Simpson: ...I was surprised by it immediately when I first attempted to talk on TV, I was surprised by the reaction of a certain special interest group that didn't want me to speak. This is America, I'm told. I'm as innocent as anyone else out there. I think one of the great things about this country is our right to speak. People seem to... Early on people seem to be speaking for me. When I would watch TV, I would hear certain talk show hosts talk about what I was doing, and what I was thinking. They would have their analysts on analyzing what I was saying and what I was doing and how I was feeling. So I thought the best way to short-cut and circumvent all of that is to come on TV and tell everybody what I'm thinking and how I'm feeling. I was surprised at that point that there were people who didn't want me to speak... even at that point for nothing, for free.
Gordon: Let's see if we can do some of that tonight, cut to the chase, if you will. There are people still today who believed that you murdered your ex-wife and Ronald Goldman. There are also people who suggest that maybe if you didn't do that, you know exactly what happened that night. Now I know you've said that you're completely innocent, but I have to ask, as you might have imagined on your way over here, to go over that. Did you indeed commit those murders?
Simpson: No. I did not commit those murders. I couldn't kill anyone. And I don't know of anyone that was involved. Anything that I might say along those lines is pure speculation.
Gordon: So why is it so hard for the majority, if we believe the polls, of white America and a fairly decent number of black Americans to believe you?
Simpson: Tough question. Um...One, I don't believe the polls for one. Judging by the people that I've been exposed to, both white and black Americans, since the polls, the negative part of the polls as far as I'm concerned as white America, I can tell ya that everywhere I've gone I've been treated with respect. And the general sentiment that I get in my front yard, or I should say on the street outside of my front yard, or when I go into restaurants, or especially when I went to Panama City, the people were truly tremendous down there. They made me feel welcome. They made me... I think the general sentiment, and I get it outside the walls of my house, people from, women, white women from Iowa, Georgia, even South Africa, hey, go on. They say Congratulations which is a tough thing to accept. But go on with your life Get your kids and keep your head up high. The reason why. The reason why and we can go into it. I think the media. I think the media is the main reason why America is feeling the way it's feeling. I don't think the public saw when they came home from work or whatever they were doing at the end of the day, sat down and watched the news or some of these talk shows, they were lied to.
Gordon: It's going to be very hard for people to accept that when they see "Brentwood Butcher" signs, the "Guilty" signs hanging in the neighborhood that you lived in for years and years. The people that yelled out "Killer in this neighborhood. We don't want you anymore." Are you suggesting that that didn't happen?
Simpson: No, what I'm not only suggesting, what I'm telling you is that night if that was said I didn't hear it, but someone said a group came. I would tell you that a majority of those people in that group was not from Brentwood. And I would ask any news media out there, you go back and you look at that video of that ride home. You look at me coming down Sunset. You look at me arriving at my home. The vast majority, I'm telling you, 95 percent of the people were clapping and giving me a thumbs up sign. Bob Kardashian and I, Bob was actually counting what he thought were negative reactions and he said he counted five or six. Now there may have been a group of people in that five or six. We saw two negative signs. We saw tons of welcome home O.J. signs, yet the only thing the media showed you that night were the "Butcher of Brentwood" sign near the freeway and another sign that said "Murderer."
Gordon: I suspect though Mr. Simpson that you've got to be hurting in the sense of.... and I don't know if you're putting the best face on it with that... the idea that the country club that you belonged to for years said they didn't want you anymore.
Simpson: Well, they didn't tell me that. But I'm sure there are people there that feel that way.
Gordon: Your management company that represented you?
Simpson: Once again, you know it's...... I think the thing that I'm most disappointed in is the lack of backbone of organizations and people. This is America. I went through this ordeal, this grueling ordeal. It was horrible. I sat there and I tried to do it with some dignity. The toughest thing was holding my friends and my family. My sisters, it was tough sometimes holding them down and saying hey we'll get through this thing. And I see people who'll say one thing to me yet they'll put a different public face on. And once again we get into the media. You say my management company dumped me. What management company dumped me? They tried to sign me 15 years ago and I wouldn't sign with them. They have not had a contract with me for 15 years because I wouldn't sign a contract for 15 years. Most of my business deals I negotiate myself. There are, sometimes there are business deals that come to me that I think a certain person at this particular company is best at. He's my friend. He is still to this day my friend. And I would say Jack, actually it's Jack, Jack Solardy. I would say, "Jack, here's the deal." A couple of times, he has brought me deals. But I did not have a contract with this company because I would not sign a contract with this company because I felt that I was the best person to negotiate my deals and as I said in a few instances I would allow them to do it.
