On Mother's Day this year, he shared a photo on Instagram of his entire family celebrating, including his three kids and grandkids. EJ Johnson has long thought about taking a stab at the fashion industry. 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. 01 Mar 2023 15:17:10 Ive never done anything on television that is this honest and real, he shared in an Instagram post promoting the segment. "We are so proud of her and I love that she's doing what she always wanted to do, work in the fashion industry," Magic wrote in an Instagram post. EJ Johnson publicly came out as gay in 2013 but only after TMZessentially outed him, per TheThings. Despite the stunning realization that Magic Johnson would no longer be taking the court, the league did give him one of the more memorable sendoffs in recent sports history. In 1991, Cookie was pregnant with EJ when Magic announced to the world that he was HIV positive. Im almost 100 percent positive I wont. Michael Johnson, son of TNT sportscaster Ernie "E.J." Johnson, has died, his father said on social media Friday night. If you have any concerns about the accuracy of our content, please reach out to our editors by e-mailing READ ALSO: Emily Faye Miller's bio: life before and after Too Hot To Handle. 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. As I grew older, as my wife talked to me, I couldnt [judge EJ]. 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 say dance around in your closet when no one is looking until the time is right," he toldBET, advising readers to "just make sure you're safe." In the series, his relationship with his youngest son, EJ, is explored. All Rights Reserved. "Magic got a jumpstart on experimental drugs before they were released to the general public," Lieb told Life's Little Mysteries, "but there were many people in clinical trials benefitting at the same time.". AboutPressCopyrightContact. He is known for wearing both men's and womens clothing and putting his own spin on it. Theres so many factors. However, neither of them confirmed or denied the relationship. Magic Johnson is one of the most iconic athletes and NBA players in basketball history. BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: (L-R) EJ Johnson and Lea Michele speak onstage during the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Los Angeles at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on March 28, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. He pressed a finger to a small, pinkish hole on his thigh that was developing into a scab. } else { #EJNYC premieres tomorrow night at 11 only on E! Find out why so many people want to know about the famous father-son duo and why Magic apologized to EJ several years ago. I tried everything, but finally I just said to myself, This child is innocent. Andre doesn't post much about his professional life online, but according to what appears to be his LinkedIn page, he was the vice president of his dad's investment company, Magic Johnson Enterprises, from 2012 to 2014. "When my son came out, I was so happy for him and happy for us as parents," the former basketball player said. He is now flexing his acting chops in With Love and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder revival. "It was hard because I loved her so much and I hated to hurt her," Magic Johnson said. "Scarves were really big for men's fashion," EJ explained. if( 'moc.enilnoefiltseb' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { Is this something that I would do?' Would love your thoughts, please comment. It is not known if Johnson is among this "scarce breed," as Lieb called them, but more than likely "without medications, he'd be progressing.". Later, the couple also adopted a daughter, Elisa, in 1995, bringing Magic Johnsons kids total to two. Cookie Johnson was worried about Magic, but supportive. It was seemingly just like any other in basketball circles. "I think you have to have a certain type of confidence level. Magic Johnson has been living with HIV for nearly 0 years and thanks to advances in medical science the disease is now more manageable than it was when he first revealed his diagnosis. Powered by. Johnsons friends and rivals all embraced him on the floor, as if the barriers initially created by the disease had been totally wiped away. 12:46 pm ET, Bucks vs. 76ers odds, picks, computer sims, Morant to miss 'at least' two games after IG post, NBA DFS picks, lineups, advice, March 4 strategy, Grizzlies' Clarke out for season with Achilles injury, Raptors vs. Wizards odds, picks, computer sims, Streaking Warriors must overcome one major roadblock, Magic Johnson opens up on 30 years with HIV, Window for Durant, Suns is open -- until it's not, Morant to miss two games after video with gun, Nuggets beat Grizz, likely lock up West's top spot, Randle's game-winner runs Knicks' win streak to eight, Celtics booed off floor after blowing 28-point lead. ", EJ concluded, "I don't feel the need to transition. This past May, it was announced that EJ will be co-starring on the new Disney+ show The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. ", Elisa ultimately decided not to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Oh, snap. Andre, Magic's son from a previous relationship with Melissa Mitchell, was born in 1981. "We were just so astonished at the things he was saying, and not just that he brought my dad into it, but the fact that he was being just blatantly racist. He was 33. While Magics decision to retire was clear enough, the implications were still rather unknown. We send our heartfelt condolences to Ernie, Cheryl and their family during this difficult time.. How has Magic Johnson survived with HIV? This is a gradual process known as the HIV life cycle and it is by blocking the virus at each stage of this process that it can be prevented from advancing to AIDS. 