WWW- Faced with a growing uproar, Rupert Murdoch, the chairman the News Corporation, announced this afternoon that his company had canceled publication of the pseudo-memoir/confessional by O.J. Simpson, “If I Did It,” as well as a related television special that was to be broadcast on the Fox network next week.
“I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project,” Mr. Murdoch said in a statement. “We are sorry for any pain this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown-Simpson.”
Mr. Simpson was accused of the 1994 stabbing murders of his wife Nicole and her friend Ronald L. Goldman. After a televised trial watched by millions around the world, a jury acquitted Mr. Simpson, who had always maintained his innocence. But in the unorthodox literary project, and the accompanying television special, Mr. Simpson reportedly details how he might have killed Ms. Simpson and Mr. Goldman, if he had killed them.
His book editor, Judith Regan, who also conducted an interview of Mr. Simpson for the television special, has said the book is Mr. Simpson’s confession to the murders of Ms. Simpson and Mr. Goldman. Mr. Simpson has not spoken publicly about the book or the TV special.
The project was met with a hail of criticism, especially as it revived memories of a crime that set off a searing national debate on race, crime and whether the rich get away with murder. A dozen Fox affiliates have already said they would not broadcast the two-part program, which had been scheduled during sweeps month on Nov. 27 and 29 just before publication of the book. It was being published by ReganBooks, a HarperCollins imprint owned, like the Fox network, by the News Corporation.
Ms. Regan so far declined to comment today on the cancellation of the book and the television special.
The News Corporation also publishes The New York Post, which featured the book and the interview on its front page on Thursday, with a photo of Mr. Simpson and his late wife, both of them smiling, with a headline reading “O.J. ’fesses.”
Earlier today, the industry trade publication Broadcasting & Cable editorialized against the program, saying "Fox should cancel this evil sweeps stunt."
Although it had yet to be released, the book made the top 20 most ordered books on Amazon.com, but even on that bookseller’s Web site, a campaign to boycott the book was waged in its customers’ comments section.
Today, after the announcement that it would not be published, the book dropped to 46 on the Amazon list, and some readers reacted gleefully.
“Decency wins out over greed,” wrote one.
The Borders bookstore chain announced last week that it would donate any profits from the Simpson book to charity.
The plans for the book and the interviews outraged family members of the victims and victims’ rights organizations.
"He destroyed my son and took from my family Ron’s future and life. And for that I’ll hate him always and find him despicable," Mr. Goldman’s father, Fred Goldman, said on ABC last week.
Ms. Regan is known for promoting books by celebrities and controversial figures like Jenna Jameson, the pornography star, and Jose Canseco, the steroid-popping baseball player.
Ms. Regan has said she considered the book to be Mr. Simpson’s confession, although she acknowledged that he did not say directly in the book or the interview that he killed his wife and Mr. Goldman.
In a lengthy statement she released last week, Ms. Regan said she pursued the project because she too had been a victim of abuse and wanted “to hear him say, ‘I did it and I am sorry.’ ”
“I wanted his confession,” she said.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Britney Spears To Give Away Sex Tape
What I want to know is when did Britney get so smart!
According to a family friend, Britney Spears is "seriously thinking about" just giving away a digitally re-mastered copy of her sex tape for free so Kevin Federline can't make any money off of it.
"Brit figures she'll beat that sucker to the punch, just like she did by giving away pictures of Jayden James," said Spears family friend Nyla Price, 55, the owner of Nyla's Burger Basket. "Half of nuthin' is nuthin', and that's what her lying skunk of a husband will get if she gives that video away before he can find some sleazeball to buy it." Federline has been saying the sex tape is four hours long, however, Price says the tape is closer to forty-five minutes
This is like a battle of wits between Britney Spears and Kevin Federline to see who can screw each other over the most. I'd compare it to an intricate game of chess but it's really more like a pig wrestling contest. I picture each of them staying up late at night trying to put together battle plans, furiously scribbling on a notepad with their tongue sticking out. Then when you look at the notepad it's just a bunch of numbers, with some of the 3's facing the wrong way.
According to a family friend, Britney Spears is "seriously thinking about" just giving away a digitally re-mastered copy of her sex tape for free so Kevin Federline can't make any money off of it.
