New bid to block OJ interview

THE OFFICIAL Hour of OJ Rage kicked off at 6pm sharp on California's John and Ken Show, as drive-time callers were invited to let off steam at OJ Simpson and his legal team, also known as "that disgusting collection of reptiles".

The radio talk shows, the favoured media of the US's "angry white right", have hounded OJ Simpson since his acquittal of two murder charges three months ago. The release of his video this weekend, promising the first interview with Simpson for $29.95, gave them a fresh target.

Broadcasting on KFI AM from their Hollywood studio, John Kobyit and Ken Chiampou jeered at the TV crews outside as they led a campaign to clog mail-order phone lines for the video. Soon after the lines opened, telephone operators were inundated with callers asking questions such as "How do I operate my VCR?"

Whether the campaign can succeed is unclear, but the lines were almost constantly engaged yesterday. Callers who did get through heard only a recording of a tired voice asking them to dial a second number, "with orders only, please". That line too, was engaged. Of more than 10,000 calls, only about 500 were to order the video, it was reported.

In the video, entitled OJ, The Interview, Simpson talks about the murder trial, his alibi, and his search for the so-called "real killers". He opted for the video after cable companies refused to carry a proposed pay-per-view TV show. But this week several TV stations promised to turn down even commercials for the video.

"As soon as you mention that he's involved with a product, people call in wanting know how they can boycott it and who to call," said Ken Chiampou.