After a jury acquitted O.J. Simpson of murder, Norm Macdonald kicked off Weekend Update on “Saturday Night Live” with a joke about murder being legal in California.
The O.J. Simpson trial in 1995 not only dominated the media but also became a source of comedy material. Comedians like Chris Rock and Howard Stern made O.J. jokes a staple in their routines, with Jay Leno even turning the trial into a sitcom parody on the “Tonight Show.”
Leno’s focus on O.J. jokes helped boost his ratings and marked a turning point in late-night television. Meanwhile, Macdonald’s sharp-edged conviction in his O.J. jokes eventually led to his firing in 1998 by NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer, who was a friend of Simpson.
The O.J. Simpson trial not only changed how scandals were covered in the media but also shifted the boundaries of acceptable humor on television. Audiences began demanding comedy about grim subjects, leading to a rise in dark humor and jokes about taboo topics like murder.
With the rise of social media and the decline of gatekeepers, O.J. jokes became even more prevalent, even after his death. The debate over whether it’s ever “too soon” to joke about sensitive subjects continues, but some comedians, like Conan O’Brien, choose to avoid making jokes about someone on the day of their death.
