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". Story highlights. EJ was born June 4, 1992, during a turbulent time in Magics life. After celebrating his 28th birthday, EJ took to Instagram once more to post a series of pictures on his stories. He shared that it was his mother who taught him a lot about brands like Chanel and Versace. Youve got to support your child. His boardroom pitch wasn't enough to win Schultz over, so he . And that trumped everything," Cookie Johnson said. Magic Johnson has had a very busy life, from his days in college to his NBA tenure and everything that happened between that and the things he had to live after calling it a career. appreciated. EJ, 30, came out. Surprisingly, Johnson has seen great success personally and professionally, in part by reflecting on the words of a childhood friend, Reggie Chastine, who died while they were in high school. 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). Magic Johnson Investments He has had partnerships previously with Starbucks, 24-Hour Fitness, T.G.I Fridays, and AMC Theatres. His style is androgynous, from ankle boots, sheer tops, diamond chokers, and furs to feminine with dresses with thigh-high slits. He appeared on CNNs This Is Life in 2018 and opened up about his identity. An epidemiologist explains how Magic Johnson has survived HIV. Am I gonna die? Magic Johnson's net worth is currently estimated to be about $600 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. According to Magic's comments at that press conference, Cookie threatened to leave him if he tried to return for more than one season. 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. During the life cycle of the virus, HIV integrates into the host DNA. He is responsible for directing the statewide Florida HIV/AIDS Research Consortium, whose HIV researchers have been responsible for more than 400 scientific studies. Because he was so proud. EJ Johnson's sexuality might've surprised the media, but it didn't surprise his parents. EJ Johnson publicly came out as gay in 2013 but only after TMZessentially outed him, per TheThings. ". AboutPressCopyrightContact. Johnson says he was sitting in a hotel in Utah, getting ready for an exhibition game when he got the call. But I don't feel incomplete in that way. His son EJ was born shortly, making headlines before he was even born. Where is Magic Johnson from? That pretty much says all we really need to know. EJ Johnson was born to his famous parents on June 4, 1992, in Beverly Hills, California. The longtime Inside the NBA host said via Twitter, We are grieving and at the same time so grateful for having been witnesses to a miraculous 33 years with michael., A post shared by Ernie Johnson (@ernie.johnson). In 2013, Johnson came out as gay to his family at the age of 17 after a TMZ report published pictures of him holding hands with a male friend. As it turns out, he was planning on publicly revealing his sexuality anyway. But it's really not about scarves; it's really about him seeing you be you. } scientific studies and medical journals. 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. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Johnson was pivotal in helping to lessen that stigma, as he not only managed to find a way forward and live with the disease, but also returned to playing basketball. 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.". Already a trailblazer who's been challenging long-standing gender stereotypes when it comes to his attire, EJ was considering launching his own fashion collection back in 2017, according to The New York Times. Not only does a low viral count stave off symptoms of HIV and AIDS, but it also slashes the odds of a randomly mutated copy of the virus emerging that can prove resistant to the therapy. This also resulted in a good deal of skepticism from some of Johnsons peers. They claimed the pair were an official item. "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. He was 33. Legit.ng recently published Emily Faye Miller's biography. In 1991, the 13-season Los Angeles Lakers star married his wife, Cookie, who gave birth to their son EJ Johnson soon after. Magic's oldest son, Andre, was born in 1981, two years after his father first joined the NBA. Michael Johnson, son of TNT sportscaster Ernie "E.J." Johnson, has died, his father said on social media Friday night. Both were recently reunited for debut of . I like my body., A post shared by EJ Johnson (@ejjohnson_) on Sep 3, 2019 at 9:42am PDT. Earlier this year, Magic and Cookie Johnson's 20-year-old son, EJ, caused a stir when TMZ videotaped him walking down Sunset Boulevard holding hands with a male friend. "It was a little tough", said Cookie during the interview. On that autumn day, Johnson announced he had HIV. According to E! Magic Johnson abruptly quit as the Los Angeles Lakers' president of basketball operations earlier this month, and now, according to reports, it's because management sent emails criticizing . Cookie said, Look in the mirror. I said, Youre right. Because Im proud of who I am. Things got rocky after the socialite was outed in 2013 when TMZposted a video of him holding hands with his then-boyfriend. EJ Johnson's fans aren't the only ones who speculated about his gender identity, however. EJ put out a statement reading, Im going to make this clear to everyone there will be no mourning post because Im not going to reduce a 25yr friendship to 1 Instagram post. "It wasn't how he got it that was important to me. Im just very comfortable in my own skin. "Very European," says EJ Johnson, the son of Magic Johnson, as he recalls when he came out as gay to his father. We send our heartfelt condolences to Ernie, Cheryl and their family during this difficult time.. He is now flexing his acting chops in With Love and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder revival. Cookie Johnson, Magics wife, and