Amanda Knox is responding to criticism regarding her new stand-up comedy show, which has faced backlash from the sister of her murdered former roommate, Meredith Kercher. Stephanie Kercher expressed concerns that the performance "normalizes and trivializes violence against women," while acknowledging Knox's right to pursue her career. She stated that if someone else were performing a similar show about Meredith, she would feel the same way, emphasizing that it should not be given a platform.
An online petition has been launched calling for the show's cancellation, claiming it mocks the circumstances surrounding Meredith's murder. Knox defended her show, titled "Cartwheel," stating that she believes it is empowering for women and expressed hope that Kercher's family would attend.
The show, which references media reports of Knox's behavior following the discovery of Kercher's body, is described as focusing on a woman nearing forty who is navigating motherhood and her feelings about her wrongful imprisonment. It is scheduled to run for 11 days at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland.
Knox, now 39, was involved in a high-profile case nearly two decades ago when her roommate was found murdered in Italy. Knox and her then-boyfriend were initially convicted but were acquitted by Italy's highest court in 2015. Rudy Hermann Guede, whose DNA was found at the crime scene, was convicted of the murder and served a reduced sentence, being released in 2021. Knox has since become an advocate for the wrongfully convicted, launching a podcast and writing two books.