"Brit figures she'll beat that sucker to the punch, just like she did by giving away pictures of Jayden James," said Spears family friend Nyla Price, 55, the owner of Nyla's Burger Basket. "Half of nuthin' is nuthin', and that's what her lying skunk of a husband will get if she gives that video away before he can find some sleazeball to buy it." Federline has been saying the sex tape is four hours long, however, Price says the tape is closer to forty-five minutes
This is like a battle of wits between Britney Spears and Kevin Federline to see who can screw each other over the most. I'd compare it to an intricate game of chess but it's really more like a pig wrestling contest. I picture each of them staying up late at night trying to put together battle plans, furiously scribbling on a notepad with their tongue sticking out. Then when you look at the notepad it's just a bunch of numbers, with some of the 3's facing the wrong way.
Izabella St. James Spills Playboy Secrets
In her tell-all book ‘Bunny Tales: Behind Closed Doors At The Playboy Mansion.’
London - Playboy playmate Izabella St James, who was a part of the eighty-something lothario Hugh Hefner’s sexiest seven squad, has spilled the sex secrets of some of Hollywood’s prolific actors, in her tell all book ‘Bunny Tales: Behind Closed Doors At The Playboy Mansion.’
In her shocking new book the Polish-born blonde admits: "Anything goes in that place — but until now nobody has dared to tell.
"It's everything you ever imagined and worse... the world's biggest celebrities surrounded by half-naked beautiful women, and hormones run wild.
All the girls were up for it — the hunky young stars just had to click their fingers and a gaggle of Playmates would jump at spending the night with them,” she was quoted by the Newsoftheworld, as saying.
In her book Izabella revealed how Leonardo DiCaprio loved to frolic with blonde Bunnies in the bushes by the monkey house and glamour girl Jordan was all over ageing tycoon Hefner after watching him enjoy an orgy with seven other beauties.
Others like Hutch star Owen Wilson and Irish actor Colin Firth almost lived at the mansion indulging a craving for group sex.
Izabella was a permanent fixture at the Beverly Hills mansion from 2002 to 2004 and witnessed all the wildest bashes. As one of Hef's seven special girls she was banned from flirting with anyone else.
But she admitted: "Leonardo, Owen and Colin were the girls' favorites. They all wanted to spend the night with them and many had their wish come true.
"These boys were all single and caused a stir at every party. Leo was so handsome and adorable — and had a reputation for being amazing in bed.
He practically lived at the mansion. Every party, he'd be there. I lost count of the times I saw him at the end of a bash bundling five or six girls into the back of a limo to take back to his house,” Izabella revealed.
London - Playboy playmate Izabella St James, who was a part of the eighty-something lothario Hugh Hefner’s sexiest seven squad, has spilled the sex secrets of some of Hollywood’s prolific actors, in her tell all book ‘Bunny Tales: Behind Closed Doors At The Playboy Mansion.’
In her shocking new book the Polish-born blonde admits: "Anything goes in that place — but until now nobody has dared to tell.
"It's everything you ever imagined and worse... the world's biggest celebrities surrounded by half-naked beautiful women, and hormones run wild.
All the girls were up for it — the hunky young stars just had to click their fingers and a gaggle of Playmates would jump at spending the night with them,” she was quoted by the Newsoftheworld, as saying.
In her book Izabella revealed how Leonardo DiCaprio loved to frolic with blonde Bunnies in the bushes by the monkey house and glamour girl Jordan was all over ageing tycoon Hefner after watching him enjoy an orgy with seven other beauties.
Others like Hutch star Owen Wilson and Irish actor Colin Firth almost lived at the mansion indulging a craving for group sex.
Izabella was a permanent fixture at the Beverly Hills mansion from 2002 to 2004 and witnessed all the wildest bashes. As one of Hef's seven special girls she was banned from flirting with anyone else.
But she admitted: "Leonardo, Owen and Colin were the girls' favorites. They all wanted to spend the night with them and many had their wish come true.
"These boys were all single and caused a stir at every party. Leo was so handsome and adorable — and had a reputation for being amazing in bed.
He practically lived at the mansion. Every party, he'd be there. I lost count of the times I saw him at the end of a bash bundling five or six girls into the back of a limo to take back to his house,” Izabella revealed.
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