Gordon: Do you at all understand the skepticism that people have? The doubt that they continue to have?
Simpson: It's almost impossible if you are... I guess what I see. I see people with a lot of negativism in them. Negative people. People with a bone to ax. I think I am now... a certain group of woman, women I should say, out there who has had a bad experience with a man, who's been in an abusive relationship, uh I have become their whipping boy. You know, I am the guy they look at. I think... I guess... if I had to read what I've read... if I watched these shows and I heard every night them misrepresenting the evidence in this case, I mean totally misrepresenting evidence, and just flat out lying. I don't want to ... I know they've got advertisements for my video... but I talk about specific people in this country who have gone on TV and just flat out lied to the American public.
Gordon: Mr. Simpson, here's the problem that people are having. Let's take two of the issues that you just mentioned. The idea that you have admitted to being in an abusive relationship with Nicole.
Simpson: Yeah, we had an abusive incident in our lives, and we've had plenty of arguments which I think that any couple that's been together for any length of time will... The worst thing that you can ever have is have your argument taped. I would say that anybody out there that is married that's in a relationship just put a tape recorder on the next time you have an argument and play it. You will not believe that was you.
Gordon: But stay with me. Because you even admitted at one point getting physical and you said you regretted that, etc. etc. etc. There are people who suggest that if you aren't guilty of murder, you're certainly guilty of spousal abuse and that America should turn its back on you because of that.
Simpson: Well, I think we're looking at pretty much the same. We go to the same thing about this verdict. In 1989, I was involved in an argument that got physical in my home. I feel I was wrong. I feel I should have handled the situation a lot better. I didn't make any excuses. I went through the legal system. I made no excuses there. They gave me a fine, I guess, a penalty. I had to do community service. I did it all. My wife and I at that time went on with our life. We had a very close relationship. We talked about it. We went to therapy together. We went to therapy away from one another because it was a very traumatic incident in our lives for us. I paid my dues for whatever that crime was. If it was a crime, I paid my dues. I've gone on with my life. What I want to know is.... I saw a group a week or so ago....
Gordon: (interrupts for commercial break)
Gordon: Back with more of O.J. Simpson. Mr. Simpson, we were talking about the problems that you and your wife had at one time, abuse you were telling us that it was a one time incident and you went to therapy, you paid for therapy. You tried to work this out. Part of where the confusion comes in the things that were brought out by the media, and perhaps you'd like to explain this, uh, the things found in a safety deposit box, the letters that she had written, the concern that she had told to friends about abusive relationships, etc, etc, etc.
Simpson: One, I can't really talk about evidence in the case because I'm under contract with the people I did the video with and of course I'm in a deposition, but I'll try to talk as much as I can around this particular issue. I think you have to look very closely at the people who claim these things were said. And also, I think you have to, when the time comes hopefully in this trial, this alleged diary. I think you'll be really surprised to see what it really was and what it really is and it was you know not exactly what the press has purported it to be. I can say this and I hope Tony Hoffman who did this video can forgive me for this little bit that I might say that's on the video. After the '89 incident, I think it's pretty clear that everything that Nicole may have stated in our divorce decree which might have stated even during an argument we had in 1993 that O.J has never touched me since that time. I think it's very clear that when Nicole and I were apart that when she had some very emotional issues with the men that she was involved with she came to me. I don't think a woman would do that if she felt that this person was insensitive or abusive and certainly not jealous or possessive. Even we were divorced and apart when she had personal problems, she came to me and these are all very provable things that you will be hearing about.
Gordon: So all of the things that we heard about you stalking and intimidating.... all of those things you say are incorrect.
Simpson: Totally BS. And once again on this video you will hear that.
Gordon: No, I'll tell you what. Let me stay with the video for a moment. I'll tell you what bothers some people Mr. Simpson, and I wanted to save this for later, but since we're here... People will say to you, if you're innocent and indeed you want to tell your story, why do I have to pay $29 dollars to hear it?
Simpson: One, because at one point I couldn't speak. I wanted to speak on NBC and that is the only aborted interview I was involved in. Every member of the press, the legitimate press they've said we'll he's backed out of two... CNN will tell you.... I've never negotiated with any person at CNN to do an interview. I spoke with Greta Van Susteren, a person I have a lot of respect for, and I said, when the day comes that I can on the record about everything, all the evidence and everything that's in this case, that because of my respect for her and her respect for the constitution, I would sit down with her and do that. But, I've reached a point where I have to support my family. I have to send a check each month for my kids. I'm the sole supporter of my kids. Hopefully, in the not too distant future I'll be supporting them at my home. But to this day, I'm the sole supporter of my kids. I hope to be able to send them to college one day. There are people out there that don't want me to earn a living in any way, shape or form. They want to run me... I don't know where they want to run me to. But I'm an American. This is my country. I think I've been a good American. I'm just as innocent as any of them. I should have the right to support my family and earn a living and they have been blocking me, attempting to block me in every other avenue, every legitimate avenue that I have attempted to go down. This was an opportunity that was presented to me. If you want to hear it buy it. If you don't want to hear it, don't buy it.
