American Crime Story in the Media

[yeswedo]

Your media topic

[BetterButter]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2-vm-L_dk4

[BetterButter]

‘American Crime Story’ Season 2 Will Be About Hurricane Katrina/

[Avaleigh]

I have to say that I'm not too enthused about an entire season of Hurricane Katrina. I don't feel like Ryan Murphy can do a better job than any of the documentaries that are available. I certainly don't think that there will be any fresh insights. 

 

I'd be more interested in something like the Lindbergh kidnapping or the death/murder of Thomas Ince.

 

ETA:

 

Bernie Madoff or Charles Ponzi could be interesting too.

 

There are a bunch of interesting cases in the American polygamist community but the murder of Rulon Allred seems like it could be a story worth telling. 

 

Warren Jeffs would be good but I doubt that'll happen since Lifetime already made a (terrible) movie about his reign over the FLDS. 

 

If they ever do a cult the whole Waco thing since there's a lot to draw from in that incident and there are a lot of strong roles for the actors like Janet Reno and the cult leader. 

Edited January 23, 2016 by Avaleigh

[Umbelina]

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/the-people-v-o-j-simpson-american-crime-story-review-superb-series-1.11408418

 

Well, this review is a complete rave, also interesting.  You can assume spoilers in reviews I think, or, Mods, should we tag them?

 

http://www.vulture.com/2016/01/tv-review-the-people-v-oj-simpson.html 

In the fifth episode of The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, one of the accused double murderer’s African-American defense attorneys, Johnnie Cochran (Courtney B. Vance), scouts the Juice’s Brentwood home in advance of a crime-scene visit by the jury. The house is a typically bland 1980s-vintage Southern California snoozer, its walls painted in a hue that could be described as white-bread. Most of O.J.’s photos show the former NFL running back and unlikely movie star — played here by Cuba Gooding Jr. — with white folks and more white folks. Hanging over the fireplace is a framed Norman Rockwell print depicting two Caucasian boys in old-fashioned leather helmets playing football. “This won’t do,” Cochran mutters to himself, and the episode cuts to a moving crew importing funkier furniture and loads of African artwork. The crowning touch is a replacement Rockwell “on a loan from the Cochran collection,” as the lawyer puts it: the cover of the 1964 issue of Look magazine portraying African-American schoolgirl Ruby Bridges, then all of 6, entering a segregated white New Orleans school in the company of federal marshals. The issue’s title: “The Problem We All Live With.”

 

Edited January 30, 2016 by Umbelina

[Aethera]

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/the-people-v-o-j-simpson-american-crime-story-review-superb-series-1.11408418

 

Well, this review is a complete rave, also interesting.  You can assume spoilers in reviews I think, or, Mods, should we tag them?

 

http://www.vulture.com/2016/01/tv-review-the-people-v-oj-simpson.html 

Yes, you can assume spoilers in reviews, in the media thread :)

[Umbelina]

Thanks aethera!  Good to know.  I'll remove the spoiler tags then.

 

http://www.vanityfair.com/style/scandal/2014/06/sheila-weller-oj-simpson-murder

How O.J. and Nicole Brown’s Friends Coped with Murder in Their Midst

There was also that wider, more vague sadness—petty, perhaps, given what happened—for the loss of a world that had a sweetness that the news depictions didn’t capture. These people were in mourning not just for a friend—two friends, for some—but for a community that had nurtured them. Nicole and O.J., whatever their problems in the last few years, had a generous marriage; they had long been at the center of a spirited, sustaining, not unwholesome community. “Such good times we all had,” one of Nicole’s best friends, Linda Schulman, told me. “The bad times, they kept to themselves.” (Well, sort of.)

 

[Umbelina]

http://simpson.walraven.org/index.html

 

This page contains a lot of transcripts and other trial (both trials, criminal and civil) related documents.  As a RHBH fan, I've mostly read through some connected with that show.  It's pretty comprehensive, and thought I should put the link in for anyone who wants to check stuff that may come up on the TV show in less depth.

 

ETA

I highly recommend reading these depositions.  While lawyers may object, witness still must answer.  Much of the information in the civil trial was not in the criminal trial, and without Ito's grandstanding, you get a clearer picture than this show, which is based on that, will show. 

