Shortly after news broke of O.J. Simpson’s death, social media users were quick to jump online to react. Though most celebrities are treated with odes from fans upon their passing, that was not necessarily the case for Simpson. Instead, the news was widely mocked by jokes and GIFs.
The former NFL player and actor, who was accused and later acquitted of double murder, died on Wednesday at the age of 76 following a battle with cancer. Most users on X who reacted to the news alluded to Simpson’s criminal and civil trials over the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
One person who did not mince her words was fellow athlete Caitlyn Jenner, who wrote, “Good Riddance.”
“OJ Simpson finally brought the killer to justice,” “Secret Life of Pets” and “Minions” screenwriter Brian Lynch posted on X. Mike Scollins, a writer for “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” didn’t name the former football star specifically, but he posted a photo of Simpson’s legendary police chase in his white Ford Bronco, writing, “It would be so legendary if they did this for the funeral procession.”
There were also several GIFs and videos about various people welcoming Simpson to hell. These included a “Family Guy” clip of Joe being dragged away by Grim Reapers, titled “Nicole Brown taking OJ Simpson straight to hell;” Michael Keaton at the Oscars gesturing to the camera, titled “The Devil welcoming OJ Simpson to hell;” and a clip from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” used to show Henry VIII welcoming Simpson to hell. The clip in question features Mac (Rob McElhenney) elaborately greeting his cousin, Country Mac (Seann William Scott).
On the same note, a user by the name of Satan announced that Simpson had just “arrived down here” Another user responded to the phrase “rest in hell,” which has been trending since the news about Simpson broke. “Not yall preheating the man before he get put in the oven [sic],” the user wrote.
Simpson’s death has also led to several users recirculating videos about the pro athlete. The silliest one is a “30 Rock” clip in which Jenna (Jane Krakowski) implies Simpson was trying to kill her instead of Brown. But perhaps the most chilling viral clip shows Simpson “pranking” a reporter by knocking on her door and pretending to stab her repeatedly.
Another video that’s started to gain traction is an 11-minute compilation of the late Norm MacDonald making jokes about Simpson. The comedian and “Saturday Night Live” star himself died in 2021.