Where to Stream: The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story



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A lot of things have happened in the bedroom of Kim Kardashian: from Ray J having it first to O.J. trying to kill himself. The latter incident first came to light last year, when American Tragedy: The Uncensored Story of the O.J. Simpson Defense author, Lawrence Schiller, claimed, in an interview with ABC News’ 20/20, that O.J. Simpson tried to end his own life in Kim Kardashian’s childhood bedroom. Last night, in the premiere episode of Ryan Murphy and FX’s The People Vs. O.J. Simpson, the incident got the dramatic treatment.

Back against a wall, gun in hand, O.J. (Cuba Gooding Jr.), tearful, is on the brink. That’s where Ross/Robert Kardashian (David Schwimmer) finds him, delivering a very on the nose “Do not kill yourself in Kimmy’s bedroom,” emphasis on “Kimmy”. He continues, “Give me the gun, give me the gun!” The show is shot in the actual house the Kardashians lived in in Encino in the 90s (where O.J. was staying the day he was supposed to be arrested for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman), and the bedroom is the actual bedroom of teenage Kim Kardashian, apparently painstakingly recreated using old photos. So along with O.J.’s attempt on his own life, we now also know that Kim had a giant poster of Jonathan Taylor Thomas on her bedroom wall in the 90s—stars, they’re just like us!

While the show is based on reporter Jeffrey Toobin’s The Run Of His Life, Schiller’s new reporting was included in the first episode, building the tension in the moments before O.J., unhinged, made for the now iconic white Bronco. Schiller claims that Simpson had made a “suicide tape”, which seems to have not yet surfaced if it exists, so it’s authenticity if tenuous. What does exist however, is O.J.’s suicide note, which is also of questionable legitimacy. The note was discovered on June 17, 1994, shortly before the car chase began. Toobin believes that Simpson was “barely literate”, and that the eloquence of the letter, and the strange smiley face drawn inside the “O” of O.J., suggest that Robert Kardashian may have edited the letter.

Schiller claims that the “tape” in his possession, features Simpson pleading,”Please remember me as ‘The Juice.’ Please remember me as a good guy. Don’t remember me as one of the negatives that might end up here. Please, please, please, please leave my kids at peace. I love everybody.” He claims that Simpson was also holding photos of Nicole and their children, as well as his three children from his first marriage, when he was found by Kardashian and Kris Jenner (aka the newly rebranded Kris Kardashian). The late Robert Kardashian reportedly told Schiller Simpson said, “I’m going to kill myself in this room.” Schiller goes on to allege that Kardashian replied, “My little girl Kim sleeps here. I can’t have my little girl in this bedroom, and every time I come in here, I’m going to see your body lying in this. You can’t do that.”

For now, we might have to take the dramatization of O.J.’s suicide attempt, and Robert Kardashian’s intervention, with a grain of salt. Staging the scene, whether rooted in fact or falsity, in the teenage bedroom of the world’s most visible, divisive woman, does, of course, make for brilliant TV.

[How to stream The People V. O.J. Simpson]

Kat George is a writer and a Fast & Furious obsessive. Follow her on Twitter: @kat_george.