I feel like this is the body I'm supposed to be in. When did Magic Johnson have his son? having their privacy invaded by paparazzi, some were surprised to learn that he is gay, Magics wife made sure to let him know that his reaction wasnt OK, has been open about his sexuality and perspective on gender. I like my body., A post shared by EJ Johnson (@ejjohnson_) on Sep 3, 2019 at 9:42am PDT. At the time, EJ was still a student at New York University. As it turns out, he was planning on publicly revealing his sexuality anyway. "When my son came out, I was so happy for him and happy for us as parents," the former basketball player said. The transformed, soon-to-be NYU grad and son of Magic Johnson showed off his new look on Good Day New York. I dont feel the need to transition. The Rolling Stones frontman has a huge family. It was sad. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. On Mother's Day this year, he shared a photo on Instagram of his entire family celebrating, including his three kids and grandkids. In 2013, EJ was outed by TMZ. EJ told the New York Times in 2017 that he learned about his fathers diagnosis while doing a book report and finding a book about his father in the library while in elementary school. If you have any concerns about the accuracy of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing The reality series followed the eponymous star, sister Elisa Johnson, and their high-class crew living their best lives in the Big Apple. According to a 2021 profile of Magic, his mother, a devout Christian, felt the nickname was "blasphemous.". However, despite the frenzied headlines and strained family dynamic, EJ was not even aware of his father's illness until he learned about it by accident after stumbling upon a reference to his dad while researching a book report in elementary school. "I'll Deal With It: HIV Has Forced Me To Retire, But I'll Still Enjoy Life As I Speak Out About Safe Sex," by Magic Johnson, "Magic Johnson opens up about his health, career 30 years after HIV diagnosis: 'You just sit there and say, what does this mean? While some of Johnsons Dream Team mateslike Charles Barkleysupported the idea of Johnson returning to the NBA, otherssuch as Utah Jazz forward Karl Maloneshowed outward concern (from the Nov. 1, 1992 edition of the New York Times): Look at this, scabs and cuts all over me, Malone, the Utah Jazz All-Star forward, said last Tuesday night in the visitors locker room at Madison Square Garden before a preseason game against the Knicks. So if you dont support them, whos going to support them and love them?, Despite being openly interested in gender-fluid fashion, EJ told E! EJ Johnson, the son of basketball legend Magic Johnson, addressed his gender identity Wednesday during an interview on E!News' Just the Sip. Updated He revealed on the season finale of "Rich Kids of Beverly Hills" that he'd lost about 180 pounds since the procedure. appreciated. I like my body.. EJs real name is Earvin Johnson III, named after his father. Andre, EJ, and Elisa have taken on very different career paths. This guy we adopted from Romania in 1991 and diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy lived a miraculous life of 33 years, the TNT anchor said in an Instagram post that included a photo of Michael. He said on an interview: I guess youre just floating in the spectrum, youre not really defined by any gender confines if you will, Im just EJ.. The NBA star and businesswoman, who met in college, have been together on and off for over 40 years and. I also said that I was going to become a spokesperson in the fight against the human immunodeficiency virus and an advocate for practicing safe sex by using condoms. Magic actually launched a comeback attempt prior to the 1992-93 season, but fears resurfaced when he took the floor. EJ said its hard to date, lamenting, "It's always been a struggle. When he was younger, he would love to play with dolls. It is a "myth," said Lieb, that Johnson, who is wealthy, is buying himself special treatments. During a period when Magic and Cookie had broken up, he dated a woman named Melissa Mitchell, with whom he had a son, Andre, on Feb. 20, 1981. The 62-year-old was first drafted on the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979 and continued to play for them for 13 seasons.. He was 33. "I like myself the way that I am. I also said I was going to beat the disease. ", EJ Johnson is aware that as a public figure who is a member of two marginalized groups, he has a responsibility to be a role model. In 2016, he starred on his own short-lived E! "They Call Me Magic" offers a rare glimpse into the incredible real-life story of Johnson, who left his mark on history through his work both on and off the court and continues to impact our culture today. Magic Johnson might be a legendary basketball player, but to his three kids, his most important role is dad. