Marcia Clark rides a revisionist upswing
She was the hard-working prosecutor determined to bring justice to two innocent people murdered in the prime of their lives.
That wasn’t what the world focused on, though, when it came to Marcia Clark, the Los Angeles lawyer who back in 1994 faced off against retired pro football star O. J. Simpson and his high-powered defence team.
She was instead ridiculed for her permed hair, conservative suits and sensible pumps; she was condemned by some as a “bad” divorced single mother who was prosecuting the “Trial of the Century” when she should have been home with her two young boys; and such hackneyed misogynist epithets as “bitch” and “hysterical” came her way in the course of simply doing her job.
More than two decades after Simpson was acquitted of murder in the brutal slayings of his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, Clark has been the recipient of at least some justice, if only in the public perception of her role — and what really went on behind the scenes all those years ago.
“Did I ever see this coming?” she asks rhetorically of two recent recreations of the trial, a TV miniseries and a documentary, both of which have again thrust her into the world spotlight. “Of course not. Did I ever see the Simpson trial coming? Of course not. It’s ridiculous, I’ve lived a life of ‘of course nots.’ ”
Speaking to Clark on Tuesday ahead of her Nov. 16 appearance at the Y Whisper fundraising gala, it becomes immediately clear that she is nothing like the caricature served up during the most publicized criminal trial in U.S. history — and everything like the strong, accomplished, multi-dimensional woman portrayed by Emmyaward winner Sarah Paulson in the FX series, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
Moving across a wide variety of topics with keen insight, infectious passion and frequent bouts of laughter, Clark more than proves her credentials as a feminist icon for a new generation.
On the recent depictions of her role in the trial that was televised for 134 days, she’s the first to admit that, “it was such a shocking thing, I thought everyone was so sick of the Simpson trial, they’d never want to hear one more word about it again.”
While she was less than thrilled to learn about the works-inprogress, the final products pleased her — and not just for avoiding the tabloid-style treatment it received back in 1994.
“It’s been much more helpful to have everyone understand the issues, ones that are evergreen,” says Clark, “in terms of justice and equality.”
These days, she spends much of her time in front of a computer rather than in a courtroom, having penned seven legal thrillers, with a new one in the works.
“I loved writing as a kid, I was always addicted to true crime, crime novels,” says Clark, who also has scripts for TV pilots in the works along with plans to host a show on A&E.
While the very public sexism she experienced in 1994 is an old painful memory, Clark sees a silver lining in more recent similar incidents, like that experienced by Hillary Clinton during the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign.
“We have yet to eradicate that sexist, misogynistic behaviour,” she says of the disproportionate focus on Clinton’s appearance right down to her micro facial expressions.
“But today, we’re seeing more women speaking out about it. I find that to be particularly encouraging.”
She points to the growing number of female actors now speaking out against media mogul Harvey Weinstein, after a New York Times article this past weekend documented decades of alleged sexual harassment.
“Can you imagine if this all came out 10 years ago?” she says of Weinstein, whose board members fired him from his own entertainment company over the allegations. “All he would have gotten was a slap on the wrist.”
Still, there is that conundrum of having a man in the White House who was caught on tape bragging about grabbing women’s private parts. Clark has an optimistic take on that as well.
“Donald Trump, to me, represents this regressive desire, from certain elements of the population, to go back to a time where women were told to sit down and shut up,” she says.
“It’s a retraction that occurs just before a big change is about to occur.”
For someone who has been on the most public receiving end of such commands, it’s refreshing that Clark’s passion for helping to lead change has only grown over the decades.
“There’s a need for women to find this common sisterhood,” says Clark, who continues to help empower women and girls from all backgrounds.
“We need to treat each other with respect and dignity — a difference of opinion with a woman shouldn’t be treated any differently than that with a man.”
We have yet to eradicate that sexist, misogynistic behaviour. But today, we’re seeing more women speaking out about it.