Gordon: For a man who crafted an image, and you've said earlier that you really negotiated your deals. You really crafted ... whether it was with you from your USC days and it went on.... or whether it was partly Hollywood. We are here in the land of dreams and visions. You crafted an all American image for yourself. So you're very image conscious. In saying that, I would think as you look at the things you have been criticized about.... and you say you want the opportunity, so let's look at some of those. The homecoming party. The idea that the first attempt was pay-per-view.
Simpson: Wait, wait, wait. Let's get one thing straight. All right? Where was my first attempt? Where? My first attempt was NBC. That was my first attempt. NBC. And I would have spoken on NBC, but I had for the first time in the sixteen month ordeal that I went through that all of my lawyers were unanimous for the first time on one thing. Not only my lawyers but my new lawyers that were coming into the case that, "O.J. you should not do this." They were concerned about a lot of things. One of the main things that Johnnie Cochran was concerned about is the fact that I had gone sixteen months, taking sleeping pills every night. I was coming down from that, and I really hadn't had time to adjust. My new lawyers are Bob Baker and Phil Baker, they felt that they would prefer to have time with me, talk to me, explain to me what might be problems in the upcoming civil litigation and until they did that and had time to look at the evidence in this case, because they had followed it, but because of their own cases that they were doing... they weren't that totally up on it, "Let's take some time. Let's understand what we're facing in the future before you go on TV to speak. Even F. Lee Bailey, who wanted me to speak from day one came on board and said, "O.J., you shouldn't do this at this time." That's why I didn't do it at that time.
Gordon: But I'm hearing people who were in your corner from day one saying I'm having trouble with him selling pictures to the Star, having that party.... maybe he should have just come home and... (Simpson interrupts).
Simpson: I hope that I get a chance to sit down with you after the video is out and then we'll talk about that... that alleged party.
Gordon: Well, stay with me on that party, the alleged party. That had nothing to do with the trial. The trial was over. You were a free man at that point.
Simpson: When you see the video, I'll come back on your show and we'll talk about that alleged party. I explain that entire thing and I think it's quite reasonable.
Gordon: Fred Gordon says this week that you won't look him in the eye during the deposition that you're giving. He's been very vocal. Perhaps the most vocal person on that side about your participation in the murders... his thoughts of your participation. They say they won't look in tonight, but certainly they'll hear about it. What can you say to him? What can you tell him? To convince him that you didn't do this?
Simpson: Let me say this. Fred Goldman, like all families in Oklahoma City, like any person this year, and it's happening every day all over this country, I have compassion for Fred Goldman for losing a son. I lost a daughter, and now I lost what I feel as I've stated before next to my mom my most favorite person on this earth, Nicole. That portion... I have some sympathy and empathy. I can feel that side of him. I have a side of me that's very angry at Fred Goldman and the Browns because I know if the shoe was on the other foot and I felt the way they felt, I would save at least five or ten percent and say, "Just in case I'm wrong, Gil Garcetti, what the hell are you doing closing this case. We know that some of your people lied, and why did they lie?" So, I'm a little... there's a side of me that's a little pissed at Fred Goldman and the Browns for that portion of it. Even if they think I'm 100 percent guilty, and they're going to do what they're going to do, and if I was in their shoes, I would probably do exactly what they're doing right now. But I know if I was in their shoes, I wouldn't let the LAPD, Gil Garcetti and these people off the hook. I'd say, "hey, there may still be a killer out there." I know there is. And I feel in many ways they're handicapping whatever efforts are being made right now who may have done this that's out there.
Gordon: To hear you now, that's an obvious, emotional thorn in your side, from that family and I suspect more importantly and especially the Brown family.
Simpson: Yeah, yeah, I'd say that's true. The Brown family... Judy and Lou, I love them, and I think they are great grandparents. The rest of the family, what they've done and what I know for a fact that they've done is very self-serving. I don't think they've been true to the memory of Nicole. She was.... I know in some cases pictures were sold to the rags, unflattering pictures by one of her sisters. And when that day comes, we will address that. It hurts me to know that my daughter Sydney will have to be exposed to that one day and someone who is supposed to have loved them made money from that. Yeah, that upsets me.
