O.J. Simpson is eligible for parole on Oct. 1, and there is a chance he could be released from prison after serving just nine years of a 33-year sentence. Should that happen, the Pro Football Hall of Famer may have a job offer waiting for him.
According to TMZ, there are some television production companies that would consider “pouncing on the opportunity” to feature Simpson in a reality TV show. Some companies and agents that TMZ spoke with were completely opposed to the idea of giving Simpson a show, but others were excited about the possibility.
In 2006, Simpson shot a TV special in relation to the book he co-authored that was titled “If I Did It.” During the TV spot, Simpson was expected to read a passage from the book that implies O.J. confessed to murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman. The show ended up being canceled by FOX due to opposition from the public.
Public outcry would once again be an issue if Simpson starred in a reality TV show, but one producer told TMZ there could be a way around that. Here’s more:
The producers and agents with whom we spoke say they’re certain someone will try to recreate the TV special that was never broadcast for several reasons … years have passed, O.J. has done time for unrelated crimes, and ‘People vs. O.J. Simpson’ was a big hit.
Here’s the problem. Almost to a person, producers and agents said broadcast and cable networks would never air a show featuring O.J. They say the public wouldn’t tolerate it and no one would advertise on it.
That said, producers say there would be a home on Pay-Per-View because, as one person put it, “people could pay without being judged.”
Simpson was infamously acquitted of double-murder and has been in prison after being convicted in 2008 of 12 charges stemming from a sports memorabilia heist. The 69-year-old still owes much of the $33.5 million he was ordered to pay when he was found civilly liable of the murders of Brown and Goldman. Any money he made in reality TV would likely have to go toward that, though he could have a big pay day coming from the NFL that creditors would not be able to touch.
