OJ Simpson’s Dad Reportedly Had History As Gay Drag Queen
Image: Source: Mickey Osterreicher/ESPN Films via AP
The father of infamous NFL player OJ Simpson, who died on Wednesday April 10th, was reportedly a gay drag queen active in San Francisco’s 70s drag community.
Though Simpson is seen as one of the NFL’s greatest running backs of all time, he is most widely known for the trial where he was accused of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman.
Controversially, Simpson was acquitted of the charges, but was found liable for the murders three years later in a civil suit. Later, he was convicted for armed robbery in 2008 and released on parole in 2017.
Jimmy Lee Simpson’s drag history
OJ Simpson’s surprise death has provoked a look back at the life of the disgraced running back, as well as those around him – including father Jimmy Lee Simpson.
Two books from the 90s, George Carpozi Jr’s The Lies of OJ Simpson and Jeffery Toobin’s The Run of His Life, both included accounts that Jimmy Lee Simpson was gay and a drag queen in San Francisco after separating from OJ’s mother, Eunice.
The account in Carpozi Jr’s book states that: “Mama Simpson, as he was known to me, used to hang around the hotel where I lived and was frequently dressed in drag. Everyone knew he was OJ’s dad.”
Toobin’s account states that Jimmy Lee was a fixture of the San Francisco drag scene before eventually coming out as gay. He also said that Jimmy Lee died from AIDS in 1986, even though his official cause of death in the press was cancer.
Furthermore, Ezra Edelman’s 2016 ESPN documentary series OJ: Made in America supported these claims. OJ’s childhood best friend Calvin Tennyson said in the documentary that it was “obvious” that Jimmy Lee was gay after seeing him with another man in a bathrobe at the Simpson house.
OJ’s relationship to his father
OJ spoke to Parents magazine in 1977 (reported by The New York Times) about his relationship to Jimmy Lee, who was not present in OJ’s early life according to the footballer. He said: “I resented his absence, especially when I became a teenager and was trying to find out who I was.
“I really needed a man around then for guidance. I get along with my father now, but it’s taken years for me to come to terms with my feelings.”
It is important to remember that despite OJ Simpson’s controversial past and actions, he still leaves behind children who are mourning his death. It is understandable for Fred Goldman and his family to feel a sense of closure or relief, given the tragedy they have experienced. Everyone is entitled to their own feelings and opinions about OJ Simpson, but it is important to remember the impact his actions have had on others.
As for whether OJ Simpson atoned for his actions, it is ultimately up to individual interpretation. Some may feel that he has not done enough to make amends for his past, while others may believe that he has taken steps towards redemption. Regardless, it is important to acknowledge the complexity of his legacy and the impact he has had on the lives of those around him.