Gordon: You talk about the LAPD closing the case. That obviously says something about what they think. That they truly don't believe that there's another killer out there.
Simpson: Let me just make one point. When you say LAPD, that has been an unfortunate thing that has happened in this case. When you say LAPD, it's not every person at LAPD. You got a small group of people at LAPD that I blame. Now I've had police officers since I've been out, one on a motorcycle, drive up, give me a thumbs up, did his thing and mouth to me "you got screwed." I had two police officers outside of my house tell me I got screwed. So it is not everybody with LAPD. I have heard this ... JUNK from chief Willie Williams, and especially one of their guys that I think is the cause of this problem, whatever problem from Rodney King to myself that's happened in this town, Darryl Gates.
Gordon interrupts, uninterpretable.
Simpson: O.K. propaganda. I was just trying to clean it up a little bit. Gold ?? time and time again and told me what a police officer would and would not do. When I was sitting in jail, it was amazing to me right after the Fuhrman thing began to unfold, how many 17 and 20 year LAPD police officers that Willie Williams took their badges from them for forging evidence, lying. Forging evidence in capital cases. Yet, I got to hear on the other hand, that they don't do this stuff. That stuff doesn't happen. I'm hearing now that Fuhrman, I guess they're looking into Mark Fuhrman now as to whether he perjured himself, I can't think of the legal term, germane I guess isn't the legal term, to the case. And I'm saying that the same people that I see on TV and a black jury let a black man go because of race. But they're saying that it's not germane ... this man's hatred for blacks.
Commercial Break. End of Part 1 of transcript.
Gordon: One of the things that I wanted to get to before we get too far off the LAPD question and the idea of the case being closed. You said through your son on the day you were acquitted suggested that you would not rest until the killer was found. A lot of people, and address this please, are suggesting that while I don't necessarily think they want you out there hunting for them, but maybe they do, you're spending too much time on the golf course. You're spending too much time making a video and you're not doing a thing to find 'em. Please tell we where you are in that.
Simpson: Well, first of all, let me clear something up. I spent four hundred and sixty some days behind bars. When I came out, I spent two weeks literally sitting in a house and in a yard just getting used to you know feeling the sun on my face. My girlfriend at the time, Paula Barbieri, said I should come down to Panama City, which I did. She lived on a golf course, which is my passion, golf. Play it every day that I can in my life in like the last ten years anyway. I flew down there to see her and fortunately a friend and some people that I did know, but who believed in America and the jury system, and they only cared about my golf swing. I went on the golf course and for two days, I played golf. Physically, I wasn't able to play the third day. I had to quit and watch them play golf. That's the only time I've played golf. I enjoyed it. I was out. It was early in the morning. The various people who came by were all positive. I mean, I totally enjoyed it. And I don't understand.... I saw where one of our former D.A.s Ira Reiner said on TV the other night that I was arrogant or whatever, the way I've been acting since been out. That's the only thing I've really done socially, I mean other than going to dinner and going to friends houses. That's the only thing I've really done.
Gordon: People want you to be sorrowful. They want you to grieve.
Simpson: I was sorrowful. I will grieve for the rest of my life, Ed. And I sat and was sorrowful for four hundred and something days. I sat in virtual isolation. I didn't talk to another prisoner. I didn't have any other prisoners around me. They had me in a room by myself, in a robe by myself. A guy like Stacy Koon, who supervised the beating of a human being, that guy spent easier time than I spent and had four million dollars waiting for him when he got out of jail. So, don't tell me about mourning and suffering. I sat in a cell by myself. They wouldn't let me speak to another prisoner. When I walked down the halls, they made all the other prisoners turn their backs to me. I mourned. And I'm still mourning. For the rest of my life I'll mourn, but I should have the right to go outside. I enjoy golf. I should have the right to play golf. I am just as innocent as Denise Brown who is having love affairs. I am just as innocent as you, who I don't know what you do as a hobby, but I'm sure you've been doing it. Yet, physically, I haven't been able to play golf, but if I was physically able to play golf, I would have played twelve more times. But I played twice. I've been out three or four months now. I played twice, yet they tell me I'm arrogant.
Simpson: I was in my front yard, petting my dog one day. They shot me in my front yard petting my dog. They took clips of people like Cathy Randa (?) and Nicole Polvers (?) coming in my house. They showed on some show on TV that I was being arrogant and I was flaunting on my lifestyle. Some guy is standing on his car outside of my wall, shooting me petting my dog in my front yard, watching people who work for me come in and out of my house and their telling me I'm being arrogant and I'm flaunting my lifestyle. They go to this lawyer, Gloria somebody and she's saying, "Its preposterous. It's insensitive." What's insensitive? Me petting my dog in my front yard?
