It’s a bit of an irony that just as NBC’s “Must-See TV” juggernaut took off in 1994, execs there found themselves right in the middle of a completely different kind of televised spectacle: The O.J. Simpson arrest, trial and eventual acquittal.
Not only was then-nbc West Coast president Don Ohlmeyer one of Simpson’s best friends, but just a month before the killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman — followed by Simpson’s white Ford Bronco flight from justice and arrest — NBC had passed on a pilot starring the ex-football-star.
“It was just a strange time to be there because of Don’s loyalty to O.J.,” recalled Preston Beckman, who was NBC’s head of scheduling at the time, and one of Ohlmeyer’s and NBC Entertainment president Warren Littlefield’s key lieutenants. Ohlmeyer would occasionally bring up Simpson during the network’s afternoon meetings in their Burbank offices,...
Not only was then-nbc West Coast president Don Ohlmeyer one of Simpson’s best friends, but just a month before the killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman — followed by Simpson’s white Ford Bronco flight from justice and arrest — NBC had passed on a pilot starring the ex-football-star.
“It was just a strange time to be there because of Don’s loyalty to O.J.,” recalled Preston Beckman, who was NBC’s head of scheduling at the time, and one of Ohlmeyer’s and NBC Entertainment president Warren Littlefield’s key lieutenants. Ohlmeyer would occasionally bring up Simpson during the network’s afternoon meetings in their Burbank offices,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Conan O’Brien appeared on CNN for an interview with Jake Tapper a few hours after news broke that O.J. Simpson had died. Making the press rounds in support of his new Max series “Conan O’Brien Must Go,” the comedian and former late-night host quipped “I never make a joke about someone the day they passed.” But O’Brien did reflect on the time when late-night shows had to cover O.J. Simpson’s murder trial.
“It was a huge deal back then. Most notably, he’s passed on, but Norm Macdonald,” O’Brien said. “One of my best guests of all time and one of the great comedians of all time. He did the most brilliant comedy of anybody during that period.”
Related: What happened to O.J. Simpson’s ‘Frogmen’ TV pilot and did NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer demote Saturday Night Live’s Norm Macdonald for his O.J.
“It was a huge deal back then. Most notably, he’s passed on, but Norm Macdonald,” O’Brien said. “One of my best guests of all time and one of the great comedians of all time. He did the most brilliant comedy of anybody during that period.”
Related: What happened to O.J. Simpson’s ‘Frogmen’ TV pilot and did NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer demote Saturday Night Live’s Norm Macdonald for his O.J.
- 4/12/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
O.J. Simpson, the former champion football running back turned actor who was acquitted in a sensational trial of charges he murdered his ex-wife and her boyfriend, died of cancer, his family confirmed. He was 76.
His family took to his official X account to write, “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace. – The Simpson Family.”
Though Simpson was not found guilty of the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, three years after his criminal trial he was found liable in a civil suit brought by the victims’ families.
Born Orenthal James Simpson in San Francisco, he won the Heisman Trophy while at USC, then set records while playing professional football for the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills.
His family took to his official X account to write, “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace. – The Simpson Family.”
Though Simpson was not found guilty of the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, three years after his criminal trial he was found liable in a civil suit brought by the victims’ families.
Born Orenthal James Simpson in San Francisco, he won the Heisman Trophy while at USC, then set records while playing professional football for the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills.
- 4/11/2024
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Thursday’s parole board hearing marks the latest twist in the saga of O.J. Simpson‘s fall from grace, which began in 1994 with the killing of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman.
Prior to the killings, Simpson, now 70, was an American hero, his former prowess on the football field matched by his charm as a celebrity pitchman and actor. But after the slayings, in which Simpson quickly became the suspect, details about rage-filled fights with his ex-wife that were fueled by jealousy began to emerge.
In 1995, after the “Trial of the Century,” Simpson was famously acquitted of double murder,...
Prior to the killings, Simpson, now 70, was an American hero, his former prowess on the football field matched by his charm as a celebrity pitchman and actor. But after the slayings, in which Simpson quickly became the suspect, details about rage-filled fights with his ex-wife that were fueled by jealousy began to emerge.
In 1995, after the “Trial of the Century,” Simpson was famously acquitted of double murder,...
- 7/20/2017
- by Susan Schindehette
- PEOPLE.com
David Bauder, AP Television Writer
New York (AP) - NBC has scrapped a Bill Cosby comedy that was under development and TV Land will stop airing reruns of "The Cosby Show," moves that came a day after another woman came forward claiming that the once-beloved comic had sexually assaulted her. NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks said Wednesday the Cosby sitcom "is no longer under development." A TV Land spokesperson said the shows will stop airing immediately. "The Cosby Show" also was to have been part of a Thanksgiving marathon of sitcoms, and the show will be off the network indefinitely.
Both the NBC sitcom and Netflix Cosby standup comedy special, which has been indefinitely postponed, were halted within a day after actress Janice Dickinson, in an interview with "Entertainment Tonight," became the third woman in recent weeks to allege she'd been assaulted by Cosby - charges strongly denied by the comedian's lawyer.
New York (AP) - NBC has scrapped a Bill Cosby comedy that was under development and TV Land will stop airing reruns of "The Cosby Show," moves that came a day after another woman came forward claiming that the once-beloved comic had sexually assaulted her. NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks said Wednesday the Cosby sitcom "is no longer under development." A TV Land spokesperson said the shows will stop airing immediately. "The Cosby Show" also was to have been part of a Thanksgiving marathon of sitcoms, and the show will be off the network indefinitely.
Both the NBC sitcom and Netflix Cosby standup comedy special, which has been indefinitely postponed, were halted within a day after actress Janice Dickinson, in an interview with "Entertainment Tonight," became the third woman in recent weeks to allege she'd been assaulted by Cosby - charges strongly denied by the comedian's lawyer.
- 11/19/2014
- by The Associated Press
- Moviefone
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.