It’s hard to figure out what was going through everybodies’ heads in the O.J. deal. I don’t want to be inside Simpson’s head, thank you very much. Murdoch seemed to be protecting his brand by killing the TV and book deals. Judith Regan is a damned smart publisher with a finger on the pulse but in this case, she seems to have gone into afib. I got calls from two reporters trying to suss out the players this evening. I told the second one:
I think the publishing industry is desperate. It’s showing in what they’re chosing to publish. Regan had not only the O.J. deal but also Jenna Jameson telling you how to make love like a porn star and how to make money like a porn star. And I thought Harry Potter was tacky. Meanwhile, Simon & Schuster’s Touchstone is
Mind you, I’m the last person to be a snob; I worked for People and listen to Howard. But the desperation of uncontrolled change in media is making each medium progressively tackier or, in the case of O.J., just plain sleazier. But everyone has his limits.