Gordon: Gloria Allred and Ira Reiner. Two people that have been very public about their feeling.
Simpson: Ira Reiner, a guy who ran for office, part of his ticket was police impropriety or overexuberance on the part of the police department. He came in and he was the most ineffective D.A. we've had. I don't think anybody will argue that. He goes on TV and talks about me being arrogant because I played two days of golf in the last two years. I ain't buying it.
Gordon: Go back for me to what you're doing to find the killer.
Simpson: It's difficult. One because they blocked my ability to earn money, I only have a few people working on the case.
Gordon: But you do have people out there working?
Simpson: Yes, yes. It's also difficult because if they follow a simple lead, a simple follow-up, you get something like you got the last few days. I've heard that O.J.'s lawyers are trying to put out that a serial killer, I can't think of his name (Glenn Rogers), Glenn Rogers, may have killed Nicole. My lawyers have said nothing. I was sitting in my living room. I walk in and I got every lawyer that's working with me on this case sitting in my living room two days ago. And they're in there almost laughing at this. And I stopped and I see what they're looking at, and they've got respectable lawyers, good lawyers. One guy, who worked for Bob Kardashian in this case, said, "Oh, it's preposterous what his lawyers are doing." I ask all you people who're giving that report, name one of my lawyers who've done that. But that's what they do. They make up something that's preposterous. Uh, I was told this morning by my sister they had Ron Shipp on TV, saying that we're going after Ron Shipp. If we are, nobody's told me. I know none of my lawyers who've been working on this case thus far has made any efforts or made any statements about that even though we knew he, I know, well, that this man perjured himself on the stand.
Gordon: Ron Shipp?
Simpson: Ron Shipp. And I want see what he's going to say about the girl that was in the jacuzzi with him. Was this really a friend of his wife's? I mean, we'll see. I'd like them to go out and find out, you investigative shows, go out and find out if that's the real person that was in there with him.
Gordon: I would suspect that you would say that everything that Ron Shipp said on the stand was incorrect.
Simpson: I can't talk about any evidence, but I certainly didn't talk to him about any dream.
Gordon: There was no conversation about a dream?
Simpson: No. None whatsoever.
Gordon: Klaus von Bulow was compared to you in your situation in the sense that here's a man who was acquitted of trying to kill his wife. A number of people thought him guilty. When acquitted he went away. He laid very low. People say, "Why don't you do that? Why don't you sell the Brentwood estate? Go away for a little while."
Simpson: Go away? Where do they want me to go? Africa? Is that what some of those people want? Go where? I live in L.A. I see people... I haven't seen them. I've heard them. I hear there are people in Brentwood that don't want me in Brentwood. Maybe there are. But I would say this. I think I probably have been in Brentwood longer than ninety percent of them. They're squatters. If they don't want me in Brentwood, they should leave. This is my home. This is where four of my kids was raised. This is where my two younger kids was born. This is where I lost a baby. This is my home, and if I can't sit in my front yard.. and these people are standing on their cars with their video cameras, and they're telling me I'm not laying low. How much lower do I have to lay? How much lower do I have to lay? I went to Panama City to this golf course that's supposed to be a sanctity of serenity. You know, I'm on a golf course with four people early in the morning on a golf course that never has a crowd and the media is chasing me there. If I wave at some people. There were a lot of positive people that came out and I waved at 'em. The media, Newsweek, I think, puts oh he's flaunting his glove. I'm on a golf course! I'm wearing a golf glove (laughs). You know, how much lower should I lay? I'm at home ninety-nine percent of the time. I went and visited my girlfriend once and played golf two days. That's been four months now. How much lower should I lay?
Gordon: Let's talk about race. You suggested, "Where should I go? Back to Africa?" I... I.... I... only use that as a segway to say to you.... and it's something that I think you want to address and I want you to address it... There are a lot of people who've said that you certainly wouldn't want to go back to Africa. And you try to step away if you will from your quote unquote blackness. I know you've heard that.
Simpson: No. I heard that a a.... Yeah, I've heard something in that a a..
Gordon: I'm sure you have. Deal with that for me.
Simpson: Well, I don't... I am black. I was raised black. When I give money, I give it to black causes. I support all the kids in the neighborhood at least for the last twenty years or so. In the neighborhood where I grew up, I send a check every year to pay for all the uniforms. To pay for the trophes.
Gordon: But they say...
