Will Ferrell has once again addressed a long-running rumor about his connection to the OJ Simpson trial.
In a recent podcast appearance, the comedian and actor shared more details about the time he and his comedy troupe performed a sketch show for the sequestered jurors, rather than a stand-up routine, as many people often speculate.
During the “Fact or Fiction” segment of Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson’s “All The Smoke” podcast, Will Ferrell opened up about his unusual comedy performance for the jurors involved in the OJ Simpson trial.
Ferrell explained that the performance was not a stand-up routine, as many people often believe, but rather a sketch show that he performed with his colleagues.
“We were doing our sketch show at the time, which was when the OJ jury was sequestered, and we felt so bad for, you know, this group of people that just went from their hotel to the courtroom that we performed right comedy in the courtroom,” Ferrell revealed, adding, “Not in the courtroom, but a courtroom.”
Describing the experience as “surreal,” Ferrell also recalled how strange it looked for him and his fellow comedians to appear in wigs and costumes while entertaining the jurors.
Will Ferrell Claimed The Jurors Were ‘Mildly Entertained’
Early last year, Ferrell also recalled the performance during an appearance on “The Graham Norton Show.”
He admitted that the idea to perform the sketch show did not come from him, but the group unanimously agreed to do it in an effort to “lighten the mood” for the jurors.
“It was just us and the jurors,” Ferrell recalled. “They seemed mildly entertained, but it was very bizarre.”
In both instances in which Ferrell discussed the performance, he did not reveal what types of sketches he and his colleagues presented to the jurors.
Ferrell Says Comedy Will Always ‘Ebb And Flow’
As for what Ferrell thinks about today’s comedy landscape, the comedian told Barnes and Jackson that he does not spend much time analyzing the genre’s state and explained why.
“I don’t really get into the weeds of comedy analysis too much,” he said. “It’s always a thing that’s going to ebb and flow in terms of people’s tastes and what people want to create.”
Ferrell said he simply focuses on following his instincts and hopes people connect with the results. Although he has achieved tremendous success in comedy, he admitted that he is sometimes still surprised by the career he has built.
“A lot of times, uh, what still strikes me today is the weird stuff that comes out of my brain,” he said. “Somehow, a majority of people thought it was funny for the most part.”
‘SNL’ Taught Will Ferrell To Trust His Instincts
Much of Ferrell’s success as a comedian can be traced back to his time on “Saturday Night Live,” which began the same year he performed for the OJ Simpson jurors.
His seven-year run lasted until 2002, during which he became one of the show’s most beloved cast members and earned an Emmy nomination in 2001.
Looking back on his time on “SNL,” Ferrell said the experience taught him to trust his instincts and avoid overthinking his ideas.
With a new sketch required every week, he learned to experiment, accept that some ideas would fail, and quickly move on to the next one. He also credited that process with helping him develop confidence in his comedic style.
The Actor Returns To TV With Netflix’s ‘The Hawk’
On July 16, Ferrell added to his extensive catalog of comedy projects with a new Netflix series titled “The Hawk.”
The project marks his first leading role in a television comedy since 2021 and brings him back to the small screen after years spent focusing primarily on film roles.
In the series, Ferrell portrays Lonnie, a former world No. 1 golfer who dominated the sport in 2004. Despite his physical decline, Lonnie embarks on an ambitious comeback, determined to capture one final major championship and prove he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level.
Speaking about the inspiration behind “The Hawk,” Ferrell said golf’s complicated hold over those who play it made the sport ideal material for a comedy series.
“People who play it hate it as much as they love it,” the actor explained.