The O. J. Simpson Trial: Drama of the Century (2015)
You can now add Keeping Up With The Kardashians to the long list of things OJ Simpson was wrong about.
Among the many revelations that have spilled out of the O.J.: Made In America documentary a five-part series that is being broadcast all week and has been critically acclaimed as one of ESPNs best works comes a small anecdote from the night Simpsonset to steal memorabilia that he claimed had been initially stolen from him.
Per the Huffington Post, OJ and Tom Riccio, the man who goaded Simpson into attempting the robbery, were watching TV on the night of Sept 13, 2007. An interview withKim Kardashianwas airing on The Tyra Banks Show that day. Kim was announcing that her family was set to star in a new reality show.
According to Riccios account, its safe to say OJ thought the show would be trash.
Riccio recalled OJ saying,
Thats my goddaughter, her name is Kim.That show aint going to last two weeks.
This anecdote is a reminder of one of the more interesting, trivia-like facts about OJ Simpsons life, particularly at a time when that life is being brilliant dissected and analyzed by ESPNs documentary.
OJ was, in fact, very close to the Kardashians, a fact which is not insignificant in the USC legends incredibly complex tale.He was Kims godfather, and Kris Jenner was a close friend of the former football star.
Nicole Brown Simpson and her life as a victim of domestic violence is also examined in this documentary.
OJ was represented by Jenners ex-husband, Robert Kardashian. Meanwhile, a different documentary raises the question of Khlo Kardashians relation to OJ Simpson.
So, yeah. Its safe to say that OJs connection to the Kardashians is pretty important. That connection didnt stop him from throwing shade at their show, though.
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The O. J. Simpson Trial: Drama of the Century (2015)
When you hear the name O.J. Simpson, you tend to think up images from his famous 1994 trial (where he was found not guilty) or, if you are of the younger variety, scenes from the recent FX hit, American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson. In that case, you probably see Cuba Gooding Jr. in your mind rather than the famed football player-turned actor-turned accused murderer. Yep, Simpson was intent on being an actor, but you aren"t alone in asking, what movies has O.J. Simpson been in. That"s right, O.J. Simpson was trying hard to build some sort of movie career and although he will likely never be remembered as a movie star or even an actor, the proof is in his would-be career in show business.
Of course at the time of his trial, O.J. Simpson was well known for his Hertz commercials and for being a football superstar, but there had always been a part of the charismatic camera-ready man that obviously yearned for stardom on the big screen. And, believe it or not my fellow young millennials, he definitely made it in some capacity. But what movies was O.J. Simpson in? Unsurprisingly, none of O.J. Simpson"s movies were cinematic classics and hits like those in the n***d Gun series, but damned if Simpson didn"t give it all he had. Even if it wasn"t much.
GIPHY
You know how when an athlete guest stars in a TV show or makes a cameo in a movie, even if you don"t realize they"re a famous football or basketball player, you can usually tell that they are because of their awful acting chops? The lines delivered in the most cringe-worthy of ways? I won"t say O.J. Simpson was as bad as an athlete showing up on an after school special, but a huge movie career he did not make, even with several movies like these under his belt.
The Towering Inferno (1974)
Simpson appeared in The Towering Inferno, alongside Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, so it wasn"t a bad group to be cast with. Based on a novel, almost the entire movie centers around a fire in a huge office building and the people inside trying to get out. You know, kind of like a Michael Bay film in the "70s.
The Diamond Mercenaries (1976) GIPHY
Think of this as an Oceans 11 before (and after) its time. The Diamond Mercenaries is about a group of jewel thieves trying to pull off some crazy diamond heist.
The Cassandra Crossing (1976)
Taking pretty much any role you"re offered has its perks. Especially for Simpson, when he got to work with Martin Sheen in The Cassandra Crossing. The movie is like a Contagion-esque scenario, except everyone who is infected is stuck on a train speeding through Europe.
Capricorn One (1977) Warner Bros.
This one actually sounds kind of good. It"s about the cover up of a faked NASA mission and also stars Elliot Gould and James Brolin in his heyday. OK, so we don"t exactly talk about this movie today, but it had to have some value in its time, right? Right?
