In early 1998, Ohlmeyer had Norm Macdonald removed from his role as anchor of "Saturday Night Live"s popular "Weekend Update" segment, citing declining ratings and a drop-off in quality. Macdonald and others believed that the real reason for his dismissal was the inclusion of a series of jokes calling O. J. Simpson a murderer during and after the murder case and trial (1994–95). The jokes were written primarily by Macdonald and longtime SNL writer Jim Downey, who was fired from "SNL" outright at the same time (but he was rehired in 2000). Downey said later that Ohlmeyer and Simpson were good friends and that the former had thrown a party for the jurors who acquitted Simpson.