With OJ Simpson’s release from prison this week after serving nine years for armed robbery, Saturday Night Live took the opportunity to imagine what a Bumble date would look like for the former football great.
Kenan Thompson played Simpson on a date with a young European woman – portrayed by SNL host, actress Gal Gadot – from a war-torn country that wasn’t able to receive news about his double-murder trial in the 1990s.
In what was dubbed the ‘trial of the century,’ Simpson was acquitted in 1995 of murdering his ex-wife and her friend outside her Los Angeles home in June 1994.
The scene begins with Thompson and Gadot’s character on a date in a gourmet restaurant.
‘This is my first Bumble date,’ OJ Simpson tells his date.
Kenan Thompson played OJ Simpson on a date with a young European woman
His date, a young woman from the war-torn country of Bosnia-Herzegovina, was portrayed by SNL host, actress Gal Gadot
‘I swear, I’ve never used dating apps before.’
When he asks his date where she’s from, the woman replies: ‘Bosnia-Herzegovina.’
At the time of the OJ Simpson double-murder trial, Bosnia was in the midst of a brutal war that ended in late 1995.
‘So that probably dominated the news around then?’ Simpson asked his date.
Gadot’s character says: ‘We were very isolated from the outside world. It was horrible.’
A relieved OJ replies: ‘Well, I’m glad you survived. So I could meet you.’
‘Me, too,’ his date says.
‘So, OJ…Is that a nickname?’ she asks.
‘No, actually it’s my first and middle names… Orenthal James.
‘You know I did have a nickname for a little while – Juice. As in “juice is loose”.’
‘Loose from what?’ she asks.
‘Just a juice container,’ OJ replies.
In the next frame, a black waiter brings the couple their meals.
The skit shows OJ’s hilarious attempts to conceal his past from a woman who did not have access to news when he was on trial for double murder in the 1990s
‘I’m starving. I feel like I haven’t eaten a decent meal in years,’ OJ says, an implied reference to his days behind bars.
The waiter and OJ then exchange a congratulatory fist bump, leaving Gadot’s character dumbfounded.
‘My man,’ the waiter says to OJ.
‘Wait a second, are you famous or something?’ she asks OJ.
‘Me, no, no. Not really famous,’ OJ replies.
OJ, increasingly nervous that his chances with his date are about to be ruined, asks his Bosnian date if she ever ‘Googles’ her dates.
‘I really prefer the mystery of it,’ his date says. ‘You know, sitting together and talking face to face.’
‘Fantastic,’ a relieved OJ replies. ‘I feel the same way. Plus there’s a lot of fake news out there.’
Another diner in the restaurant, played by Cecily Strong, comes over to the table and tells Gadot’s character: ‘I can’t believe you’re sitting here having dinner with his man.’
She then turns to OJ and says: ‘You’re disgusting.’
OJ’s date asks: ‘What was that all about?’
‘I’m sad to admit this but when you look like I do in this country people treat you differently,’ OJ says.
‘You mean because of racism?’ she replies.
‘Yes,’ OJ says.
OJ’s date senses that something is unusual about her date when she tells a friend on the phone that she is having a good time ‘with OJ’
He then tells Gadot: ‘I gotta confess something – this steak is incredible. You want some?’
‘Sure,’ she says.
‘Just give me a second. For some reason they gave me a plastic knife,’ OJ says before trying to cut into the steak with a plastic knife.
OJ then becomes eager to shift the topic of conversation, but his date says: ‘Uh uh, mister, I’m not done with you yet.’
Using a term he has likely heard in court many times, OJ says: ‘Your witness, counselor.’
‘What is it exactly that you do?’ his date asks. ‘In the profile you just wrote “this and that.”’
‘I’m semi-retired. I was a pretty good athlete back in the day,’ OJ says.
‘That’s why some people recognize you,’ his date says.
‘It could be from that. Sure,’ a sheepish OJ says.
‘Do you still have any of your trophies or awards?’ she asks him.
‘It’s funny that you bring that up because I tried getting some of those back a few years ago since they were mine to begin with,’ OJ says, working himself into a rage.
‘But it was a little harder than I thought.’
That line was a veiled reference to Simpson’s armed robbery in Las Vegas which landed him in prison.
On the night of September 13, 2007, Simpson led a group of men into a hotel room thinking that he was going to retrieve sports memorabilia that belonged to him.
The items were taken back using weapons, leading prosecutors to charge him with armed robbery.
‘How is it that you’re still single?’ OJ’s date asks him.
‘It’s a mystery,’ Simpson says.
The skit satirizing OJ’s difficult in finding companionship could have been inspired by the news that he was looking for love in one of Nevada’s legal brothels. Simpson (seen above on July 20) was released this week from prison after serving nine years for armed robbery
Gadot’s phone begins to ring.
‘It’s my friend. I told her to call me in case you were a psycho,’ she says.
It’s OK, Rachel. I’m having a really good time with OJ.’
The mere mention of OJ sends her phone buzzing with text messages and calls as it becomes apparent she’s on a date with America’s most famous former murder suspect.
A frustrated OJ then notices a group of diners at the restaurant aiming their phones at him.
‘Maybe some others here can take their cues from that and turn their phones off, too.’ He says.
The skit ends with OJ saying: ‘Let’s get out of here, Mila. Some people have no shame.’
‘I’ll tell my friend AC to pull the car around.’
AC is a reference to Al Cowlings, Simpson’s longtime friend who famously drove the white Ford Bronco on the Los Angeles freeway as police cars gave chase hours before OJ was arrested.
The skit satirizing OJ’s difficult in finding companionship could have been inspired by the news that he was looking for love in one of Nevada’s legal brothels.
An ‘insider’ told Page Six that Simpson ‘sent word’ to the Bunny Ranch, a legal site of prostitution that lies in the outskirts of Carson City. The site is also known as Moonlite BunnyRanch.
The Ranch’s owner, Dennis Hof, told the gossip site: ‘Things are going down.’
Hof added to Radar Online that a Simpson associate had made an enquiry about a ‘Nicole Brown look-a-like’ at the ranch.
The owner added to Radar: ‘It all depends on O.J.’s schedules and meeting with the parole officers.’
But the ‘insider’ for Page Six said that Simpson is waiting for word from his lawyer about whether visiting the Bunny Ranch would constitute a parole violation.
The Bunny Ranch advises on its website: ‘A Bunny Ranch encounter is entirely discreet, taking place in a private environment where the deepest, most intimate secrets of clientele remain confidential.
‘There is no chance of getting caught in a police raid and suffering reputation damage or criminal charges, as prostitution at the Bunny Ranch is entirely legal and sanctioned by the County and State of Nevada.’