Firepower (1979)
O.J. Simpson had a pretty big role in Firepower, about a fugitive on the run and the several people after him for different reasons. Yes, a fugitive. We can"t even make up the irony in that.
The n***d Gun (1988)
As a crime drama spoof, The n***d Gun did everything right. It even got in a cameo of an attractive former pro football player who would go on to appear in both of its sequels. Is it a timeless classic today? Well, it remains high ranking on both IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, which currently has it at at 86% fresh rating. So there"s that.
The n***d Gun 2 1/2: The Smell Of Fear (1991)
Obviously Hollywood can"t just quit while they"re ahead, like ever. Sequels are the stuff that can either totally ruin a movie or leave people wanting yet another one. In this case, it just makes you appreciate the first movie on its own. With the same sort of humor and pretty much the same cast, The n***d Gun 2 1/2 grossed about $8 million more than its predecessor, but remains slightly inferior to the original.
No Place To Hide (1992)
Simpson starred with Kris Kristofferson and a young Drew Barrymore in this thriller mystery about the death of a teenage ballerina and the sister she left behind, who becomes a target herself. Is it the stuff Oscars are made of? Probably not, but you have to give O.J. Simpson props for getting in on another movie with some pretty decent leads.
n***d Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994)
When you"ve got two movies making close to $100 million each, you have to add a third and make a trilogy, right? Luckily for O.J. Simpson, he was welcomed back a third time to the n***d Gun franchise, reprising his painful role as Nordberg, best friend and partner to Leslie Nielsen.
Obviously O.J. Simpson"s movie career wasn"t super expansive or even impressive, but that seemed to be his goal for the better part of his career during and after football. In fact, he was trying to break into big time acting right up until his trial in 1994.
New Film "O.J.: Made in America" Explores The Life Of OJ Simpson | Morning Joe | MSNBC
Simpson said in the 15-minute hearing in 2013 that he wasnt like other inmates
ESPNs new documentary OJ: Made in America,opens with stunning footage of a 2013 hearing in which NevadaParole Commissioner Susan Jackson asks OJ Simpson about that time he was arrested in 1994.
Simpson appears shocked that Jackson, like almost everyone else in America, doesnt know the details already. The 1994 arrest was for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Mark Goldman. Simpson was acquitted the next year, but sentenced to 33 years in prison in 2007 for trying to steal sports memorabilia he said was stolen from him.
Also Read: Seen "OJ: Made in America"? 5 OJ Simpson Facts You Still Don"t Know
After the hearing,Simpson was granted parole on some charges. But he was ineligible for parole on the others, which means he will remain behind bars for the time being.
The 15-minute video of the full hearing (above) includes many details that that the first episode ofOJ: Made in America does not. Simpson begins by sayingthat when he first arrived at Nevadas Lovelock Correctional Center, he vowed to bethe best person that theyve ever had here. He sayshe thinks hes succeeded.
Ive not had any instances, despite all those stories in the tabloids and everything, he says. I havent had one incident since Ive been here.
Also Read: "OJ: Made in America": The 5 Biggest Shockers (Photos)
He also says many inmates have told him about robberies they pulled even one guy who robbed a gun shop, which I think took a lot of guts.
Simpson says he isnt like the other inmates, who tried to steal other peoples possessions.
My crime was trying to retrieve for my family my own property, property that was stolen from me, he said, adding that California officials have ruled that it did in fact belong to him.
Also Read: OJ Simpson"s Robbery Sentence Too Harsh, Says DA in Murder Case
Simpson also says he missed his sisters funeral and two of his childrens college graduations while behind bars. He say he deeply regrets confronting the men he believes stole from him.
I wasnt as civil as I should have been, he said.
He is asked if alcohol was a factor, and concedes it might have been but says he never had a drinking problem.
I was celebrating a wedding and I had been drinking all day, he said. I didnt feel that I was drunk but I also didnt think that I was capable of driving an automobile.
Also Read: "OJ: Made in America": 10 Crucial Moments in Simpson"s Life Before ESPN"s Groundbreaking Doc (Photos)
In an interview with TheWrap on Thursday, former Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti, who led the unsuccessful double-murder case against Simpson, said he thought Simpsons Nevada sentence was too harsh. He said it seemed like payback for Simpson avoiding prison in the murder case.
