O.J. Is Edited Out Of Firm's `Morality' Video

LOS ANGELES - The distributor of an educational film on "goodness and morality" that features O.J. Simpson is offering to replace several thousand already-sold copies with a new version in which Simpson has been edited out.

But Kris Winter, president of Mentor Media, says more people seem to want the O.J. version.

The film, titled "For Goodness Sake," features a number of celebrities in vignettes depicting moral choices. A promotional flier describes the film as "a `values' video for the '90s."

The two-minute Simpson scene opens in a fancy restaurant with the narrator sitting at a table.

"Every day, life presents us with a veritable menu of temptations," he says, as the camera pans over to Simpson and a female companion sitting at a nearby table, looking at menus.

"So, sweetheart," Simpson says, "what do you feel like having?"

"I don't know, it all looks so good," the woman says. "I'm trying to decide between cheating on my taxes and scalping theater tickets."

"I'm going to try this one: spreading an unsubstantiated rumor," Simpson says as a waiter approaches.

"But, monsieur," the waiter says in a mock French accent, "we have lovely specials today, starting with plagiarizing a report and, for madame, having an affair with your boss."

"Do you have anything a little less spicy?" Simpson asks.

Winter said several thousand copies of the film have been distributed to corporations and educational institutions in the U.S. and 13 other countries, at a purchase price of $695.

Winter said Simpson and the other stars donated their time for the film, which was produced in 1992 by the Micah Center for Ethical Monotheism, a nonprofit Los Angeles organization.

Winter said her company began preparing to take Simpson out of the film soon after his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ronald Goldman were found slain and investigators' attention began concentrating on Simpson.

Winter said replacement tapes without Simpson would be provided free. She added that if Simpson eventually is found not guilty, he could be put back in the film.