October, 1995:
I began the month by making my first trip to New Zealand, leaving L.A. on October 2 and arriving in Auckland on October 4. (It’s a 13-hour flight, and there’s a 20-hour time difference.)
Brent Impey and Janine Bliss had arranged for me to speak at the I.B.A. (Independent Broadcasters Association) Convention. Both Brent & Janine suffered countless faxes from me as we arranged the itinerary. These days, people who foolishly invite me to visit their countries suffer endless emails.
When the O. J. Simpson story first broke, I was in Belgium. I am the only adult American not to have witnessed the slow-speed chase up the 405 Freeway…which runs less than a mile from my house.
In fact, I assume the exit O.J. took that day is the one I took at the end of this trip to get home from the airport.
Why do I mention this? The jury’s verdict was announced two minutes before I got off the plane in Auckland (6:00AM local time).
Being able to prove I was out of the country on both occasions, let the record show I cannot be blamed either for the murders or for the verdict.
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My very first “Production Summit” was memorable for all the great information I absorbed — and for when many of us at the Summit were having an adult beverage at the bar and in walks OJ. Really! As I recall, he even came over and said hello (sans gloves). Not sure if it was pre or post trial……….
@Bruce: That was post-trial. I didn’t know it at the time, but apparently he was living at that Brentwood hotel for about a month, and during much of the Summit he hung out at the bar.
In fact, he was going out of his way to strike up conversations with attendees.
One attendee reported coming SO close to asking OJ to autograph the L.A. Air Force production CD he’d purchased that weekend. (Take a look at the title….)
I believe I was at that Summit. Oddly, I didn’t spend any time in the bar. But I do remember the OJ buzz among the attendees. One night a couple of years later, I was in the St Mark’s jazz club in Venice. OJ was there with what appeared to be some “professional” women. The place was virtually empty. My wife and I were having a tete-a-tete when suddenly this shadow loomed over us. We look up to see OJ leaning down into our booth. He said, “Hey! How are ya!” and continued on to the men’s room, making the same stop at a couple of other tables. Somewhat unsettling. But I do feel better knowing Dan has an alibi. And I just wish whoever bought the LA Airforce CD had followed through. 😉