OJ Simpson Laughed At Cuba Gooding Jr.'s Portrayal Of NFL Star, Manager Says
It's a laughing matter! O.J. Simpson's former manager claims that the NFL star found Cuba Gooding Jr.'s performance downright humorous on FX's American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson.
Norman Pardo, who remains Simpson's pal, stopped by Good Morning America on Thursday, Jan. 4, revealing the 68-year-old's feelings on reliving the "trial of a century."
Though Simpson is not a fan of the miniseries — perhaps it brings back too many haunting memories of murdered wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman — the athlete is most likely watching the show from prison, Pardo shared.
"He'll say he won't but he always does," Pardo told GMA. "It's about him, even though it's fictional or what not, it's still, it's about him so he'll watch. Somehow, they'll figure out a way to do it."
Simpson, who was found innocent in court, vehemently denies killing his wife and her pal. He was later convicted in 2007 for a robbery and kidnapping in Las Vegas and is currently serving his prison sentence.
As for his life behind bars, Pardo revealed that "ladies man" Simpson likes to be "left alone" for the most part.
"He'll do things that are just whacked out. He'll sit in the corner and he'll talk to himself, he'll answer himself. I've caught him doing that numerous times," he revealed. "He's like a child. When we handle him, it's like a child. You've got to really watch him, watch his mannerisms."
Pardo also agreed with Simpson's opinion of Gooding Jr.'s performance, commenting that the award-winning actor failed to achieve the athlete's "charisma."
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At the end of his interview, Pardo expressed sadness for Simpson's children, daughter Sydney and son Justin, now grown up, who have to endure the trauma once again through the sensationalized series.
"It's just sad for the kids. That's the main thing. They shouldn't have to go through this all over again," he said. "Their mother was butchered and their father is considered a murderer by a lot and they have to relive that for the next two months, over and over and over.
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m.