Seven things that may surprise you about OJ Simpson

Famed for his excellence in football and eventual climb to Hollywood stardom as an actor, OJ Simpson was announced dead on Thursday at 76. 

After a long battle with cancer, a recent statement from the family shared that Simpson was surrounded by family at the time of his passing.

He is most remembered for what has been dubbed “the trial of the century” after the death of his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her male friend, Ronald Goldman.

With a career and time spent in the limelight muddled in controversy, here is a quick look back at some troubling pieces of Simpson's life.

THE HALL OF FAME

After a successful run playing in 11 seasons, Simpson was inducted into the National Football League's Hall of Fame in 1985. This included a bust of him that would become a hot topic when it would be stolen overnight by unknown thieves. The mystery puzzled many when the bust was returned spotless the next day. According to Fox News, the museum has since bolstered its security with all memorabilia being bolted down.

THE TOP PIZZA

Before influencers started running the show, when it came to free promotion socialites were the order of the day in the 90s. However, in a twisted moment, none could compare to Simpson, who caused Domino's Pizza sales to skyrocket as many were glued to their screens to watch him evade police. According to the vice-president of corporate communications for Domino's, Tim McIntyre, “People were so enthralled by the bizarre nature of what was happening, they didn’t want to miss a moment, so instead of going out to dinner or making dinner, many people ordered pizza.”

THE LOUIS VUITTON BAG

One of the earliest controversies before the murder trial involved a Louis Vuitton garment bag that Simpson's assistant handed to him during a live broadcast at the scene. Kardashian claimed to have lost the bag and spurred conspiracies and documentaries that dive into the possibility of Kardashian getting rid of crucial evidence that would have seen Simpson get a guilty verdict.

THE KARDASHIANS

And yes, Rob Kardashian is the father to the main members of the KarJenner clan; Kourtney, Khloe, Rob and Kim. The latter admitted decades later (and after getting her own law degree) that she had browsed through the bag when it arrived with her father. Claiming she only saw clothes, Kim said it was random items of clothing.

The case also documents the shift in the Kardashian home with matriarch Kris Jenner seen with her ex-husband before she transitioned, Caitlyn Jenner.

Over the years, Kris has been open about her close friendship with both Simpson and Nicole, having known them since she was 17. In the original run of their show on E! Entertainment, Keeping up with the Kardashians, it looked into the emotional turmoil it caused her as well as the damaging rumours that her daughter Khloe was Simpson's child.

THE BOOK

In 2006, Simpson published If I Did It: Confessions of a Killer, a controversial book that would shock many as he explored his innocence by sharing how he actually would have murdered his wife.

It would later be revealed that screenwriter, Pablo Fenjves wrote the book with contributions from Simpson. 

THE SERIAL KILLER

In 2012, a documentary titled My Brother the Serial Killer saw Glen Rogers named as the real murderer.

Other than Rogers' brother saying this was fact due to Rogers stealing a golden pin that was mailed to their mother, no evidence has been found to find him guilty.

THE JUICED

In his last efforts to maintain his public image, Simpson went the reality route with a prank show titled Juiced. In the show, he played himself in several awkward pranks played on unsuspecting guests. 

In an editorial for Vice, his former member in production Harmon Leon said he was hired via a Craigslist advert. He also shared that the show often put many participants in danger, the struggle many had with identifying it was Simpson and how he also made jokes about the double homicide at his ex-wife's home.