by Mike Lunsford, Editor

Last week, ESPN released a 5 part documentary called O.J.: Made in America. It is some of the most captivating television I’ve seen in years. For those unfamiliar, this documentary is part of their 30 for 30 series that takes a look at events in the sports world and their impact beyond the athletic field. The series has won many awards and is one of the most popular on ESPN. O.J.: Made in America has already gained considerable notoriety as it has garnered near perfect reviews from all who had seen it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes as of writing). It is now the second major network to showcase O.J. Simpson’s fame infamy (FX had The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Drama earlier this year to rave reviews). However, ESPN’s entry is not a dramatic re-telling of the murder and subsequent trial; it covers in great detail the life of Orenthal James Simpson, his rise to iconic status and then his subsequent fall from grace through interviews and retellings from people involved.

I am well aware that sports are not a common topic here on ComicsOnline.com but O.J. Simpson transcends sports. Not only was he an actor and spokesperson for many products, he was an example to millions that if you work hard, you can accomplish anything regardless of how humble your beginnings. Even if you had never seen any of his movies, television appearances, or his football ability, his name and his crime are woven into our pop culture identity. If you are a child of the 70’s or 80’s, you KNOW who O.J. Simpson is. It was unavoidable. We all watched the verdict of his trial either in grade school, college or at work. We all saw the SNL spoofs. We knew all the names of the people involved in that “trial of the century.” ComicsOnline.com editor-in-chief Kevin Gaussoin pointed out, OJ appeared in comic book ads all the time during the 70’s. So, when we speak of our tagline at ComicsOnline being “everything geek pop culture,” O.J. definitely fits that ‘pop culture’ component and transcended all media.

This 5 part documentary is long, clocking in at 7 ½ hours, but it is captivating to watch. The days of “I can’t watch the same thing over and over again” are passé. Most of us have binge watched entire seasons of a show in a matter of days, some being hour long episodes. This is no different. This documentary balances the story and does not cast judgement. It gives you the facts of his life, as witnessed by those around him and lets the viewer make their own decisions. It also paints a picture of the social climate in 1960’s Los Angeles as he was running for touchdowns at USC. When athletes like Muhammed Ali, Jim Brown, and Bill Russell were making a stand for their rights as black men in the United States, they hoped that O.J. would join them. He was famously quoted as saying, “I’m not black; I’m O.J.” He felt that the only thing he should be judged for was his performance on the field.

His stance was not that controversial in the civil rights era, he simply wanted to be treated like any other football player. Ironically, it was his race that would play such an integral part of his identity when he was charged with the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.

As the series moves forward, the viewer is shown more information surrounding the issues of race in Los Angeles in the late 80’s and early 90’s and how OJ’s life proceeded. It is tempered with chilling recordings of the 911 calls Nicole Brown Simpson made either during or after O.J. had beat her. Often times you can hear him screaming in the background at her. There were eyewitness accounts from family friends and police officers who had witnessed the abuse. What was interesting to me was how the LA police department was portrayed. In movies and in television, they are always shown as corrupt, helping actors and other celebrities out of their legal problems by “covering up” incidents. In this case, art and life were a mirror image. There were so many instances that were simply swept under the rug in the “good ol’ days.” One begins to wonder that were O.J. born 30 years later, in our current social-media crazed society where every personal decision or infraction is broadcast to billions of people, where societal pressure forces businesses and sports leagues to punish their employees for such abuse, perhaps Nicole Brown Simpson would still be alive today.

When that fateful day, June 12, 1994 finally comes around, we see all of the backstory and subtext that explain the how and whys of the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. There are graphic images from the crime scene and the autopsy. The evidence found at both Nicole’s and O.J.’s home made it seem that there was little doubt as to who the killer was.

It seemed like an open and shut case…until the LA Police Department became involved. During the trial, O.J.’s “dream team” of lawyers proceeded to make every cop and investigator involved look like a fool. It was baffling that any of them had been officers for more than a few days. Mistreatment of crime scene evidence, incorrect handling of blood samples, lazy procedural work, and the list continues.

And then, of course there was Mark Fuhrman. Perhaps he could save the day. The man seemed competent, confident and not in the least bit biased. Then that was all shot to Hell when tapes were played of him using every disparaging racial slur he could imagine. Now, these tapes were recorded by a screen writer and Fuhrman claims that he “embellished” a great deal to impress the screenwriter. In these tapes he spoke of beating and purposefully injuring suspects, fantasizing about murdering them and covering it up, and thinking people of color were less than human. Even if it was all fantasy, to think that a police officer would use language like this and imply his desire to do such things was frightening. Even more so, it showed that he had committed perjury by lying on the stand. Simpson lawyer, F. Lee Bailey had asked him if he had ever used racially inflammatory language and Fuhrman denied it. Lead prosecutor on the case, Marcia Clark said it best:

“(speaking of Fuhrman after hearing the tapes) If I didn’t know that it was physically impossible for him to plant that evidence, I would have thought he did.”

When tempered by the unjustified beating of Rodney King, the cold blooded murder of 15 year old Latasha Harlins by a shop owner that resulted in no jail time for the shop owner, the bumbling actions of the LA cops were just another reason for black residents of Los Angeles to be angry at the judicial system and law enforcement. Even as someone who is white, I was able to empathize at their anger and frustration as they and their loved ones could never feel safe in their own homes. Growing up half Jewish, I could understand how it felt when people would use racially insensitive speech to define or judge you.

O.J.: Made in America showcases the triumph and tragedy of an iconic man’s life. He was a beloved superstar that everyone assumed was a nice, friendly man that was a shining example of the American way working for anyone. None of us could have known that all of that smiling and good nature when in public was all a show; that rage and entitlement were boiling underneath. He exemplified the spoiled, rich, “I can get away with anything” attitude that so many attribute to the Hollywood elite. What was ironic about his entire story was he spent his entire life trying to be colorless. He focused on being known for his ability. But in the end, his color was what set him free and ultimately alienated him from the life he fought so hard to obtain. O.J.: Made in America is easily one of the most captivating stories I’ve ever watched and would recommend for anyone, sports fan or not, to view.

Rating:

ComicsOnline gives O.J.: Made in America 5 out of 5 tragic Hollywood stars.

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