February 4, 2106--O.J.-OD

I have a good friend who is encouraging me to watch the O.J. movie on TV. On FX, The People v. O.J. Simpson. The first part, broadcast Tuesday, is On Demand, she tells me, and so I can watch it whenever I want.

My first response to the news that I can watch it whenever I want was, "Never!"

"Never?"

"Never is when I'm going to watch it."

"I thought you were into the O.J. trial in real time, while it was underway. Broadcast from the courtroom on TV. Didn't you watch the reruns of the trial after work and then watch the Geraldo show all night long?"

"True. Sad, but true. And that's precisely why I don't want to watch the new O.J. movie. I was addicted to the trial. I mean that almost literally, and don't want to get readdicted to it or anything, for that matter, on TV. I watch too much as it is. Obviously, including my obsession with the election and especially anything having to do with Donald TRUMP."

"I've noticed that," I could hear her say with sympathy for me. "But I think this is different. Not the addiction part because I assume if you watch the first episode you'll get hooked. But it's worth it. I can't wait to hear what you think about John Travolta playing Robert Shapiro or the fact that the Kardashian girls as young children appear in the series. They're daughters of one of O.J.'s Dream Team lawyers. Robert Kardashian. Perfect, no? Reality TV could be said to have started with the O.J. trial and is in full flagrant display with Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

"You're making my point--first I'll be riveted by the O.J. film and that will lead me to the Kardashians. To tell you the truth, though I hate them and all they stand for, I'm also fascinated by them. How this family of boring and talentless people are as popular as anyone in Ameirca. Even more than Donald TRUMP."

"More reality TV," my friend said with a hint of irony. In part, if the truth be told, because of my interest in, even fascination with the TRUMP phenomenon.

"OK, I'll fess up--not only did I stay up all night for 12 months back in 1994-95 to gorge myself on the trial, but one time, when Rona and I were in Los Angeles, while the trail was underway, we drove by the crime scene on South Bundy and then raced as fast as we could to O.J.'s house on Rockingham to see how long it took. As a way of checking the voracity of the prosecution's and O.J.'s stories. We sort of did our own investigation. We even walked from Mezzaluna, where Ron Goldman worked, to Nicole Simpson's apartment where he was stabbed to death. The fatal route he took to return her sunglasses."

"You really do have it bad. I feel sorry for you. Maybe you shouldn't watch the TV series after all. There are ten parts and . . ."

"Ten parts! What a nightmare. I'll be a wreck."

"I fear for your stability and equanimity." She sounded as if she really did.

"Thanks. But it's too late. Even before watching it, from what you said, I'm hooked. I really do have an O.J. problem.

"I feel terrible that I brought it up."

 "It's OK. It would have happened on its own."

"The good news is that's it's only ten weeks."

"Only? I might not survive."

"You will. You're strong. Have you had a cardiogram lately?"

 "I probably should." And the half-seriously, I said, "Is there a 12-step O.J. recovery program?"

"The gloves don't fit."