O.J. Simpson’s Lawyer Laughs Off SNL Joke About Murder
O.J. Simpson continues to be a hot topic even years after his passing—and Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special proved that once again. The iconic late-night show isn’t shy about poking fun at the outlandish lives of its former hosts, and who better to target than the infamous football star? During a monologue on February 16, former SNL writer John Mulaney cracked, “894 people have hosted Saturday Night Live, and it amazes me that only two of them have committed murder,” a not-so-subtle nod to Simpson and the late Robert Blake, both of whom hosted SNL before their own legal controversies.
Simpson, who famously escaped a murder conviction in the 1990s, found humor in Mulaney’s words through his longtime lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne, who told TMZ he thought the whole bit was “great” and even “very funny.” LaVergne reflected how Mulaney’s delivery invited viewers to consider, even if just for a moment, the darker side of the comedic legacy surrounding these once-celebrated figures. But let’s not forget that SNL loves a good shocking punchline—it’s practically its bread and butter!
LaVergne also pointed out that Simpson lived life unapologetically in its glitzy afterglow. “He just lived his life: golf, friends, good food, and hot young women,” LaVergne quipped. In case you missed it, he also hinted that Simpson would have been, at best, indifferent about the monologue if he were still alive. Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin, the record-holder for SNL hosting gigs, has weathered his own legal turmoil after being charged with involuntary manslaughter in the tragic on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins—a charge that was dismissed in 2024. This led LaVergne to wryly note that anyone who hosts SNL seems to have a magical escape route from homicide charges.
In a twist, LaVergne is currently locked in a separate legal squabble with Simpson’s son, Justin, over the late football star’s Las Vegas property, demanding either compensation or the title of the house. Seems like both the jokes and legal dramas surrounding this family are far from over!
Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and TMZ, People Magazine, The Daily Beast
