I can tell you now that it's true. After both spending time with O.J. in public and speaking with his friends and confidants, it's blatantly obvious. During the time I spent with him, O.J. never got a negative reception. As one of Simpson's friends said, "Maybe one out of every 200 times he goes out." It didn't matter whether the person was young, old, male, or female, the reactions were all similar. People would approach and extend a hand, convey their support and ask how his two children were doing.
I would constantly read, he's a pariah. (...) And for I would say, four or five years, I tentively went out. You know, I tried to go to places I felt comfortable in, that knew me. (...) I went to the All-Star game in Philly. (...) And every time I went out they had an impromptu parade for me down State Street. (...) it was like a flower blooming. From that point on, I started traveling extensively. And everywhere I go is terrific.
O.J. Simpson in an interview with Katie Couric.
I walked him down the corridor and we got into the elevator. There was a guy inside on his cell phone, and his eyes went wide
with surprise. “Holy shit!” he said. “I’m in an elevator with O.J. Simpson. I’ll have to call you back.” He reached for O.J.’s hand,
grinning ear to ear, and O.J. took it. When we got to the lobby, there was more of the same. People turned to stare, but there was
no horror in their looks, no disgust, no judgment. A young couple came over and asked O.J. if he’d pose for a picture, then handed
me a camera and had me do the honors. It wasn’t the only time this happened.
Pablo Fenjves in ‘Prologue’