Pass the Juice

News Corp. chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch announced this afternoon that the company is canceling publication of O.J. Simpson's book If I Did It as well as the broadcast of the two-part interview with Simpson that was conducted by Judith Regan and was to air on Fox News.

Murdoch commented: "I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project. We are sorry for any pain this has caused the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson."

Regan's imprint ReganBooks was to have published the book, which she called a "confession," on November 30. The deal was estimated to be worth $3.5 million.

As most of you know, booksellers across the country were among the many people who were revulsed by the project. Many booksellers decided to donate proceeds from the sale of the book to appropriate charities or not to sell the book at all.