There is a conspiracy theory that has been around for as long as I have been a public figure that I am Nicole Brown Simpson; that she and I are actually the same person. This is a thing, you can Google it.
Of course, it was all over the place yesterday with the news of O.J. Simpson’s death. I had all these mentions on social media, and people were posting pictures of the two of us and tagging me.
The Theory
This is the first time I have really gone down the rabbit hole with any amount of effort to better understand where this is coming from. And I have to tell you, it is amazing to me how many people have given real thought to this.
People were having arguments about how it could be, about how it might not be, about how I have a more heart-shaped face and she had a more square jaw, about how somebody really needs to check me for the scars from whatever operation I had to transform.
I think the theory is that, right now, I am actually Nicole Brown Simpson. I wasn’t murdered and somehow Hollywood staged this or did something to make it look like I had died, and then I came back as journalist Megyn Kelly. I guess I also decided to make myself a public figure. I didn’t decide to lead this quiet life after having gotten away with this ruse, but rather I decided to go back on the air under the name Megyn Kelly.
The ‘Evidence’
I saw plenty of headlines yesterday – though these pop up in my X timeline all the time – like, “Nicole Brown Simpson vs. Megan Kelly: Hollywood Recycles Dead Actors”, “Is Megyn Kelly Nicole Brown Simpson?””Why Does Nicole Brown Simpson Look Exactly Like Megyn Kelly?”
I don’t think we look exactly alike at all. She had brown eyes. I have blue eyes. There is a vague resemblance, but there are a lot of differences between us.
And here is just a sampling of the back and forth from various commenters: “We’ve got to check for scars.” “Indeed, it was all fake.” “I imagine the DNA must be on file.” “Her jaw is totally different.” “Can cosmetic surgery change someone’s jaw?”
For the record, it can. But I’ve never had cosmetic surgery on my jaw. This is my natural-born chin, madam.
At least one person jumped in to quash the rumors, writing: “Not a chance. I said this earlier. Megyn Kelly dated my uncle for years while they were both at Syracuse. He’s in her book. She used to babysit me. This is all total BS.”
You are correct. I am a real person with a whole independent history having nothing to do with Nicole Brown Simpson, who was very clearly murdered back in 1994. I was born in Illinois. I grew up in Syracuse, New York. As you can see in the pictures above, I have a long history of being alive in my own skin under my own name.
The Evolution of Conspiracy Theories
I don’t know what this says about us. But I do think it’s important in our society to somehow try to maintain some distance between ‘COVID starting in a lab’ is a conspiracy theory and you are a nutcase, and people who believe there are lizard people walking amongst us and that I am the reincarnation or the current version of Nicole Brown Simpson.
I do worry that getting from the first group – which are not conspiracy theories, they’re just labeled such – into the second group – which are genuinely unhinged beliefs. Is that the path? Does one go from being called a conspiracy theorist into actual conspiracy theories?
To those spending time on this particular conspiracy theory, you’ve got to let it go. Focus on getting the help you need. Go outside. Smell the fresh air. Get some rest. See real people. Stay off the internet.
I think that is the number one piece of advice: Stay off the internet. If you are prone to this kind of thinking, the internet is not your friend.
You can check out Megyn’s full analysis by tuning in to episode 765 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.