Advertisers Are Backing out of O.J. Simpson’s First Post-Prison Interview
Few cases, if any, have captivated the nation quite like O.J. Simpson‘s. The now 70-year-old was released from prison earlier this week after spending nine years in the slammer on charges completely unrelated to the 1994 murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman — a crime he was tried for and ultimately acquitted of. Instead, he’s been serving jail time for a 2007 armed robbery of a memorabilia dealer in Las Vegas.
Yet despite the media frenzy surrounding his crimes, traditional outlets and advertisers aren’t biting for his first post-prison interview. The disgraced NFL star is seeking seven figures and celebrity reputation expert, Eric Schiffer, claims much of the media’s hesitation has to do with his trustworthiness. He exclusively told In Touch, “He has so crushed his credibility that it would require a biblical miracle for him to be trusted or respected in these types of scenarios.”
O.J. signs paperwork before his release from Lovelock Correctional Center on Sept. 30, 2017.
Yet even if “The Juice” could be persuaded to do an interview for free, the ethics surrounding giving him a platform would likely be controversial. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “If an interview aired as part of the lineup on a news program like Today or 48 Hours, it would not automatically lead to an advertiser exodus. But, says one media buyer, ‘if any anti-O.J. sentiment starts, I could see people pulling away.'” One TV news veteran added, “It is treacherous.” Another chimed in, not with a “10-foot pole.”
Media consultant Bill Carroll noted, “From a news perspective, it’s probably a get.” He added, “From an advertiser’s perspective, it’s something that most, if not all, advertisers would stay away from.”
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