Simpson: Well, O.K. I hear what they say. I play golf! Wherever there's a golf course, that's where I am. And I don't care who's on that golf course. When I'm on the road, when I'm in New York, if LT is available, I call LT. If Nat Moore is available, I play with Nat Moore. Jim Brown even I've invited to come play golf with me. I'm a golfer. I gotta say this. My mother taught me that it's your character that counts, not your color. I'm black. Don't let anybody judge you or limit you by saying you're black and you're limited. That has been my philosophy in life. When I've gotten involved, there's a national society called the LINKS and here (inside the Angel city limits ??). When they were giving a scholarship, I contacted them. I wanted to help because they were giving scholarships to young black men. I had a problem when I was at USC, I didn't have any clothes. My mother did the best she could. I went down there with about two pair of pants and a bunch of like T-shirts and stuff. And it was embarrassing for me at times to be on a campus, where everybody else, even though I was the big man on campus was better dressed than I was. So, I called them and said how can I help with this scholarship. A.. And they had scholarship money and I wanted money to make sure that when these young men went to whatever college they were going to in America that they be well dressed. So, I gave thousands of dollars, every year for fifteen or sixteen years now to the Angel City Links for their scholarship so that black men wouldn't feel embarrassed on whatever campus they were going to. Cause I been out. One night, for instance, Rosy Grier and another person in LA law enforcement. I don't want to name him. I don't want to get him in trouble... and I left my house one night. And some of the rag, a tabloid shows, followed us with a camera, running people off the road trying to keep up with us. Because I didn't want to bring them where I was going, out on the what I call the community, out on 90th Street and Crenshaw, a black community. I wasn't trying to get any accolades. I was going out there to talk to some young kids. I talked to 'em about what I thought was important for 'em to look forward to in the future, young football players, Pee-Dee leagues, midget leagues. Rosy talked to 'em about religion and my friend in law enforcement talked to em about law enforcement and the law. Because I ditched this camera, the story was I went to some bar or some cafe. But because I'm not looking for people to reward me or to get accolades for things that I do, I don't need it. I don't need to be. I don't need people to know that I give a scholarship to black men every year. I don't need them to know that I buy trophes and uniforms for my neighborhood which is predominately black. I don't need that. But it seems that in this country unless you're raving about what you're doing, you're not doing anything.
Gordon: Deal with... because one of the things you wanted when we talked about this was to tell your side of the story. I want you to tell me and tell America, particularly black America, when they say to me, yeah he gives money, he does all of these things, but he dates exclusively white women, exclusively deals with whites in corporate America on golf courses, etc. etc. Is that because you raised yourself to a level where very few blacks are?
Simpson: Well, let me say this, Ed. If Johnson and Johnson had offered me a half a million dollars to do an ad for em or review the product, I'd have been doing an add for em. But they weren't the people offering me these deals. It was the Hertz corporations, the RC Cola corporations that were offering me these deals, the Chevrolet one time that was offering me these deals. What am I supposed to do? Not take em? You know I took those deals. I met Nicole Brown. I liked Nicole Brown. It was immaterial to me that she was white.I was in love and I'm in love today for the rest of my life with Marguerite Conners, Marguerite Whitney... my first wife. We spoke yesterday, uh two days ago. We spent Christmas together. I love her. I didn't look at her color when I met her. This is a women I was in love with. Nicole was a woman that I was in love with and Paula Barbieri was a woman that I had a lot of feeling for and I loved. And I love her, too.
Gordon: So the reports that we see in the media about you only wanting to deal with white women, that you you are running away from your blackness, you are embarrassed that you are black?
Simpson: (laughs) Why? Why? I like me. I've liked me my whole life. I've never been embarrassed about anything that I've done. I've been ashamed in '89 obviously. That was something that I wish hadn't have happened in my life.
Gordon: One very quick question before we go to break. Do you believe that you'd receive the cold shoulder that you are receiving now if indeed it had been your first wife, a black women and a black male companion who were killed?
Simpson: Uh, you know I thought about that in jail. I don't want to give it a lot of breath, but no. I don't.
Gordon: And you think that speaks to racism in this country?
Simpson: Yeah.
Gordon: All right. We'll take a break. (commercial break)
Gordon: Mr. Simpson, let me ask you this. We talked about trying to be reacclimated to freedom and getting back into society. Do you ever think you'll see normalcy in your life?
Simpson: Yeah, I do believe that as time goes on, I mean they say that time heals all wounds, but you know this is America. I believe in people and despite what the polls tell you, what I call the black community has been so supportive. And you said something earlier about what I'm doing. Maybe I have to be more visual. Maybe I have to become more visual about some of the things I do. I didn't feel that I needed to bring attention to myself in the past, but I am so appreciative of the support I've gotten from the community. At the same time, white America, the calls I get now, I think that sixty percent are probably white. And it's almost a shame that they have to identify themselves as "I'm a white American. I'm a white 60-year-old lady."