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. Magic often posts about his wife and kids on social media, but heres a closer look at his relationship with EJ, and how he has been the catalyst that changed Magic for the better. He was like this when he was a baby, it cant be wrong. HIV is now considered a chronic health condition that can be managed with the right drugs and a healthy lifestyle. After celebrating his 28th birthday, EJ took to Instagram once more to post a series of pictures on his stories. } ", Related: Magic Johnson Supports His Gay Son One Million Percent, EJ identifies as gender-fluid and is an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Hes a businessman and podcaster. He is known to have owned 105 Starbucks outlets and a 4.5% stake in . The singer's two younger daughters are his little lookalikes. His style is androgynous, from ankle boots, sheer tops, diamond chokers, and furs to feminine with dresses with thigh-high slits. '", "Why Language Matters: Facing HIV Stigma in Our Own Words". There was one drug then, now we have 30-something drugs.". EJ Johnson once told BETthat racism hasn't been a significant problem in his life. "High ART costs are among many structural barriers that lead to poor treatment access and adherence, contributing to suboptimal HIV outcomes in the United States," according to a report published by JAMA Internal Medicine (opens in new tab) in 2020. During his career as an NBA player, Johnson's annual salary was around $24 million, an amount . Today he is becoming a fashionista who is looking to give a stronger voice to the transgender community through his own experience. However, EJ had already discussed his sexual orientation with his family. The son of basketball star Magic Johnson set his sights on NYC staple 1OAK for his own personal fashion show, where he was seen strutting some serious leg in a thigh-high fringe skirt, black tank . Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the All-Star MVP Award. In the past, EJ has consistently nabbed headlines for his unapologetic sense of fashion and candid attitude, whether he's speaking about the realities of LGBTQ+ adults or sparring with his sister, Elisa Johnson, on screen. I feel like this is the body Im supposed to be in. (Image credit: Science Photo Library - SCIEPRO via Getty Images). section: | slug: magic-johnson-opens-up-on-living-with-hiv-30-years-after-his-diagnosis | sport: basketball | route: article_single.us | ", EJ also gave advice to closeted young people who might be looking to his lifestyle as a road map for their own. For Magic Johnson, supporting his gay son Earvin Johnson III, known as "E.J.," wasn't even a question. Celebrities often grow accustomed to having their privacy invaded by paparazzi. ", "It's a totally new mindset," EJ told Page Sixthat September. Milan is currently in a relationship withtrans reality star and beauty influencer Lauryn England. I love everything about it." During the conversation, EJ, who came out as gay in . navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); News in 2018 that he had no plans to transition. Go do my, Magic Johnson Discusses His Son's Coming Out. 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). Bernadette Giacomazzo Dec 17, 2021. In a 2022 interview with Variety, EJ spoke about how his father initially struggled to accept his identity. Maybe you've seen him on his E! Mar 3, 2013 - 5:20 am. In 2013, EJ was outed by TMZ. At the time, HIV/AIDS was widely associated with death at a young age, so for many people this outcome might have seemed impossible. Today. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for GLAAD). As it turns out, he was planning on publicly revealing his sexuality anyway. Legit.ng recently published Emily Faye Miller's biography. Unlike other former professional athletes' kids who have followed in their footsteps onto the court or field, Magic Johnson's children have all forged their own paths. Michael Johnson, son of TNT sportscaster Ernie E.J. Johnson, has died, his father said on social media Friday night. Johnson Reveals 100+ Weight Loss on Good Day NY! CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. His father took a while to come around to the news. Since EJ came out in 2013 he has set his own path in the transgender pop-culture. You can also learn about some of the cancers we're still battling and why they're so challenging. But then, I moved to New York to go to college and when he came back to visit, he picked me up for dinner and he hugged me so hard, he almost broke my back, and then at that point, I was like, 'We're gonna be okay.' In 1991, the 13-season Los Angeles Lakers star married his wife, Cookie, who gave birth to their son EJ Johnson soon after. His boardroom pitch wasn't enough to win Schultz over, so he . He also appeared on Real Husbands of Hollywood with Kevin Hart. He also hosts his own podcast, Please Elaborate, where he talks about current events, entertainment, sports and gaming with his friend Mike Dupree. "And what came out of the physical was, 'You have HIV.'". "The surgery was definitely the best thing that ever happened to me," the star said. He also takes great pride in his skills and talents as a make-up artist. At 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds, Johnson was a mountain of a man, the biggest, most powerful point guard anyone had ever seen. is amazing, he added. Both were recently reunited for debut of . AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. The second enzyme, known as protease, creates new, functional HIV particles by cutting up the proteins produced by our hijacked cellular machinery. 