O.J. : The Original Cut and Runner
Thanksgiving usually marks my rather fluffy Thanksgiving column. But this year, there were two juicy topics I had to comment on. If I saved them for next week, they would’ve been long past their expiration date. But no fear, my column and blog will surely see plenty of mindless fluff in the future. For now, I give you these remarks on the now canceled O.J. Simpson book and interview.
News Corp, the parent company of Fox, scraped together enough shame to cancel the O.J. Simpson “If I Did It” television interview and book. Of course the project was in poor taste. How does O.J. Simpson, a man walking around free who butchered two people, not do anything in poor taste? There’s no way O.J. could satisfy the majority of the American public unless he darn near cut his own head off.
Still, I’m sorry that Fox folded under the pressure. There have always been projects steeped in controversy that caused a public uproar. “The Reagans” and “Path to 9/11” miniseries’, “The Last Temptation of Christ”, so called art consisting of a crucifix in urine or the Virgin Mary painted with dung, are but a few projects that have raised hackles. In those cases, the projects went forward and the heavens didn’t fall and the republic still stands.
I would’ve liked to have read what Simpson had to say. Why? I think it would be fascinating. Maybe illuminating. Or maybe it would be crap. But I’ll never know because a percentage of the public decided what I should or shouldn’t be allowed to read or see.
Many were outraged that News Corp. was exploiting a human tragedy for profit. Get real. Who didn’t have a book out about the O.J. Simpson trial? And speaking of exploiting a tragedy, the President all but made a 9/11 theme park in his exploitation of the tragedy for political gain. Halliburton has lined its pockets with no bid contracts in Iraq and by Katrina.
Tragedy is big business.
Plus this is Fox, people. This is the company that brought us “Temptation Island”, “Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire“, “My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance”, “When Animals Attack” and other bottom feeding entertainment. This is the company that makes money hastening the country’s cultural decline and makes money chastising us about it (The O’Reilly Factor on Fox News).
Years ago, Geraldo Rivera hosted a special in which he interviewed Charles Manson. It was riveting, fascinating, horrifying and repulsive. But it gave the viewer an insight into who this boogeyman is. Books on serial killers are best sellers. The late great Ed Bradley sat down and interviewed Timothy McVeigh who masterminded the worst home grown terrorist attack in American history. We have a fascination with what kind of people can comment heinous acts with no remorse. I don’t see viewing O.J. Simpson as anything different.
Judith Regan billed the book as O.J.’s confession. Perhaps some of us wanted to know just how he did this awful crime. Maybe we would’ve found out something new. Maybe not. And the beauty is…scratch that…was that this was supposedly America where you didn’t have to watch the program or read the book if you didn’t want to. Choice used to be a wonderful thing in this country.
The saga still holds a fascination for me. I still want to know how this childhood cultural icon became this savage killer. And I’m still amazed when I see polls where the majority of blacks think he’s innocent. I’m intrigued by what the trial revealed about racial attitudes, the LAPD, celebrity justice and the importance of the identity of the victims.
There are lots of programs and books that I loathe. The difference is I won’t try to stop you from reading or seeing them.
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