Our job is to seek justice, Garcetti said. Justice was not served when OJ Simpson was acquitted. But in my mind, justice was not served either when he was sentenced to 33 years for the crimes for which he was convicted.
As magnificent as The People v. O.J. Simpson was, Made In America brings a scope to the infamous murder trial that has never been attempted before
22 years removed from the Trial of the Century, and just a few weeks removed from "The People v. O.J. Simpson," you may wonder if there"s anything "O.J.: Made In America" can say that hasn"t been said already. Director Ezra Edelman once thought the same thing, but his five-part epic has expanded the scope of this one trial to include 50 years of American culture and conflict.
Americas fascination with O.J. Simpson came long before the Bronco chase, and thats one of the major things director Ezra Edelman wants you to take from part one of his ESPN "30 for 30" documentary, "O.J.: Made in America," which aired on ABC Saturday night.
The documentarybegins by showing Simpson at the cusp of stardom, coming to USC in 1967 from the lower-income housing of the Potrero Hill neighborhood in San Francisco.
Edelman shows a shy Simpson dealing with his newfound attention at the plush campus of USC with his wife, Marguerite, by his side.
But when he gets on the field we see a different side of Simpson: a powerful and determined running back who is also agile enough to turn the secondarys legs into spaghetti when he gets into the open field.
Simpsons first taste of legendary status washis dramatic run against city rival UCLA in "67. His 64-yard run in the fourth quarter to give USC the win became known as The Run.
(AP) O.J. Simpson being honored as college football"s outstanding player in 1968.
Hewasuntouchable and that reputation only grew when he won the Heisman Trophy the next year and went to play for the Buffalo Bills in the NFL, where his rushing for a record 2,000 yards in the 1973 season cemented his Hall of Fame career.
The success on the field moved to off-the-field endorsements, something that a black athlete never got from white Madison Avenue before.
Thats where Edelman perfectly places the other big takeaway from part one of "Made in America." Something that would always be a haze surrounding Simpson: race.
Black leaders approached Simpson in the late 1960s to be a figure for the civil-rights cause much like Muhammad Ali refusing to fight in Vietnam or Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising their fists at the 1968 Olympics.
He declined, pointing out: Im not black. Im O.J.
With the Watts riots in 1965 and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. still fresh on the minds of African-Americans by the early 1970s, Simpson was far removed from the frontlines of what black people dealt with on a daily basis.
But that didnt mean he was withouthis own demons. One of the most revealing moments of part one is when a childhood friend of Simpson"s describes seeing Simpson"s father, divorced from his mother, in his apartment with another man, both wearing only bathrobes.
Simpson has rarely ever spoken about his father in interviews, and friends of O.J. say in the movie they never talked to Simpson about his father being gay. But Edleman plants a deep-seeded issue that we will see more developed later in forthcoming parts of the documentary.
(Upgrade Travel Better/ Hertz) O.J. Simpson in Hertz ad.
By the late 1970s, Simpson really did seem to transcend racial perception in his role as a pitchman for Hertz.
Edelman doesnt just give us a look athow the popular campaign was created, but also drives home the point that at this point in his life, Simpson was one of the most recognizable faces in the country.
With that kind of fame comes a lot of power and temptation. Simpson, now living in Hollywood and estranged from Marguerite, becomes obsessed with an 18-year-old named Nicole Brown, and there begins the next chapter in Simpsons life and inevitably his self-destruction.
In part one of O.J.: Made in America, Edelman uses incredible detail archival footage and interviews to show us Simpson becoming the person he wanted to be since growing up in the projects. But what he also hints at is that the downfall of Simpson was not a moment of rage or someone snapping.
Simpsons disregard for others has been around since the beginning. Whether its stealing his best friends girlfriend in high school or on his first date with Nicole Brown, ripping her jeans when she declines his advances.
But when you"ve spent your life being told you"re great, and you"re nowone of the most famous people in the world, what you want becomes yours.
Part two of O.J.: Made in America airs on ESPN on June 14.
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