Edited February 1, 2016 by Umbelina

[Major Bigtime]

I watched Fred and Kim Goldman, and Nicole's older sister, on Dr. Phil today. They are NOT happy about this miniseries. At all. None of them were consulted by producers beforehand. Kato Kaelin said no one contacted him and that he knows there are errors regarding him on that night.

[Kromm]

Oh, if anyone wants to wonder what Goldman's current concerns are, you DO have to watch some Dr. Phil clips. But in a nutshell? He believes the bit the show is portraying with OJ threatening suicide in Kim Kardashian's bedroom is pure fiction, that the show makers should know that, and put it in anyway to leverage the Kardashian name.

As a consequence it's also evoking pity for OJ he doesn't deserve.

[JennB]

He believes the bit the show is portraying with OJ threatening suicide in Kim Kardashian's bedroom is pure fiction, that the show makers should know that, and put it in anyway to leverage the Kardashian name.

 

I'm reading the Toobin book right now and it's not in there. The Kardashian kids are only mentioned once (at least so far), just in terms of how the Simpson and Kardashian families hung out, so the Kardashian kids played with Simpson's kids. They're such a non-entity in the book that Kris is referred to as Kristen, and Khloe's name is misspelled (Khole).

[Aethera]

FYI, I moved this discussion of the Dr. Phil ep and related stuff from the episode thread to this one.

[Umbelina]

If you don't read one other deposition on that link above, read Kato's.  It spells it all out in a way the criminal trial never managed to do.  This was premeditated murder, and it's obvious he was attempting to use Kato as his alibi.

 

I'm about to read OJ's AFTER Kato testified.  Simply because OJ sat there the whole time Kato was being deposed, IMO, to intimidate him.  Also, although OJ was already done with his deposition, he comes back a few days after Kato's and does it again. 

 

Compared to the trial and the joke of Judge Ito, these were so refreshing to read, much more interesting and informative frankly. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

Not sure if this should go here or in the social media thread, but here is an interview with Marcia Clark, who appeared on The View today.  If this belongs in the Social Media thread, can a mod please move it there? Thanks.

 

The first clip is on the actual show; the second, the aftershow:

 

Marcia Clark on The View

 

Aftershow

[Umbelina]

I loved watching those!  Thanks, especially the older footage of them staging OJ's house for the jury, removing all the white people photographs and adding black people photographs, changing the actual art there for the same reasons.  The after show is much more interesting.

[AndySmith]

Here is Marcia Clark's reaction to the first episode. It's from Entertainment Weekly, and is actually a pretty good interview, given how low the standards and quality of that magazine have fallen over the last 5 years or so.

 

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/02/people-v-oj-simpson-marcia-clark?iid=sr-link1

[BW Manilowe]

Kim Goldman is unhappy with the way the first episode depicted her brother, Ron--which is, not as a hero who died trying to save Nicole from her killer.

http://www.people.com/people/mobile/article/0,,20984766,00.html

[BBDi]

I'm not sure how I feel about the TV show so far, but I'm definitely obsessed with the case again. I didn't read any of the books written after the case, but now I want to. Maybe Bugliosi's or Toobin's.

[BW Manilowe]

A private eye from Dallas says he has evidence which can prove OJ's innocent of the killings (not surprisingly, he's also written a book--in 2012--about this); he's currently shopping a proposal for another multipart miniseries based on his claims, with help from legendary actor Martin Sheen.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/martin-sheen-helps-shop-new-861411

[ShadowHunter]

Ratings were good 5.1 million total viewers and a 2.0 demo rating. I am sure more will come in with DVR and On Demand.

[Umbelina]

In Kato's civil deposition (linked above) he says he saw a satchel, kind of like a book bag, or backpack sitting by the Bentley as OJ was leaving for the airport, after the aborted "let's go investigate the bumps" stuff between OJ and Kato.  Kato went over to load it into the limo, and OJ told him no, he'd get it, and rushed past Kato (very fast) and picked it up himself. 

 

OJ denies it's existence in later testimony, but does say his kids had bags like that.  So, of all the bags, that's the one that disappeared.  It doesn't sound big enough to hold clothing/shoes though, maybe if it were just something like a plastic slicker, the shoes, and the knife though.  He had so many opportunities to dump that one though.

