By now, everyone in the English-speaking world knows that OJ Simpson has a book coming out entitled If I Did It, And Had Motive And Opportunity And A History of Domestic Violence And Pile of Evidence And An Idiotic Team Of Prosecutors Against Me, This Is How I Would’ve Done It, Hypothetically. A friend of mine is circulating an Internet petition to register his outrage at the publisher, ReganBooks, as if the company and Judith Regan thought the public would appreciate The Juice clearing the air and would be shocked, shocked by the outrage. But my friend is a lawyer, which might imply some respect for the law, so I’ll cut him some slack.
I don’t know why I’m not shocked. I know this is a new low for law, journalism and publishing. But Newton’s Laws of Motion are still in effect, so the momentum of civilization’s downward slope shouldn’t shock anyone. It would be shocking if that momentum were halted and reversed, and the nation boycotted the book, burned down the Fox studio where the interview is being held, and OJ announced, “Okay, I murdered two people, and it didn’t affect my golf game one bit.” That would be shocking, and so, I’m not expecting it.
Speaking of the TV interview, would any sane person conduct it without having a taser on the table next to the glass of water?
In other publishing news, the following titles are slated for the spring:
Poland Was Asking for It, by Adolf Hitler
In Cold Blood, Presumably, by Truman Capote
I, the Jury, and My Agents, by Mickey Spillane
UPDATE: So civilization has not fallen as low as I had presumed. Looks like both the interview and the book have been canceled. When everyone down to Bill O’Reilly questions whether something is despicably bottom-of-the-barrel, maybe it’s time to get on your hands and knees and look in the mirror.
How had I missed publisher Judith Regan’s explanation for her involvement, that
Now will we have vigilante publishers roaming the streets, inflicting their own brand of justice when the law fails the citizens of the country? Publishers who right wrongs their own way, no matter what The Man would tell them to do? Outlaw publishers who are their own judge, jury and executioner, fighting for justice in black spandex outfits from their Batcave, fitted with high-tech lethal weaponry? (I take it back–I have no desire to see Judith Regan in black spandex, no matter how good her comic book might be.)
Jim,
I’m so torn by this. I mean, the idea of canceling a book because its subject matter is odious bugs me. There are plenty of odious books out there, things that I’d never read and whose very existence I find disgusting…but I believe even more in freedom of the press than I do in my own likes and dislikes.
I would have loved to see the O.J. book come out, if only for the notion that people might really rush the TV station where he was being interviewed, or storm the bookstores..although there again, would I have liked to see books burned? I think not.
It’s all too much to consider. Obviously Simpson is a desperate murderer who can’t stop himself, and Judith Regan got a little too close to the fire. There aren’t really any good guys here.
I would’ve liked to have seen the tv special if it were aired live, just on the chance that he might snap on national television. But he’s such a practiced liar that I might be indulging in wishful thinking.
But I wouldn’t say Judith Regan got too close to the fire. She knew exactly what she was getting into and only overestimated how much bad publicity her company’s owners would tolerate. (I’m frankly surprised they pulled the plug on it.) She’s said in interviews that this would have been “as close to a confession as we’re likely to get.” Since when is a “confession” turned into a media event instead of a legal one?