EJ told the Times, The school called my mom and was like, We dont know if you want him to do the book report, because it talks about the H.I.V., I think it was at that point that they told me that he had been sick and hes a lot better., In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2016, EJs mother admitted that she struggled to come to terms with her son coming out. I feel like this is the body that Im supposed to be in, he said in a 2019 interview. Either way, there's no doubt that this celebrity kid gets a lot of attention. The key weapon in the beginning was a regimen of three or four antiretroviral drugs, collectively known as antiretroviral therapy, or ART. The first enzyme, called reverse transcriptase, turns the virus' genetic instructions encoded in a single RNA strand into double-stranded DNA. Maybe you've seen him on his E! Story highlights. We're gonna be fine. Its a totally new mindset Im completely dedicated to living a new, healthy lifestyle. Johnsons friends and rivals all embraced him on the floor, as if the barriers initially created by the disease had been totally wiped away. 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. "I never thought that I'd look this good, and that is the God's honest truth. The retired point guard welcomed his first child, son Andre, 42, with ex-girlfriend . And he got it from me, Magic told Varietyin April 2022. I don't feel the need to do that. The 29-year-old reality TV personality came out to the basketball great, 62, in 2010, and at first, the latter wasn't too. The singer's two younger daughters are his little lookalikes. 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. In 2014, he joined the Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, a reality series following lives of some of the richest kids. Johnson, 37, and his wife of 13 years, Chastity, were . Magic even posted on social media how proud he was of EJs new role. So, if you're wondering what exactly happened back then, we've got you covered. EJ Johnson was born to his famous parents on June 4, 1992, in Beverly Hills, California. The name stuck despite Magic's mother's distaste for it. I never really thought it was under investigation. After four seasons, he'd also appeared on "Fashion Police" and worked as a red-carpet special correspondent, and the network gave EJ his own spin-off called "EJNYC" in 2016. pic.twitter.com/JFTbV0U9YZ. I had to accept who he was and who he wanted to be. "Obviously, my family's always been in the spotlight," EJ told Out in 2014. It was seemingly just like any other in basketball circles. 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. ", "It's a totally new mindset," EJ told Page Sixthat September. "You mean he just let his son in law run everything Dad?" "Yes because he was Jewish." "Are Jews magic Dad?" "Sure are," I say. ), EJ has since gone from reality television to acting. In fact, Magic said that he has to bribe his wife to even get her to approve of him returning for one season. Michael Johnson, the son of Turner Sports broadcaster Ernie Johnson, has died, his father announced Friday night. Speculation about the couples possible relationship began to circulate after they were spotted having lunch together. Magic Johnson dominated the court as one of professional basketball's best players for 13 years. "I walk in the office and he started talking about the test," Johnson says. Magic Johnson was invited to participate as a member of the Western Conference during the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the MVP after scoring 25 points and adding nine assists in a feel-good performance. The 62-year-old was first drafted on the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979 and continued to play for them for 13 seasons.. "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.". var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); 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. EJ turned 30 on Saturday and marked the occasion with a trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park . The year was 2010, and scarves were in. Today. Since Dec. 2018, he's been the vice president of business development at a computer gaming company called Mythical Games. However, much like Earvin Johnson Jr. goes by Magic, his son is called EJ. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. He is known to have owned 105 Starbucks outlets and a 4.5% stake in . EJ launched a now-defunctfashion blog in 2014. The next day, he apologized to his son as he emotionally told him they would get through this. Hopefully, Magic Johnson and his son will continue to put the work in and have a positive relationship. "The man that led me on is now hooking up with my sister, and I'm supposed to be OK with it.". EJ said its hard to date, lamenting, "It's always been a struggle. During the NBA icon's first visit to Ellen's show, he opened up about his son, and shared his advice for other parents. After receiving criticism for not publicly mourning his friend on social media. "I feel like I wasn't cut out for it," she told SSENSE Magazine in April 2017. The gender-fluid fashionista is always flaunting his amazing wardrobe. 