EJ talked about the experience during an episode of Facebook's Red Table Talk show. "I've always loved being in front of people, being on stage and performing. Later, the couple also adopted a daughter, Elisa, in 1995, bringing Magic Johnson's kids total to two. pic.twitter.com/JFTbV0U9YZ. He became a household name when he appeared on Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, and got his spinoff show called EJNYC. The NBA tweeted that the league mourns the passing of Michael Johnson., Michael was admired by so many around the league for his remarkable courage and perseverance. I Image: Getty Images. He also appeared on Real Husbands of Hollywood with Kevin Hart. The rising reality star is the son of NBA legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson and his wife, Earlitha "Cookie" Johnson. I tried everything, but finally I just said to myself, This child is innocent. Johnson, 37, and his wife of 13 years, Chastity, were . This past May, Magic shared photos of his family celebrating the launch of Elisa's brand. The reality series followed the eponymous star, sister Elisa Johnson, and their high-class crew living their best lives in the Big Apple. Cookie Johnson, Magic's wife, and EJ talked about the experience during an episode of Facebook's Red Table Talk show. Currently, EJ is reportedly single. A subset of integrated HIV provirus remains transcriptionally silent, producing neither viral proteins nor viral progeny, until reactivation by various physiologic stimuli. I really think its important that you not listen to so many fads; you really need to find what works for you, EJ told Page Six in September 2015. Continue to change and educate the world! I like my body.. Andre also shows a lot of love for his dad on social media, as well. at that point. However, much like Earvin Johnson Jr. goes by Magic, his son is called EJ. ", 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. if( 'moc.enilnoefiltseb' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { 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 . Walton was fired and the team eventually hired former Pacers and Magic coach Frank Vogel to . "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.". Photo: Getty Images They were one of the greatest NBA teams to ever take the hardwood. However, neither of them confirmed or denied the relationship. This was the first time he was out in public as gay. Johnson announced his retirement from the NBA and made his diagnosis public very quickly and then opened up about his experience. } ); Despite new advances in medical science HIV remains incurable thanks to "the presence of a latent viral reservoir. Today he is becoming a fashionista who is looking to give a stronger voice to the transgender community through his own experience. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much At 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds, Johnson was a mountain of a man, the biggest, most powerful point guard anyone had ever seen. ", A few years later, EJ finally put the public speculation to rest. About a year later, EJ had a similar heart-to-heart chat with his father. 10 amazing health stories you may have missed in 2021, How mental health affects physical health, "They told me that the three-drug combination was going to save my life, and they were right," Johnson told The Guardian (opens in new tab) in 2021. The NBA star and businesswoman, who met in college, have been together on and off for over 40 years and. Celebrities often grow accustomed to having their privacy invaded by paparazzi. The key with Johnson and others has been preventing their incurable disease from progressing into AIDS. 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. 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. First of all, the celebrity thing who are you here for, are you dating me or are you trying to date my dad?, In August 2018, EJ lost his best friend, Lyric McHenry, to a drug overdose. ), EJ has since gone from reality television to acting. reality series, "Rich Kids of Beverly Hills" and its spin-off "EJNYC." RELATED:See Michael Jordan's Three Oldest Kids All Grown Up. ", "It's a totally new mindset," EJ told Page Sixthat September. 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. #teamthis, A post shared by EJ Johnson (@ejjohnson_) on Jun 18, 2016 at 2:44pm PDT. 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. It's all about loving them no matter who they are, what they decide to do.. The Hall of Fame point guard also insisted he would become a spokesman for HIV. Yet it was his charisma, especially at his precocious age, that floored. And now, she is the owner of her own self-titled sunglasses company, Elisa Johnson. The origins of Magic Johnson's nickname date back well before Winning Time episode 1's story, as it began when he was in high school. 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. It was a little tough, said Cookie during the interview. We lost michael johnson today and were crushed. It happened," he said (via theDaily Mail). 12:30 Lyric McHenry #EJJohnson #JustTheSip #JustinSylvester #transitioning #LyricMcHenry #MagicJohnson #comingforpeople #hoephase, he joined the Rich Kids of Beverly Hills,. "This character is witty fabulous glamorous and a force to be reckoned as well as unapologetically themselves.". Maybe you've seen him on his E! This past May, it was announced that EJ will be co-starring on the new Disney+ show The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. 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. Take on my day. All Rights Reserved. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); 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. EJ Johnson Sets the Record Straight on Transitioning | Just The Sip | E! ", EJ also gave advice to closeted young people who might be looking to his lifestyle as a road map for their own.