[Umbelina]

A private eye from Dallas says he has evidence which can prove OJ's innocent of the killings (not surprisingly, he's also written a book--in 2012--about this); he's currently shopping a proposal for another multipart miniseries based on his claims, with help from legendary actor Martin Sheen.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/martin-sheen-helps-shop-new-861411

To save some time?

 

This book is saying that Jason did it, OJ's oldest son.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R30V2WSVQRIDI4/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1616086203&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=283155&store=books This review lays it out for you. 

 

Jason's civil testimony is in that link above.  Jason had a set of chef's knives because he was a sous chef at the time.  I would think the prosecution completely checked those knives, but who knows?  Jason apparently adored Nicole as a "big sister" and states several times in his testimony what a good mother she was, and how much he liked/loved her as a person.  He was disappointed about the restaurant change, since he couldn't get off to go to the recital, but angry enough to go murder her?  Seriously?  He has epilepsy BTW.

 

Do I think OJ would cast shade on his son to get off?  Oh hell yes.

[JennB]

The question is, would Jason let his father possibly go to jail for a murder he committed?

[rho]

Thanks for posting! I lost about five hours today skimming through these. Any idea if the series will address the civil trial? The season is subtitled "People v OJ Simpson" which makes me think the civil trial will maybe be a footnote, or is it just playing off the name of the source material. I should probably get around to reading the book. Still, I think if we're examining all sides, it should be noted that he was indirectly found guilty of the murders.

[BBDi]

If you all haven't already, look for the letter written by Nicole among those court documents that were linked to.

I never really had a good sense of her as a person but that letter really gave a glimpse into her marriage to OJ. Sad.

[Kromm]

Ratings were good 5.1 million total viewers and a 2.0 demo rating. I am sure more will come in with DVR and On Demand.

Well for Fx that's good.  But yeah, On Demand and DVR will matter a lot with this--those will definitely boost the numbers.

A private eye from Dallas says he has evidence which can prove OJ's innocent of the killings (not surprisingly, he's also written a book--in 2012--about this); he's currently shopping a proposal for another multipart miniseries based on his claims, with help from legendary actor Martin Sheen.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/martin-sheen-helps-shop-new-861411

Marty Sheen is an idiot in some ways, but I'm amazed if this is true and he's really on board with silly crap like this. Someone who says they have the murder weapon?  Good lord. Does he have a bridge in Brooklyn he's trying to sell too?

[BW Manilowe]

OJ's (former?) business manager has issues with Cuba Gooding Jr.'s portrayal of OJ.

http://www.people.com/people/mobile/article/0,,20984854,00.html?xid=socialflow_twitter_peoplemag

[Kromm]

OJ's (former?) business manager has issues with Cuba Gooding Jr.'s portrayal of OJ.

http://www.people.com/people/mobile/article/0,,20984854,00.html?xid=socialflow_twitter_peoplemag

He's right about the size difference, it's true, and in a way probably right about the personal magnetism, but there's a kind of cult-like devotion to how he describes OJ's attractiveness to women. 

[Umbelina]

OJ's size was an important part of him, his hands were huge, it was obvious he could have overpowered both Nicole and Ron.

 

I feel for Cuba, because I think his acting is good, but he just doesn't exude the POWER, let alone the charm of OJ.  He's tiny.  He nearly needed a step stool to kiss Nicole in that coffin.  The producers really should have LOWERED that coffin 6 inches.

 

ETA, whoa, what a slip!  I typed "kill" instead of "kiss."

Edited February 5, 2016 by Umbelina

[GHScorpiosRule]

OJ's size was an important part of him, his hands were huge, it was obvious he could have overpowered both Nicole and Ron.

 

I feel for Cuba, because I think his acting is good, but he just doesn't exude the POWER, let alone the charm of OJ.  He's tiny.  He nearly needed a step stool to kill Nicole in that coffin.  The producers really should have LOWERED that coffin 6 inches.

 

Or maybe given Cuba some "lifts" to make him at least taller, since he has no control over his voice.  And I will admit, when I first heard he'd been arrested, I was shocked.  To me, he was always this attractive looking man who did the funny Hertz commercials, and who was an ex-football player.  Even his former in-laws initially supported him.