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and our family. Earvin "EJ" Johnson III is the son of NBA Hall of famer and Los Angeles Lakers legendary point guard, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, a five-time NBA Champion, entrepreneur and Earletha "Cookie". In 1977, he met Earlitha . According to the Associated Press, EJ Johnson attended New York University with an event management and design major while minoring in fashion, journalism, and media. He is known to have owned 105 Starbucks outlets and a 4.5% stake in . Since EJ Johnsons sexual orientation has become public, his famous father has appeared in interviews speaking out about the importance of embracing children for who they are. But today, thanks to advancements in antiretroviral drugs, the life expectancy (opens in new tab) of a young person diagnosed with HIV is not dissimilar from that of a similarly aged person without HIV, according to Healthline (opens in new tab). EJ was born June 4, 1992, during a turbulent time in Magic's life. Maybe you've seen him on his E! Magic Johnson death news is trending on the Internet. EJshort for Earvin Johnson III, named after his fathermade his debut as a reality TV star on the E! Despite indicating the doctors told him there was no risk of transmission, Johnsons return during the 1992 preseason was frowned upon. His approach acted as a "public-health catalyst," wrote Alexander Cardazzi, Joshua C. Martin, and Zachary Rodriguez in their 2021 paper "Information Avoidance and Celebrity Exposure: The Effect of "Magic" Johnson on AIDS Diagnoses and Mortality in the U.S. (opens in new tab)" for West Virginia University, as they attempted to quantify the impact his announcement in 1991 had on heterosexual men getting tested for HIV. What Happened To Magic Johnson's Son Johnson's son, EJ III, born Earvin Johnson III was born on June 4th 1992 in Beverly Hills, California. "Scarves were really big for men's fashion," EJ explained. To recap: during a bizarre interviewin 2014 with Anderson Cooper, Sterling the former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers who was banned from the NBA for life for making racist remarks claimed that Magic Johnson "should be ashamed of himself" for contracting HIV. I could really feel the love. Im almost 100 percent positive I wont. RELATED:See Charles Barkley's Only Daughter All Grown Up. Johnson announced his retirement from the NBA and made his diagnosis public very quickly and then opened up about his experience. Magic Johnson went from an unequivocal role in the NBA to a businessman and a legend in his own right. ", A few years later, EJ finally put the public speculation to rest. EJ Johnson's sexuality might've surprised the media, but it didn't surprise his parents. After Johnson's departure, the Lakers announced they would not fill the position that Johnson left. Yet through all the ups and downs, he remains the same bubbly person he has always been. News, EJ Johnson once weighed about 360 pounds but underwent gastric sleeve surgery in early 2015. That's what happened with Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas, whose relationship began to deteriorate after the Lakers and Pistons met in back-to-back NBA Finals in 1988 and 1989. His brother, Andre Johnson has a different mother. Shortly thereafter, EJ did his first coming out interview on Gwissues with Howard Bragman. When the former professional basketball player was diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (opens in new tab) in 1991, a lack of understanding and stigmatization surrounding the virus (opens in new tab) led to questions being raised over his future life prospects. See Magic Johnson's Three Children All Grown Up Today, See Shaquille O'Neal's Daughter Amirah, Who's an NCAA Basketball Star, See Michael Jordan's Three Oldest Kids All Grown Up, eyewear was designed by the youngest Johnson, See LeBron James' 16-Year-Old Son, Who's Already a Basketball Star, See Charles Barkley's Only Daughter All Grown Up. Apple today unveiled the teaser trailer for "They Call Me Magic," premiering April 22 on Apple TV+. How and When Did Magic Johnson Contract HIV? It's just business as usual and that business is his family. In 1995, the Johnson family adopted Elisa Johnson when she was a baby. Johnson was first called "Magic" when he was a star at Everett High School. Sunday marks the 30th anniversary of Magic Johnson's decision to retire from basketball upon learning he had been diagnosed with HIVone of the biggest, most impactful moments for . All Rights Reserved. He became a household name when he appeared on Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, and got his spinoff show called EJNYC. 2:38 PM EDT, Sat October 30, 2021. However, neither of them confirmed or denied the relationship. Magic Johnson and EJ have a great relationship, but theyre also open about the work it took to get there when EJ first came out. [emailprotected]. Maybe you've heard about him on the internet or in a tabloid headline. We lost michael johnson today and were crushed. In fact, it was made out of the same material, and the styling was near-identical. "The school called my mom and was like, 'We don't know if you want him to do the book report, because it talks about the H.I.V.,'" EJ said, adding, "I think it was at that point that they told me that he had been sick and he's a lot better.". Walton was fired and the team eventually hired former Pacers and Magic coach Frank Vogel to . Indeed, Magic made one more brief comeback with the Purple and Gold during the 1995-96 season, and he has served in a variety of roles for the Lakers ever since. 