Key players from the Trial of the Century speak out about The People v. O.J. Simpson
The real-life players in the O.J. Simpson saga are watching The People v. O.J. Simpson with a critical eye, including Marcia Clark, Kim Goldman, and Kato Kaelin — who hates the "god awful" wig donned by his television counterpart.
The new FX miniseries about the Trial of the Century takes some liberties with the truth; as former prosecutor Clark told Entertainment Weekly, it's "not a documentary," but rather a dramatization, and "they weren't trying to 'get it right' necessarily." Kaelin finds that stance offensive, writing in the New York Daily News that the show "completely fabricated" some scenes, including one where he is with Simpson's family as Robert Kardashian announces O.J. killed himself. "I was never there," Kaelin said. "Did that actually happen? I don't know. I just know I wasn't there."
In addition to loathing the "ridiculous" wig worn by the actor portraying him, the man famous for being a house guest also takes issue with the amount of time he's in The People v. O.J. Simpson. "I have often said that the media made me out to be a bigger player in this drama than I ever was," he said, later adding: "There's too much Kato Kaelin in this series, even for Kato Kaelin's taste." Clark — who's played by Sarah Paulson — praised Paulson's acting, but said she doesn't know if she herself can handle reliving the trial: "All I can do is think about what went wrong and what was crazy about it. I go back into the nightmare."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
For Kim Goldman, the sister of murder victim Ron Goldman, the series is a painful reminder of the fact that her brother has been dead for more than 20 years. It has never been firmly established if Ron Goldman came across the murder scene at the home of Nicole Brown Simpson or if he was there when the killer showed up, and Kim Goldman wants people to remember "he didn't run." The series doesn't "show that," she told Today. "And that really sucks. My brother could have run and saved his own life — and he stayed to help his friend. I want people to remember my brother was a hero."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Gaetz bows out, Trump pivots to Pam Bondi
Speed Read Gaetz withdrew from attorney generation consideration, making way for longtime Trump loyalist Pam Bondi
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'The double standards don't trouble the critics'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - November 22, 2024
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - frozen assets, blazing fires, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published