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. Updated Crediting dad Magic Johnson for giving him the following advice, EJ recalled, "Make sure you check your surroundings and be you, do you, but make sure you're not putting yourself in dangerous situations where you could get hurt.". 12:30 Lyric McHenry #EJJohnson #JustTheSip #JustinSylvester #transitioning #LyricMcHenry #MagicJohnson #comingforpeople #hoephase, he joined the Rich Kids of Beverly Hills,. PerBET, the show was "not completely ratchet with hair pulling and fighting," but let's be honest, it wasn't exactly "Masterpiece Theater," either. He was cast in the first season of E! Admit it, these tracks are so good, you actually thought they were originals. "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.". During an appearance on CBS Mornings, Magic Johnson discussed living with HIV three decades after he was initially diagnosed with the virus prior to the 1991-92 NBA season. If one thing's for sure, it's that he's got all the makings of a star, but he's forging his own path away from his father's fame. I love the attention. EJ is 62, just seven inches shorter than his father Magic. A subset of integrated HIV provirus remains transcriptionally silent, producing neither viral proteins nor viral progeny, until reactivation by various physiologic stimuli. Get viral NBA graphics, memes, rumors and trending news delivered right to your inbox with the Clutch Newsletter. In 2015, EJ lost over 100 pounds and had surgery to remove excess weight. In response to the headlines, Magic said, Cookie and I love EJ and support him in every way. One thing, of course, was very clear: there had been infidelity on Johnsons part. "It's almost like they're attacking me for being me and so to that I can only say, 'Well, I can only be myself, so I don't know really what you want me to do,'" he said. The 62-year-old was first drafted on the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979 and continued to play for them for 13 seasons.. Today, two of the six original Magic Johnson-branded theaters remain open, in Harlem in New York City and suburban Washington, D.C., though he doesn't own either of them. In the photos, he is elegantly posing next to a pool wearing a blue mini-dress that fits him just right. EJ went on to say, "Now, since everybody's talking about Caitlyn Jenner and being transgender, people are so quick to say, 'Oh, just because you're dressing like that means that you're going to transition to become a woman.'". How Magic Johnson Messed Up When His Son Came Out In 2013, a TMZ photographer captured a photo of EJ Johnson walking on the Sunset Strip while holding hands with his boyfriend at the time. But while Johnson and many others are able to manage their condition, many others are not as fortunate. Johnson attended New York University where he studied hospitality with a focus on event planning and design, according to various different profiles. He is responsible for directing the statewide Florida HIV/AIDS Research Consortium, whose HIV researchers have been responsible for more than 400 scientific studies. A video surfaced on Twitter of Lopez and EJ Johnson getting their dance on to Teena Maries Square Biz while at his Magic Johnsons 60th Birthday party in Saint Tropez. And I will," Johnson wrote. "I read a story where you went to him and said . News, The "#RichKids of Beverly Hills" alum opens up about the type of men he's attracted to, his father Magic Johnson and his late friend Lyric McHenry. During his time on the show, EJ could be seen yachting, shopping at Chanels flagship store in Manhattan and driving in the $120,000 Mercedes his parents bought him for this 21st birthday. This seemed all the more evident during the 1992 Olympics, when Johnson joined Team USA as a member of the famed Dream Team in Barcelona. She's following in her mother's footsteps in more ways than one. RELATED:See Charles Barkley's Only Daughter All Grown Up. The reality TV Star was born on June 2, 1992, in Beverly Hills, California, the United States. 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. In 2013, TMZ published a story with photos of EJ holding hands with his then-boyfriend. Former New York Yankees All Star Alex Rodriguez, CBS This Mornings Gayle King, NBA on TNTs Kenny The Jet Smith, ESPN First Takes Stephen A. Smith, NBA Hall of Famer and Detroit Pistons point guard Isiah Thomas and former New York Knicks coach, Mike Woodson were some of the notables in attendance at the party. (Image credit: YakubovAlim via Getty Images). However, much like Earvin Johnson Jr. goes by Magic, his son is called EJ. He became a household name when he appeared on Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, and got his spinoff show called EJNYC. I always say that if you feel like youre not in the right body, then by all means get to where you want to be I dont feel that Im in the wrong body. ESPN and Fox aired primetime tributes to Johnson's son Michael, who died Friday at the age of 33 after a lifelong struggle with muscular dystrophy. 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. Theres so many people who try to discriminate against them. Despite new advances in medical science HIV remains incurable thanks to "the presence of a latent viral reservoir.