2. During the conversation, EJ, who came out as gay in . Im very happy with myself. xhr.send(payload); Michael Johnson, son of TNT sportscaster Ernie "E.J." Johnson, has died, his father said on social media Friday night. Discovery Company. As it turns out, he would be one of the foremost voices in educating the public, including the notion that heterosexuals could contract the disease. When my son came out, I was so happy for him and happy for us as parents. Magic Johnson: 20 years on from an All-Star game that changed basketball Read more He is less coy, though, when describing the reason he sought wealth, and was not content with the riches of. His star hasnt dimmed as he has become a celebrity in his own right over the past few years, and sharing his own story about coming out to his parents as a gay Black man. While appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in April 2017, the host talked to Magic about what kind of advice he would give to a parent whose child comes out. While Johnson can now attest to 30 years of life after being diagnosed with HIV, his journey living with the disease has been far from easy. "Johnson went on to attack the HIV stigma with the same passion he displayed on the court, launching the Magic Johnson Foundation to raise awareness about the virus, then pushing Congress and the White House to spend money to fight the disease," wrote Nelson Oliveira for CBS News (opens in new tab). The rising reality star is the son of NBA legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson and his wife, Earlitha "Cookie" Johnson. In 2014, he joined the Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, a reality series following lives of some of the richest kids. His style is androgynous, from ankle boots, sheer tops, diamond chokers, and furs to feminine with dresses with thigh-high slits. For more entertainment and celebrity news sent to you directly, sign up for our daily newsletter. "It wasn't how he got it that was important to me. EJ Johnson's fans aren't the only ones who speculated about his gender identity, however. She said, That was a very hard thing for me. The star even garnered comparisons to Kim Kardashian in 2016 when he attended a wedding wearing a netted jumpsuit that looked like a dress she had worn to Cannes Lion the previous summer. Johnson says he was sitting in a hotel in Utah, getting ready for an exhibition game when he got the call. He is an openly gay man who champions the rights and freedoms of the LGBTQ+ community. But it's really not about scarves; it's really about him seeing you be you. ': What Happened to the Stars of the Iconic Series through the Years, Dwyane Wade's Trans Daughter Knew Her Gender Identity at 3 & Revealed Her Boyfriend at 14 Inside Zaya's Life, Millionaire's Son Kicks Wife and Baby Out into the Cold, Loses His Inheritance the Next Day Story of the Day, Twins Send Dad to Nursing Home, Learn He Left Inheritance to Janitor Who Is Their Carbon Copy Story of the Day. reality series, "Rich Kids of Beverly Hills" and its spin-off "EJNYC." 12:30 Lyric McHenry #EJJohnson #JustTheSip #JustinSylvester #transitioning #LyricMcHenry #MagicJohnson #comingforpeople #hoephase, he joined the Rich Kids of Beverly Hills,. This also resulted in a good deal of skepticism from some of Johnsons peers. But while Jordan and the Bulls began the year healthy and optimistic, the Los Angeles Lakerswho were the Western Conference representatives in the 1991 NBA Finalswere about to be blindsided. He retired from the Los Angeles Lakers in 1991 after revealing that he had tested positive for. As I grew older, as my wife talked to me, I couldnt [judge EJ]. The 29-year-old reality TV personality came out to the basketball great, 62, in 2010, and at first, the latter wasn't too. In fact, Magic said that he has to bribe his wife to even get her to approve of him returning for one season. He was supported by his family in his decision to come out publicly. The virus was a lot scarier at the time. Find out why exercise can be important to mental health too. Watch! Johnson attended New York University where he studied hospitality with a focus on event planning and design, according to various different profiles. By taking the right regimen every day, most people living with HIV can see the number of virus particles in a sample of their blood, or viral load, become undetectably low. "This character is witty fabulous glamorous and a force to be reckoned as well as unapologetically themselves.". Sure, Johnsons Twitter account has become a practical parody because of the Maddenesque analysis he provides, but his genuine care for the players and the game in general is still inherently clear. Because there are so many people who try to discriminate against them, so they need you to support them.