[Umbelina]

Interesting, no evidence of cocaine use, and no alcohol and not drugs in her system when she was murdered. 

 

Ron really did try to save her, aw that is so sad, a few minutes later, OJ would have been gone.

Edited February 5, 2016 by Umbelina

[Umbelina]

Kato talks about the show:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2016/02/03/kato-kaelin-reviews-debunks-people-vs-oj-simpson/79754992/

excerpt

In the premiere episode, "the program shows the limo driver waiting on the curb to take O.J. to the airport, with the driver loading luggage. The car was actually in the driveway and I was there talking to the driver. An important part of my testimony included how O.J. told me not to touch a bag that I had tried to help load. A bag that, to this day, has never been found."

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2016/02/03/kato-kaelin-reviews-debunks-people-vs-oj-simpson/79754992/

 

Recap and Fact Check

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/02/people-v-oj-simpson-episode-1-recap

excerpt

For example: the episode depicts B.F.F. Robert Kardashian, famous now for fathering Kim, Kourtney, Khloé, etc., suggesting that O.J. switch out his original attorney, Howard Weitzman, for Shapiro. In fact the idea came from a television executive named Roger King who was following the case on TV from his New Jersey home and who’d played golf with O.J. a few times. It was King who called Shapiro, at the House of Blues, not Mr. Chow, and asked if he’d take on the case. A minor detail altered to speed up the story, but one that illuminates the power of the Simpson trial, which is often credited with, if not inventing reality TV, then guaranteeing its prominent place in American narrative storytelling. King was a viewer who was hooked watching this story unfold in real time, made a call, and changed American history and the way we all watch television.

 

[Totale]

If you're not worried about minor spoilers, the New Yorker review (based on several episodes, including many which have not aired yet) is pretty interesting.  I read it in the actual physical magazine but it's probably online.

[Kromm]

If you're not worried about minor spoilers, the New Yorker review (based on several episodes, including many which have not aired yet) is pretty interesting.  I read it in the actual physical magazine but it's probably online.

Is there such a thing as Spoilers with this?  Are they likely to shock people by revealing that (gasp!) he gets away with it?

 

Ooops, sorry. Didn't mean to spoil that!

[Totale]

Nah - spoilers as to specific scenes in the production which haven't yet been aired, of course.

[Umbelina]

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/21/us/conflicting-views-on-author-of-simpson-book.html

 

All about Faye Resnick and her book, and includes some other people we'll see on screen very soon as well.  Written in 1994, about 4 months after the murders.  NYT  and worth a read.

 

ETA

An AP story in 1996.  http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1996/Friend-Says-Victim-s-Final-Weeks-Marked-By-Sex-Possible-Drug-Use/id-5380063c7aa1b23d53fee1e0d4836ba0

 

From the deposition in the civil trial, Faye and made the equivalent in today's dollars of 1/2 a million on books alone so far, aside from her paid interviews and Playboy.

Edited February 7, 2016 by Umbelina

[VCRTracking]

From Vulture:

 

In Conversation: Cuba Gooding Jr.

 

The American Crime Story​ star on the emotional toll of playing O.J. Simpson, his new acting philosophy, and wandering the Hollywood wilderness for a decade.
 

[Umbelina]

Wow, amazing interview, thanks for posting that!

 

How do you think you've changed after this role?
Other than my voice? In so many ways. Specifically with the trial, I had such a cavalier approach to the verdict. It was like, “Fuck the police, man. They've been harassing black men forever. Even if he did it, good for him not having to be brought down.” When we shot that scene of Nicole's funeral and O.J. kisses her corpse, I remember breaking for lunch, and it was another one of those nervous-breakdown moments where I couldn't stop crying. It wasn't because I was supposed to be emotional as an actor. I felt embarrassment and guilt for not ever mourning for those two families: the Brown family and the Goldman family. It was a shame I felt as a man, that I got caught up in the hoopla of the case and the hopped-up racial tensions in 1994. Twenty years later, looking back and going, “This was a crime.”

 

[GHScorpiosRule]

It was a good interview, but he also seemed to be all over the place. At times I wasn't sure if he was talking or if what he was saying was what someone else had said.

