Amanda Knox is pushing back against a petition seeking to cancel her comedy performance, offering her defense of the show. The Amanda Knox Defends ‘Cartwheel’ Comedy Show Amid Petition For Cancellation first appeared on The Blast

Amanda Knox is speaking out in defense of her comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe amid a petition calling for its cancellation. The comedian, who was convicted of murdering her roommate in Italy, was later acquitted after years of fighting to clear her name. Knox has since turned to writing, podcasting, and comedy while continuing to speak about her experience.

Amanda Knox Says Her Comedy Show Honors Murdered Friend’s Memory

Amanda Knox has responded to the petition demanding the cancellation of her comedy show, “Cartwheel,” at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. She took to Instagram to release a statement and explained that her set is going to be about her experiences as a mother and the cost of telling her truth.

Knox added that all the people who signed the petition, as well as its author, have not seen her show yet wrote or believed “false assumptions” and mischaracterizations about its content. Instead, she claims the show “honors Meredith Kercher’s memory and calls out the violence that was done to her and to me.”

“A petition to cancel a show no one has seen, on the grounds of false accusations intended to shame and vilify a wronged woman into silence, is not an argument against Cartwheel. It’s a fairly precise description of what Cartwheel is about and why it deserves to exist,” she wrote.

The Stand-Up Comedian Believes The Festival Is The Perfect Avenue

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a performing arts festival held in Scotland annually, which features a variety of acts, including stand-up comedy sets, circus acts, musical performances, and theater productions. Knox said it’s the “perfect” place for “Cartwheel.”

“Many of the Fringe’s most celebrated comedy shows tackle difficult subjects including grief, trauma, mental health, addiction, illness, identity, and politics. Comics rarely treat these experiences lightly or make them the butt of the joke,” she wrote.

Knox’s guilty verdict was overturned after spending years in prison. Since then, she has opened up about her experiences by writing two books, appearing in podcasts, and participating in documentaries.

Amanda Knox Says She Doesn’t Cross Certain Lines

Knox rebuilt her life following her wrongful conviction, and she has since started a family, as previously reported by The Blast. She continues to confront her past publicly through stand-up comedy.

While she said nothing is off the table when it comes to comedy, she is also firm in not crossing certain lines. Her fellow comedians advised her to mention the “elephant in the room,” referring to her incarceration, and she followed their advice. However, she would never joke about Meredith Kercher’s murder.

“I don’t joke about Meredith’s death. I joke a lot about how I was vilified, but I don’t joke about her murder. That’s just a line for me. I set red lines for myself that other comedians don’t,” Knox said in an interview with The Telegraph, adding that she has received suggestions for jokes that she would never do.

Meredith Kercher’s Sister Speaks Out

A lawyer for the Kerchers said the family isn’t pleased about Knox’s comedy show. Meredith’s sister, Stephanie, spoke on “BBC Breakfast” and asked Knox to put herself in their position. “Think about the family here, think about her friends and to turn the tables if it was your sister that this had happened to, because I know you have a sister as well,” she said.

Stephanie said Meredith wouldn’t find “comedy value” in what Knox is doing, adding that her family is still in “immense” pain almost 20 years after Meredith’s murder.

Knox’s conviction was officially overturned in 2015, but she assumes the Kerchers still believe she is guilty. The comedian is open to speaking to the family, but they have never directly reached out to her. “I would very much want to establish that kind of communication, but I’m not going to have my life dictated by what they want for me,” she said.

Amanda Knox’s Comedy Show Will Push Forward

The petition to cancel Knox’s show has amassed more than 10,000 signatures since it was launched. It claims the comedian’s show “mocks” Kercher’s death and turns “tragedy into entertainment,” urging people to sign “out of respect for Meredith’s family.”

The festival’s director, Tony Lankester, addressed the issue, saying that they are “not afraid of controversy.” He did say, however, that the final decision rests with the festival’s venue. Knox’s shows will be held at the Gilded Balloon Teviot, and per Deadline, a representative said the comedian’s 11 shows will continue as intended, citing the festival’s “commitment to freedom of expression.”

The Amanda Knox Defends ‘Cartwheel’ Comedy Show Amid Petition For Cancellation first appeared on The Blast