Gordon: Well, Mr. Simpson, let's be fair. Most of the people, perhaps not yourself, but those of us on the outside see and talk to white Americans who believe you're guilty.
Simpson: I can't ... I can't just take that as all white Americans. Maybe there's a lot of them out there that do, but I know a lot of them that have been very supportive and I think in the long run will look at this decision.... we do have a jury system that has worked for 200 years... Uh, I don't think anything like this has ever happened before where all of sudden they're questioning the jury system because of one trial... but uh hopeful it's going to last for another 200 more years. And I don't think I'll ever be doing ads on TV. I got these guys saying he's trying to get his image back. Let me tell you something. I have not hired a PR department. I mean all these other people that are trying to raise money on TV to fight me. They're hiring police departments. I'm watching people that are supposed to have fair and equal talk shows, telling my lawyers to come on their talk shows if they're ready. Yet, they've taken a side. They've made it clear to the American public who they support. They'll take an ad for the Brown's or the Goldman's and they'll put a number on that TV for you to send money to help fight O.J. in court. Essentially that's what it's for. The legal funds to fight O.J. At the same time, our people go on that show, even to try to buy ads on that show, so that I can earn the money to support myself in a court of law, but they won't allow that. Now you tell me, is that a prejudicism? What is that? When a network will do that... when a network or a local station... I saw that PTLA had the Goldman fund or the Brown fund on TV so that you can send money to fight O.J. Simpson in court. Yet we try to buy time on that show, so that I can earn my own money to defend myself in court and they don't give me that. Now you you tell me that's the American way? Do you tell me that this network or this show is being fair and equal and that all people in this country are equal and have an equal right? No. There's something wrong there. And that's why, I'm faced with what I'm faced with now. They've taken a side and they've, I guess, position themselves as being legitimate and they're not, they're not unbiased.
Gordon: I've got a hard break in three minutes and I want to get this in before we have to take than break. The idea that you have to deal with your children, talk to them about what has happened. People want to know, how are you doing that and whether or not they have any doubt in their minds?
Simpson: Obviously, my son is so young. I don't really think he's thought about it. That was the toughest thing for me the first week is that when I had both kids, they seemed so happy and they seemed so loving and they weren't even aware of what happened. That they lost Nicole... who was just an incredible mother. I mean ... she was.... like my mom. I think Nicole was the most attentive mother I've ever known. And my kids are loving kids. When they're with me, they want to have fun. You know we love each other. I love them. They love me. I think the toughest thing for me to deal with right now is the thought that maybe I'm going to have to fight for them, which is amazing to me because I think that Nicole was always pretty adamant about that I was a good father. Whenever, even after we were split and she was taking a trip, she'd call me first before she'd call her mother to keep the kids. But I suspect we may see them try to take my kids from me which I can't believe could happen. I've seen in America kids being torn away from foster parents, going to their paternal parents. I... I just can't imagine that happening and hopefully, it won't.
Gordon: The deposition that you're involved in this week, there are reports that there are conflicting stories now. That's what the media is reporting. I just want to give you an opportunity. We've heard that side. I know you're not going to talk about what you talked about in the deposition, but do you feel confident that you are not giving any conflicting stories from what was told in your criminal trial from what you told the last three days?
Simpson: Let me say this, I'd be willing for them to take my last three days of deposition, Paula Barbieri's deposition, show that to a jury and let the jury decide.
Gordon: All right. We'll take a break and come back in just a moment.
Commercial break.
Gordon: Back with Mr. Simpson. Mr. Simpson, I know and I've attempted to uh (summarize???) some of the issues that your attorneys suggested we not deal with but I do want to get your idea about what people talked about as relates to quote unquote all of the circumstantial evidence. All of the quote unquote blood evidence. The conflicting stories that were told about where you were when the limo driver pulled up, whether you were indeed asleep, in the shower, chipping golf balls, etc.
Simpson: Well, I can't talk specifically about that. But let me tell you there's no conflicting stories. It's been somewhat disconcerting watching TV the other night, and there's these D.A.'s from around the country, one from Georgia, a blonde who was saying... it's just totaling amazing to me that they can go on TV for an hour and pontificate about things they know nothing about. Iwatched an entire show the other day when there were experts who didn't know anything about this deposition, analyzing what might have been said in that deposition. Once again I don't think there were any conflicting stories at all. I gave, you know people talk about giving a no holds barred tough interview. I gave a no holds barred tough interview without a lawyer in the room for thirty-three minutes to the LAPD, and the prosecution did everything they could possibly do not to let that in court. Our lawyers time after time tried to get that statement on the record and in court and they didn't want it on the record in court. And I'll tell you in my opinion there's no, nothing conflicting.