I feel bad that he hurt his throat, but his voice has always been raspy sounding to me.

Edited February 8, 2016 by GHScorpiosRule

[ShadowHunter]

From Deadline.....The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story saw a best drama viewership debut for FX, and delayed viewing results have the pilot, directed by Ryan Murphy, hitting the same highs in Live + 3 day ratings.

The first episode saw 8.3 million viewers tune in, including 4.2 million in adults age 18-49, to become the most watched series premiere in FX history.

Over its first run and including two encores, FX has the American Crime Story debut pulling in 12 million total viewers with 6.1 in the key demographic.

[BW Manilowe]

I think Cuba Gooding Jr. is supposed to be on ABC's The View tomorrow (Tuesday) to talk about playing OJ in this show. The View is normally on at 11AM Eastern/10AM Central, but doublecheck your local listings for the correct time & channel if you're interested in watching.

[Umbelina]

Here's a somewhat older interview with Kato.

 

 

He basically just says he thinks OJ did it but he can't prove it.

 

With Oprah, and a bunch of clips.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Umbelina

[GHScorpiosRule]

Can anyone tell me where I can watch the documentary 30 for 30? I know Marcia Clark mentioned it in her interview on The View but I hadn't realized it was out already. Thanks!

[punkypower]

Good interview with MJW. Interesting that he went to school with Jason (didn't know him well):

http://mashable.com/2016/02/09/malcolm-jamal-warner-oj-cosby/

[trippyhop]

Can anyone tell me where I can watch the documentary 30 for 30? I know Marcia Clark mentioned it in her interview on The View but I hadn't realized it was out already. Thanks!

[trippyhop]

Whoops. Sorry for the double post, guys. Dumb phone, dumb trippyhop.

In response to GH's question, I think the 30 for 30 that Marcia Clark referred to isn't coming out until this summer. However, the excellent 30 for 30 doc, "June 17, 1994," is available on Netflix. It shows how all these insane things in sports were happening that day (Arnold Palmer's final game, the NY Rangers ticker tape parade, Game 5 (I think) of the NBA Finals, the opening ceremony if the World Cup and Ken Griffey Jr getting to 30 home runs before June 30) and were interrupted by the Bronco chase.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Kewl! I HAVE Netflix! Guess what I'll be watching tonight!

[trippyhop]

GH, enjoy! It's my favorite 30 for 30 doc. It's an editing marvel and is structured without narration or talking heads, so it feels like watching a TV whose channels are being flipped without your control. Plus, after last night's episode, it's a good side by side comparison between what really happened versus the dramatization (stuff inside the Bronco notwithstanding). A lot of scenes from the episode are in the doc (RK reading the note, Gil Garcetti's plea to the community, the cheers from the 405, etc).

[Umbelina]

Thanks for posting that link to MJW's interview, http://mashable.com/2016/02/09/malcolm-jamal-warner-oj-cosby/#QxqhSJDQnEq8

 

I think he just nailed it with this question and answer.

    As a young black man, how did you feel when the verdict came in?
    I can’t speak for all black people, but I think for a lot of black people — we’re so used to getting f-cked by the system that when you see someone who through the justice system was found innocent, there is something significant about that.

    I think, again, race playing a part of that. I think our first response, even before believing whether he’s guilty or not, is like "Oh, he didn’t get f*cked by the system." And we’re [not] used to that. We’re used to the black person getting the short end of the stick.

 

[GHScorpiosRule]

Thanks for posting that link to MJW's interview, http://mashable.com/2016/02/09/malcolm-jamal-warner-oj-cosby/#QxqhSJDQnEq8

 

I think he just nailed it with this question and answer.

 

As a young black man, how did you feel when the verdict came in?    I can’t speak for all black people, but I think for a lot of black people — we’re so used to getting f-cked by the system that when you see someone who through the justice system was found innocent, there is something significant about that.

    I think, again, race playing a part of that. I think our first response, even before believing whether he’s guilty or not, is like "Oh, he didn’t get f*cked by the system." And we’re [not] used to that. We’re used to the black person getting the short end of the stick.

 

Ugh. Regarding emphasis (italicized/underlined) always makes me ground my teeth. He was not "found INNOCENT," Just NOT GUILTY. Not at ALL the same thing.