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 OJ,” 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, and would daily visit his friend in jail.
“He was an extremely loyal person, and it took a toll on him, it really did,” Beckman said of Ohlmeyer (who died in 2017).
As then-Variety TV critic Brian Lowry – who once screened the pilot, in secret – wrote in 2014, “Simpson played the leader of a crack team of ex-Navy SEALs. The group worked out of a surf shop in Malibu, and the tone seemed designed to tap into a vibe similar to ‘The A-Team.’ In a moment that fleetingly drew attention during the trial because of its parallels to the murders, there was one sequence in which Simpson’s character, John “Bullfrog” Burke, surprises an intruder and holds a knife to her throat. It turns out it’s Bullfrog’s grown daughter. (The prosecution opted not to use the video.)” Evan Handler, Louis Mandylor and Todd Allen also starred in “Frogmen,” which was produced by Warner Bros. TV.
As soon as Simpson was arrested for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Goldman, Beckman went through the NBC offices and collected everyone’s copy of “Frogmen.” If the pilot were to end up leaking to the press, he didn’t want it to come from anyone inside the network – which would have caused a meltdown from Ohlmeyer. It never leaked.
Even prior to the murders, it was unlikely that “Frogmen” would have been redeveloped, although there was the possibility of it airing as a TV movie on NBC. Obviously, that never happened, although for years after network execs joked that they had “Frogmen” in their back pocket in case they ever needed a sweeps ratings jolt.
In his book “Top of the Rock,” Littlefield also remembered how much Ohlmeyer was by Simpson’s side, often to the “detriment” of NBC. “Don spent countless afternoons in prayer sessions with O.J. and Rosey Grier. He was at the L.A. County jail far more frequently than he was in the office.”
Meanwhile, at the same time, “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” was starting to surge and beat “Late Show with David Letterman” as Leno leaned into the O.J. Simpson media chaos (adding to the circus by famously introducing the “Dancing Itos,” a parody of Judge Lance Ito). Later, also on NBC, “Seinfeld” parodied Simpson’s defense attorney, Johnnie Cochran, with the character “Jackie Chiles,” played by Phil Morris.
Beckman recalled the network’s daily 2:30 p.m. programming meetings – and how the Simpson trial was always looming over them, yet never discussed. Ohlmeyer would quickly leave to see Simpson after those meetings.
“It was always hanging over us, what was going on. We all knew where Don was off to as soon as the meeting was over,” Beckman said. “We knew it was a topic not to bring up or discuss in that room… I remember a few weeks after the verdict, he called me and Warren up to his office and sort of thanked us for the way we handled all of it. We were able to continue to work and do our jobs and never bring it up with him. We kind of just accepted what was going on and didn’t make an issue of it. And that was that.”
Well, not quite. Although Ohlmeyer never publicly cited Norm Macdonald’s O.J. Simpson jokes as a reason (he didn’t mince words about Simpson as the killer) – and even former execs like Beckman can’t confirm this for sure – it’s widely documented that his dislike for the comedian led to Macdonald’s ouster as “Weekend Update” anchor on “Saturday Night Live.”
“It’s possible; I do know Don always had a bug up his ass about Norm Macdonald; maybe that was the reason,” Beckman said. “That was an ongoing complaint of his. ‘We gotta get rid of him.’ It’s possible.”
More from Variety
News Related
-
Window opens for Zahid to ride off into the sunset – but at Anwar’s cost Sources within Umno have not ruled out strong speculation since last month about a so-called “exit plan” for Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, a move that could pave the way for his political retirement having survived more ...
See Details:
Window opens for Zahid to ride off into the sunset – but at Anwar's cost
-
Brianna Ghey died after she was found with fatal stab wounds in a park Two teenagers accused of murdering Brianna Ghey showed a “preoccupation” with “violence, torture and death”, a court has heard. The body of Brianna, 16, who was transgender, was discovered by dog walkers in a park in ...
See Details:
Murder-accused teens 'had preoccupation with torture'
-
ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY Guard Corps Commander-in-Cheif Major General Hossein Salami speaks at an anti-Israel protest in Tehran on Saturday. The IRGC trained Hezbollah to use human shields, say the writers. The conflict in Gaza has raised a deeply troubling issue: Reports suggest that Hamas is deliberately using civilians as shields, a ...
See Details:
A plea for Islamic voices against using human shields - opinion
-
Photo for illustration purposes only. – BERNAMA FILE PIX SHAH ALAM – The government needs to strengthen the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, especially with the exemption of visas for Chinese and Indian citizens visiting the country starting Dec 1. Universiti Tun Abdul Razak economic expert Emeritus Professor Dr ...
See Details:
Strengthen MM2H programme, promote multiple entry visa
-
GEG element removed from anti-smoking Bill KUALA LUMPUR: The generational end-game (GEG) element has been removed from the revised Control of Smoking Products for Public Health 2023 Bill tabled for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Nov 28). This is as the Health Ministry tries for the ...
See Details:
GEG element removed from anti-smoking Bill
-
-
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Malaysia Airlines launches year-end sale
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Dr M accuses govt of bribery over allocations
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Malaysia to check if the Netherlands still keen to send flood experts
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Appeals court to rule in Isa’s graft case on Jan 31
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Elephants Trample On Axia With Family Of Three Inside
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Sirul fitted with monitoring device
-
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 28): National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd has launched its year-end sale with ticket prices starting from RM79 to domestic destinations and from RM229 to international destinations, for travellers who book flights between Nov 28 and Dec 11 this year. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said all-in one-way Economy Class ...
See Details:
Nigerian airliner lands at wrong airport
OTHER NEWS
THOSE looking for fresh produce may find themselves spoilt for choice at the biggest wet market in Klang, but visitors to the place say the condition of the facilities and ...
Read more »
Olive Grove is the first-ever gated-and-guarded development in Bercham, Ipoh with 24-hour security. IPOH: YTL Land and Development Bhd announced that Phase 1 of Olive Grove is fully sold while ...
Read more »
Screenshots of a video showing a teenager pointing a knife at an elderly e-hailing driver. PETALING JAYA: Police have arrested a 13-year-old boy for holding an elderly e-hailing driver at ...
Read more »
Sprint Highway’s Semantan To KL Slip Road Fully Closed Until Dec 31 If you’re a regular user of the Sprint expressway, you’ll need to do some planning for your trips ...
Read more »
Genshin Impact Version 4.3 Leak Showcases Update to Domains New leaks reveals a quality-of-life update to Domains in Genshin Impact, making it easier for players to repeat and farm resources. ...
Read more »
CG Computers will host the Urban Republic (UR) Warehouse Clearance from 30 November to 3 December at the Atria Shopping Gallery in Petaling Jaya. During the event, visitor can get ...
Read more »
Photo for illustrative purposes only – 123RF KUALA LUMPUR – Hyperinflation has never happened in Malaysia and the government hopes it will never happen, according to the Economy Ministry. It ...
Read more »