Gordon: In that thirty-three minutes, if we were to obtain that tape we would know where you were during that time?
Simpson: What's interesting is that every question they asked me, I don't know what they're going at... I'm going hoping they can get me out of the way and go after and find who did this. Everything they asked me, I answered as honestly as I could and as accurately as I could.
Gordon: Were you chipping golf balls?
Simpson: I don't want to talk about that. It's on the video. Exactly what I was doing is on the video.
Gordon: Well, give America something for free Mr. Simpson.
Simpson: Well, I give a lot for free. I gave a 33 minute interview for free. It was the LA D.A.'s office that didn't want to give it to 'em for free. It was right there for 'em.
Gordon: So, I can't at least find out where you were at that time? Chipping golf balls, sleep, shower?
Simpson: You can find out for
Gordon $29.99?
Simpson: Yeah. (laughs) And I have another lawsuit. I've spent a career, and I like to think a career that I was gracious to people. I like to think I was modest. And I worked my butt off for twenty years to attain a certain wealth and it's all gone. And I need to defend myself and I need to raise and support my family.
Gordon: Let me hit this break. When we come back i want to ask you about your life. Back in a moment.
Commercial break.
Gordon: Mr. Simpson, one of the things that people are interested in is whether you indeed fear for your life. There is a lot of hatred out there, whether we differ on the numbers of people. It is very intense for you. Do you at all fear for your life?
Simpson: Yeah... I can't give it any thought. I try to be positive. My lawyers and family have insisted that I have security which I have, but you know I can't live my life in fear. And as I said, the negative, I try to ignore the negative and focus on the positive. If anything positive came out of this is first of all, I know that I got some great friends, who would do just about anything for me. You know in your life, they say if you got one good friend your way ahead of the game, but I got so many. I'm starting with Al Cowlings, AC. I got Bob Kardashian. I mean it goes on down the line. I've met some great friends. I've had the opportunity to meet with and speak to some great Americans... black and white. And I think the thing that I'm probably most proud of is that uh I think what America saw was a great family... black family. My mother, my sisters and my brother, I mean I always felt it, but I think I'm way ahead of the game there. I think if all American families were like my family, this country would be a lot better off.
Gordon: What about the rest of your life. You've already said despite what people are talking about, you're trying to regain your image (Simpson interrupts and disagrees) That's what I'm saying. Despite what they're saying, you're saying that you're not. And you understand that you're not going to be America's pitch man anymore.
Simpson: Yeah, I don't have a PR person trying to help me at this point in time. I'm not looking to regain anything. What I'd like to do is raise my kids, spend as much time as I can with my family, especially my mom, who's here tonight, and play golf. You know I have a lot of friends. I'd like to give that camaraderie and support to in my life. I've been blessed that I've been able to help educate members of my family, members of my in-laws in both families, attempt to educate. I've been able to help in their daily lives, in support and given jobs to friends and I like to think that I've shared myself and shared my success not only with my family, but with the public. Uh, I may not be able to do that anymore. I would just like to be left alone, raise my kids and as I said, my hobby and passion is golf, and play a little golf.
Gordon: I've got about two minutes left. As best as you can, tell those who look at this interview, look at you, look at your story with a skeptical eye, with a jaundiced eye, something that you feel might help them along in bringing them back to at least allowing you as you say as someone who's been through the system, the grace that you should have in your words because you were found innocent.
Simpson: Well, this country has been a great country for 200 years. Cause we have laws in this country and like em or not, people have abided by those laws. There have been decisions made, Mike Tyson, a decision I didn't necessarily agree with, but he was convicted, he served his time, and many people in America say he's a rapist. I was accused of a crime. I feel vindicated in a court of law. I shouldn't be called anything but O.J. Simpson at this time. I didn't kill anybody. I could not kill anybody. Nicole Brown Simpson was the mother of my kids. She was a great mother. It hurts me today to know that my kids will not know her as a mother. I certainly would not have left my kids there to see that that horrible gruesome scene that was outside her house. I love my kids, I love Nicole. I could not have killed anyone. And I did not kill anyone. I'm an American. And I just want to be treated like an American. I want people to treat me the way I treated all of you, and for the last twenty years, I've met thousands, hundreds of thousands of people. And I treated you with what my mother always taught me to do unto others. I treated you like I want to be treated. And that's the only thing I'm asking now. If you don't like me, leave me alone. I'm not bothering you. Let me raise my family. Give me an opportunity to earn a living and support my family and friends.
Gordon: All right.
End of the interview.