My Acerbic Aerobics Class With O.J. Simpson

A week before the infamous murder, I saw O.J. sexually harass a woman. If I had spoken up, could I have changed the course of history, or just tanked my acting career?

Illustration by Thomas Howes

When Robert Kerbeck pitched us this Narratively Classic eight years ago, he was an actor hustling up roles in L.A. with a secret side gig as a corporate spy. Today he’s turned that dual life into a hit memoir currently being adapted for the screen. Next month, Robert will lead the Narratively Academy class, How to Write Your Life Story — Even if You’ve Never Written Anything Before. If you’ve always wanted to write about your life experiences but aren’t sure where to start, this is the class for you. And today’s the last day to sign up early and get 15 percent off on all of our March classes.

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I heard a lot about the O.J. Simpson trial last year, the event’s twentieth anniversary. It seemed every time I turned on the radio or TV — granted I live in Los Angeles — some program host was interviewing a key player in the case.

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The hosts blabbed about “untold stories” and “secret tapes.” As I rushed to change the stations, I reminded myself I just had to make it through 2015 and O.J. would go away again. My own secret would be safe.

Then just recently, I saw the trailer for the upcoming O.J. series on FX.

All I could think as I watched John Travolta playing Robert Shapiro and Cuba Gooding, Jr. as O.J. was that the “Trial of the Century” (as well as their entire TV series) might have been avoided if I’d had the balls to do something I wouldn’t hesitate to do today.

If I had, maybe two people wouldn’t have been murdered. But then again, maybe not.