Posted in: ABC, CBS, NBC, Opinion, TV, TV, YouTube | Tagged: ABC, cbs, cnn, nbc, nicole brown simpson, oj simpson, opinion, ron goldman

OJ Simpson/White Ford Bronco Pursuit: Yes, It's Been 30 Years (VIDEO)

It was 30 years ago when 95 million viewers watched the LAPD's very low-speed pursuit of OJ Simpson in Al "AC" Cowlings's White Ford Bronco.

A little more than two months after OJ Simpson passed away at the age of 76 from prostate cancer, today marks the day when the worlds of law enforcement, television news, race relations, celebrity "cult culture," and sports would collide – leaving an impact on the pop culture landscape that's still being felt to this day (and not in a good way). Thirty years ago today – on June 17, 1994 – Simpson would lead the LAPD on a 90-minute-long "cold" pursuit from the back of his friend/driver Al "AC" Cowlings' White Ford Bronco to avoid being charged for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. We refer to it as a "cold" pursuit because it was about as slow of a drive as you could imagine – like, you could get out of the vehicle, walk up to the front, replace the windshield washer fluid, and get back in without getting run over.

In case you think our opening is a bit melodramatic, keep in mind that an estimated 95 million viewers would find themselves glued to their screens to see how it would all turn out – in 1994, not exactly a "grand year" for the internet and social media quite yet, which makes that number even more staggering. You had folks taking to the streets with handmade signs of support – with "Run, OJ, Run!" and "The Juice Is Loose!" just some of the examples. You would be hard-pressed to find a television screen that wasn't carrying the live coverage – with NBC even going split-screen with its coverage as Game 5 of the NBC Finals was underway (New York Knicks vs. Houston Rockets, with the Knicks winning that game, but the Rockets winning the series and the title). For an even more jaw-dropping perspective, more folks viewed the pursuit than watched Super Bowl XXVIII between the Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills (with the Cowboys winning, 30-13).

Though it was noted that Simpson had written a suicide note and reportedly kept a gun to his head during part of the pursuit, the White Ford Bronco would eventually make its way back to Simpson's Brentwood estate. After spending nearly an additional hour inside the vehicle, Simpson would enter his home to contact his mother before surrendering himself to law enforcement. Unfortunately, no one could truly appreciate at the time how this incident would pale in comparison to what would come when Simpson's trial got underway – a trial that would find Simpson not guilty – but that's a conversation for another "anniversary."

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