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. During his career as an NBA player, Johnson's annual salary was around $24 million, an amount . The NBA star and businesswoman, who met in college, have been together on and off for over 40 years and. Nonetheless, Jenner's transition raised questions among some of Johnson's fans. America's Favorite Gay Newsman: Openly Gay Anderson Cooper Split With Restauranter Partner; Boyfriend Still Family. In an interview with The New York Times, he admitted that his mom suspected he may have been gay and tried to initiate the conversation in the past. section: | slug: magic-johnson-opens-up-on-living-with-hiv-30-years-after-his-diagnosis | sport: basketball | route: article_single.us | "Even in the summer, you had you navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); This past May, it was announced that EJ will be co-starring on the new Disney+ show The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. ", According to BET, he also recognizes how lucky he is to be able to live freely as "a young Black man in the public eye who plays with gender norms." Taking a look at his Instagram we can see how clothes are one of his biggest passions. Take on my day. The U.S. would go on to capture the gold medal in overwhelming fashion, and Magics beaming smile might otherwise have been a symbol of his triumph. He also hosts his own podcast, Please Elaborate, where he talks about current events, entertainment, sports and gaming with his friend Mike Dupree. "It helped people who were living with not just HIV and AIDS, but with any disease, that you can live on, you can be live a productive life.". scientific studies and medical journals. He is a television personality, socialite and actor. In response to the headlines, Magic said, Cookie and I love EJ and support him in every way. Is this something that I would do?' Magic added that he just needed more time. Magic Johnson holding the Walter A. Im very happy with myself. EJ dropped the bombshell during an episode of "EJNYC," where he claimed that Elisa's then-boyfriend, French model Anthony Alcaraz, was the same guy he had previously kissed in a club. One of Johnson's doctors who helped pioneer the treatment placed him on the then-experimental drug cocktail in 1994, about a year and a half before it came into widespread use in 1996, according to the Daily Beast (opens in new tab). 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. "Feeling all the elation feels today," EJ wrote on Instagram, sharing the news that he'd voice Michael Collins. Johnson attended New York University where he studied hospitality with a focus on event planning and design, according to various different profiles. At the time, HIV/AIDS was widely associated with death at a young age, so for many people this outcome might have seemed impossible. Cookie Johnson, Magic's wife, and EJ talked about the experience during an episode of Facebook's Red Table Talk show. Am I gonna die? Would love your thoughts, please comment. ", According to E! Magic Johnson has remained a central part of the Lakers franchise in his life since, serving as a coach and executive, as well as a player when he came out of retirement for the 1996 season. ", Related: Magic Johnson Supports His Gay Son One Million Percent, EJ identifies as gender-fluid and is an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Currently, EJ is reportedly single. Things got rocky after the socialite was outed in 2013 when TMZposted a video of him holding hands with his then-boyfriend. He has previously worked as Editor of video game magazines games and X-ONE and tech magazines iCreate and Apps. In 1991, Cookie was pregnant with EJ when Magic announced to the world that he was HIV positive. In 2015, EJ lost over 100 pounds and had surgery to remove excess weight. E.J. In addition to EJ, the Johnsons adopted Elisa Johnson when she was three days old in 1995. "I'm ready to go. "And he just could not stand it. 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". 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. How and When Did Magic Johnson Contract HIV? Youve got to support your child. The NBA regular season had just started, with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls looking to defend their championship. Watch! When talking about his positionas the Celebrity Grand Marshall of the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade in 2014 (via E! at that point. News, EJ Johnson once weighed about 360 pounds but underwent gastric sleeve surgery in early 2015. Presenting your official soundtrack to falling (or staying) in love. "And what came out of the physical was, 'You have HIV.'". I love everything about it." In the 1988 NBA Finals between the Pistons and the Lakers, Thomas and Johnson. