Al Cowlings Threatens Lawsuit Over O.J. Simpson TV Series

O.J. Simpson's best friend is threatening to sue FX if it dares to paint him in a bad light when 'The People vs. O.J. Simpson' hits the air ... TMZ has learned.

Al Cowlings "despises the media" ... his rep tells TMZ, and he feels like he's being targeted 20 years after O.J. killed Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.

Cowlings is worried his character in the series -- played by Malcolm-Jamal Warner -- will be untrue and damaging to his reputation.

A porn star claimed shortly after the murders Al -- known as AC -- told her he got rid of the murder weapon, saying the knife "was sleeping with the fishes." He denied saying it.

There was also a lot of unsubstantiated scuttlebutt that he cleaned up Simpson's Rockingham house and 86ing Simpson's bloody clothes.