OJ, Fox and Sleaze

OJ Simpson's NFL rookie card, 1970.

Tuesday and Wednesday MC101 classes had a medianote about the OJ Simpson controversy and the eventual decision by Fox to shelve the book If I Did It and the promotional two-part TV interview that would have undoubtedly generated both ratings and book sales. The always-reliable National Public Radio has done a story about the OJ-Fox Saga.

Generally speaking, the MC101s were only somewhat disgusted by the Simpson book and interview, which I think may have something to do with the mass media environment in which they were raised. Sure, big media has always been about attracting audiences and making money, but I don't remember major media companies being quite so desperate, quite so willing to do, anything, than they have been in recent years.

As for Mr. Simpson, what a strange public figure he has become. For decades, he was an American hero, first as a tremendously talented tailback at USC, then as a great star in the NFL. An acting career followed, which included various disaster movies and a turn as guest host on Saturday Night Live. He was a respected corporate pitchman for Hertz, "The Superstar of Rent a Car." Then came the rumors of spousal abuse, which sounded more and more serious as time went on. Then, of course, the murders, the low-speed chase, the criminal trial (The Trial of the Century!), the civil trial, and on and on and on.

I can think of few people who have been famous (and infamous) in quite so many different ways.

Gabcast! Club MediaNote #7