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. The virus was a lot scarier at the time. The story of how the Lakers won a title in his first season and went on to win many more over the next decade is chronicled in HBO's latest series, 'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.' Did you encounter any technical issues? From the highlights from Magics career, but the evolution of Johnson as a person including his role as a husband and father. And we love him. The key with Johnson and others has been preventing their incurable disease from progressing into AIDS. Related: Try Dopamine Dressing With 20 New Looks. ', It all goes down Tomorrow night ! While Magics decision to retire was clear enough, the implications were still rather unknown. EJs real name is Earvin Johnson III, named after his father. Andre, EJ, and Elisa have taken on very different career paths. Magic Johnson went from an unequivocal role in the NBA to a businessman and a legend in his own right. #teamthis, A post shared by EJ Johnson (@ejjohnson_) on Jun 18, 2016 at 2:44pm PDT. But I don't feel incomplete in that way. 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. Here is what you need to know about EJ Johnson: A post shared by EJ Johnson (@ejjohnson_) on Jun 5, 2018 at 2:48pm PDT, EJs mother was two months pregnant with her son when Magic Johnson revealed to the world that he had tested positive for HIV in November 1991. The fact that the gay man is the son of legendary NBA player, Magic Johnson . "There is nothing unique about Magic," Spencer Lieb, senior epidemiologist (opens in new tab) and HIV/AIDS research coordinator for the Florida Consortium for HIV/AIDS Research told Live Science. EJ Johnson publicly came out as gay in 2013 but only after TMZessentially outed him, per TheThings. However, much like Earvin Johnson Jr. goes by Magic, his son is called EJ. Because he was so proud. Awood "Mr. Magic" Johnson, a rapper best known for his work in the 90's on the No Limit Records label, has died. I love the attention. show Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, which aired from 2014 to 2016. Ive never done anything on television that is this honest and real, he shared in an Instagram post promoting the segment. The rising reality star is the son of NBA legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson and his wife, Earlitha "Cookie" Johnson. In 1991, the 13-season Los Angeles Lakers star married his wife, Cookie, who gave birth to their son EJ Johnson soon after. To see what Magic Johnson's three children are up to and to learn more about the tight-knit Johnson family, read on. Discovery Company. He was 33. (Image credit: YakubovAlim via Getty Images). This also resulted in a good deal of skepticism from some of Johnsons peers. On that autumn day, Johnson announced he had HIV. After celebrating his 28th birthday, EJ took to Instagram once more to post a series of pictures on his stories. 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. During the conversation, EJ, who came out as gay in . EJ's mom said that her husband was worried about his son living . Originally published on Live Science on 04 March 2022 and updated on 24 August 2022. Since EJ came out in 2013 he has set his own path in the transgender pop-culture. EJ is an openly gay graduate of New York University who has appeared on his own reality shows. She studied at FIT and launched her own label, Elisa Johnson Co. She prefers to stay out of the spotlight. EJ Johnson's sexuality might've surprised the media, but it didn't surprise his parents. 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. Related:Meet Quincy Isaiah, the Michigan Man Playing Magic Johnson in HBO Maxs Winning Time. On "Oprah's Next Chapter," Cookie and Magic open up about how they learned their son was gay and why their love is unconditional. After Johnson's departure, the Lakers announced they would not fill the position that Johnson left. This is something that transcends judgment and ignorance and should be seen as a vehicle to educate and inform people about gender fluidity. "It proved to be the right decision," Magic Johnson said. Since nobody in the Johnson family had ever addressed EJ's sexual preference at that time, TMZ published the photo like it was a scoop. Magic Johnsonis one of the most iconic athletes and NBA players in basketball history. https://t.co/RQM9OCSd77. "The surgery was definitely the best thing that ever happened to me," the star said. "Very European," says EJ Johnson, the son of Magic Johnson, as he recalls when he came out as gay to his father. EJ Johnson, the son of basketball legend Magic Johnson, addressed his gender identity Wednesday during an interview on E!News' Just the Sip.