O.J. Simpson publisher Judith Regan reported fired

[Brian Damage]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Weeks after News Corp. scrapped plans for a book and TV interview in which O.J. Simpson described how he would have killed his ex-wife and her friend, the publisher behind the projects, Judith Regan, has been fired, media reports said on Friday.

Word of Regan's dismissal from News Corp.-owned publishing house HarperCollins came in a terse press release headlined "Judith Regan Terminated," according to online accounts published by the New York Times and Daily Variety.

The statement said her termination was effective immediately, both outlets reported. No explanation was given, and The New York Times said it was unclear if she was fired only from HarperCollins or from all News Corp. units.

News Corp and HarperCollins representatives were not immediately available for comment.

But the move followed ill-fated plans unveiled last month for a book, titled "If I Did It," and accompanying television interview featuring Simpson giving a hypothetical account of how he would have carried out the 1994 murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman.

The book had been set for release by Regan's imprint at HarperCollins, ReganBooks, on November 30, following a two-part interview of Simpson by Regan on News Corp.'s Fox network.

But the publishing and TV venture drew a firestorm of criticism accusing News Corp. of seeking to capitalize on a human tragedy. Days after plans for the book and TV special were revealed, News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch personally weighed in to announce both projects were being scrapped.

Murdoch said then that the book and TV deal were "ill-considered" and he apologized for any harm caused.


© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

[80sTrivia]

Wow... that's a huge blow to her ego, I'm sure. She's been widely regarded as the most powerful woman in publishing for almost a decade now, so I'm assuming her imprint will be dissolved. Further evidence that O.J. is pure poison...