Instagram. “A message to DaBaby — if you’re going to make hateful remarks to the LGBTQ+ community about HIV/AIDS then know your facts,” the pop icon posted.

“After decades of hard-won scientific research— there are now life-saving medicines available to children born with HIV, to people who contract HIV through blood transfusions, dirty needles or exchange of bodily fluids,” she continued. “These new ARV’s can keep a person with AIDS alive for the rest of their lives!!! AID’s [sic] is not transmitted by standing next to someone in a crowd.”

“I want to put my cellphone lighter up and pray for your ignorance, No one dies of AIDS in 2 or 3 weeks anymore. Thank God,” she said in reference to the rapper telling concert-goers: “If you didn’t show up today with HIV, AIDS, or any of the deadly sexually transmitted diseases, that’ll make you die in two to three weeks, then put your cellphone lighter up.”

Marie Finn