Some of these things are just so brazen that you initially suspect they're just a hoax; surely, Judith Regan, the woman porked by Bernie Kerik in an apartment secured for that purpose by throwing out WTC rescue workers, couldn't be the editor behind O.J. Simpson's new book, the one that examines how he theoretically could have killed his wife and her boyfriend back in the day. Which, of course, he didn't in fact do; he's just writing a book about theories and possibilities.

Simpson's book, "If I did it", is being published by Judith Regan's venture, Regan Books, an imprint of Harper-Collins, which in turn is a part of the Murdoch media empire. Said far-flung fiefdom also includes Fox "News", The Weekly Standard, Fox Television, and other properties identified with the right. The Los Angeles Times notes:

"If I Did It" is the product of the former football star's collaboration with an unnamed ghost writer and will be published at the end of this month by ReganBooks, the euphonious shock-and-schlock imprint Judith Regan runs for the HarperCollins publishing house. Fox, ReganBooks and HarperCollins all have something important in common: They're owned by the predatory Australian-born media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, who has devoted his life to making money by making sure that news and entertainment are as coarse and vulgar as can be imagined in as many places as possible.

In fact, if there is a single compelling argument for restrictive immigration policies, Murdoch is it. It is one of history's inexplicable perversities that this avaricious antipodean has been welcomed into this country while honest Mexican workingmen are walled out.

Part of Murdoch's dark genius is that he never settles for having things both ways when he can have them every way there's a buck to be made. Thus, while Regan and various Fox broadcasting spokesmen were shrilly defending the book and interview, a couple of the stars on Murdoch's cable news network were in full-throated denunciation mode.

Fox News' biggest draw, Bill O'Reilly, called the project "simply indefensible and a low point in American culture," then went on to note piously, "For the record, Fox Broadcasting has nothing to do with the Fox News Channel."

Nothing, except for the fact that both are personally run by the same Murdoch functionary, Roger Ailes.

Meanwhile, Fox News' Geraldo Rivera had this to say about the book and interview: "I think it's disgusting. I think he's a murdering liar. I think he's demonstrating that he made a fool of the jury in Los Angeles and all of the black community across the country that supported him. This sleazy, low-down murdering dog who killed his ex-wife, the mother of his children as they slept upstairs…. I think it really is the most appalling thing I've ever seen."

Pretty strong stuff, especially when it comes from a guy with the gag reflex of a turkey buzzard.

So let's see here … Judith Regan publishes Simpson's book. To whet the buying public's appetite for it, Regan herself interviews Simpson and the results are aired on Fox Broadcasting during the sweeps week, which is critical to the network's advertising. To build buzz and controversy, which means audience, the commentators on Fox News denounce the whole thing as a cultural low point, something they'd recognize more easily than most. Keep in mind that both networks report to Ailes, who once created a talk show for Regan. Ailes, Regan, O'Reilly and Rivera all work for Murdoch, who ultimately profits from both the outrage and the outraged.

This story is juicy on so many levels, not all of them immediately obvious. First, of course, it's delicious to see Bill O'Reilly sputter (quite untruthfully, if that's even necessary to note) that he, the Happy Warrior defending Christmas, has nothing to do with all of this tawdriness – except that he and O.J. report to the same boss, Roger Ailes, a former head of the RNC and Reagan adviser.

Then, there's the Rudy angle. As improbable as it may seem to his former constituents, he's presently the front-runner for his party's 2008 nomination; except that his unsavory associates seem to continually make bad news for him. The three degrees of separation are: Rudy hires Bernie Kerik; Bernie Kerik pumps Judith Regan with a view of Ground Zero; Judith Regan publishes O.J.'s book. Pretty stuff.

Lastly, I can't help but think of those values voters. Their favorite channel is hawking a book that seeks to profit from murder. Do you think that maybe, that was a strategic miscalculation by the money-grubbers over on Sixth Avenue? Forget for a moment all the other sleaze that cost the 'conservatives' their majorities in the election; now, the publishing colossus most firmly identified with their discredited ideology is hawking murder. Think those values voters might be getting a clue about the real goals of their favorite media enterprise?

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