Goodman recalls call to defend O.J.

Oscar Goodman has been down this road before with O.J. Simpson.

Five years before he became the mayor of Las Vegas, Goodman was in a hotel room in Boston watching live TV coverage of the famous police chase, with Simpson in a white Bronco.

"The phone rings and it's a gentleman who represents himself as O.J.'s agent," Goodman said Monday in an interview with KXNT-AM 840.

"They wanted me to fly to Los Angeles right away and they were going to send a $25,000 retainer and an airplane ticket."

Whoa, said Goodman, who was in Boston facing contempt charges stemming from his defense of mobsters Vinny "The Animal" Ferrara and Whitey Bulger.

Goodman was the second attorney called that day, when O.J. turned himself in in connection with the double murder of ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman.

"The first one was to Howard Weitzman," said Goodman. Weitzman temporarily took the case. A decade earlier the noted defense attorney got flamboyant former General Motors executive John DeLorean acquitted of drug and conspiracy charges.

Taking part in Simpson's defense might have been a career-changing move, but at the time, "I had no idea of the magnitude of the case.

"Shortly thereafter Robert Shapiro got hired and (Johnnie) Cochran got into the case," Goodman told Alan Stock, host of KXNT's morning show.

Asked if he was glad he didn't get involved, Goodman said he was reminiscing with one of Simpson's "Dream Team" attorneys about six months ago.

"He was saying his whole life was changed as a result of it. People resented the fact that he was involved in that defense. He said his life has never been the same as a result of that. He expressed there was some remorse on his part."

With Simpson's arrest on Sunday on armed robbery charges, Goodman is getting calls again to get involved with the Simpson case.

But as a legal expert on TV networks, "he has declined," said Diana Paul, his senior spokeswoman.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Alicia Jacobs, entertainment reporter for KVBC-TV, Channel 3, came away from an Emmy after-party Sunday with a hot bit of news. During her conversation with choreographer Wade Robson, fresh from winning an Emmy, he revealed that he's been hired as the lead choreographer for Criss Angel's upcoming Cirque du Soleil show at Luxor. There's been some upheaval on the choreography front, he said, and he's moving to Las Vegas. Robson won his Emmy in the Outstanding Choreography category, for his piece, "Ramalama (Bang Bang)" on "Dancing With the Stars." There's a delicious bit of irony in his hiring: Robson, who has choreographed Britney Spears and N'Sync, reportedly was having an affair with Spears when she and Justin Timberlake were dating. Angel has been romantically linked to Spears in recent weeks ...

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway has come up with a "Free OJ" promotion. But it's not quite what you think. Fans who stop by the speedway on Wednesday to buy tickets for upcoming events will receive a free serving of orange juice.

SIGHTINGS

Goodman and wife Carolyn, flanked by two drag queen "showgirls" at Saturday's AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) party at the Palms. During the mayor's kickoff toast he told the crowd he had "never seen showgirls who were linebackers AND tight-ends."....

Music star Luis Miguel, dining Saturday at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars). Also dining at Joe's: actor Mario Lopez. ... Actor Dean Cain, checking out the weekly Rehab pool party Sunday at the Hard Rock Hotel. On Saturday, Cain was spotted at the Viva Las Vegas Lounge at the Hard Rock, where he introduced his brother's band, Sandbox. Cain then wandered over to Body English nightclub. ... Singer Josh Kelley, performing Sunday at Tao Beach (Venetian) as part of the Hennessey Artistry Tour. Kelley was without fiancee Katherine Heigl. But it was for a good reason as Heigl was in Los Angeles collecting her Emmy award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for "Grey's Anatomy." ... Actor Ray Romano, having lunch over the weekend at Bare Pool Lounge (Mirage) ... Frank Sinatra Jr. and his wife Cynthia, dining at Bootlegger Bistro on Saturday with former Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt-Bono and her husband, Dennis Bono.