When We All Watched -- The People and O.J.

 

Anyone in the United States over thirty (and some under) probably has memories of the O. J. Simpson murder and subsequent trial.  We relished O .J. jokes (What did Ron Goldman say to Nicole Brown Simpson when he met her in heaven?  "Here's your f***ing sunglasses.")  and gathered in front of the television set eating potato chips and following the LAPD's pursuit of the white Bronco, much as we would observe the 911 events five years later.

It was all O. J. all the time as the entire trial was televised.  We got to know everyone, the Brown and Goldman families, Marcia Clark, Johnnie Cochran, Judge Ito.  When the verdict was rendered, my co-workers and I were allowed to watch it on a TV in the conference room.  The whites were indignant and the blacks were indignant at their indignation.

So I looked forward to the FX miniseries The People v. O. J. Simpson (Tuesday nights, ten o'clock Eastern).It has everything, a beautiful victim with equally gorgeous sisters, a beloved sports hero, a comic sidekick, and even a loyal dog.  Not the mention the Kardashians. (O. J. nearly shot himself in Kim Kardashian's bedroom.)

And there are more serious issues -- interracial marriage, spousal abuse, the legal system -- so you don't have to feel too guilty for watching it.

So I got comfortable on the couch with the afghan and the cats and a diet soda.

The show began with footage of the 1994 riots caused by the acquittal of the police officers who beat Rodney King, then cut to "two years later", when a dog is whimpering on a deserted street, while haunting, if not menacing, music plays.  That was nice.

But at times the show degenerated into a Saturday Night Live sketch.  Marcia Clark, played by Sarah Paulson, is the ultimate Hard-driving and Hard-driven Bitch, sending her sons to school without breakfast when they turn down their cereal, saying they can "Starve"  (For heaven's and their school performances' sakes, give them some Nutrigrain bars to eat in the car!) and smoking continuously, even in the house!  John Travolta's Robert Shapiro (O. J's first defense lawyer) is a namedropping smarm meister who looks like he had work done -- bad work. Johnnie Cochran (Courtney B. Vance) stands in front of his enormous closet with a rainbow of shirts and discusses what color to wear to a meeting.  (I think he picked yellow.) As Robert Kardashian, David Schwimmer seems to be reprising that lovable sad puppydog Ross from Friends, but with a white streak in his hair.  Kato Kaelin (Billy Magnussen) is a permanently bewildered Jeff Spicoli.

Cuba Gooding, Jr. plays O. J. straight, unaware of the absurdity that is going on.

I enjoyed it thoroughly, but I wonder if those involved with the movie were hoping that the audience would find it a hoot and a half.

I'm sure there are lot of observations to be made about crime and its depiction, audience demand and reaction and even Art, but this is Woodstock Churchlady, not The New Yorker or some intellectual journal. I will say, however, that I'll be watching.  How about you?

(For those who want something churchladyish --  Jesus loves Marsha Clark and Kato Kaelin and you can too!)