Magic Johnson on Learng to Accept His Gay Son EJ: 'He Changed Me' - Variety

Contents:

• MAGIC JOHNSON ON LEARNG TO ACCEPT HIS GAY SON: 'HE CHANGED ME'
• MAGIC JOHNSON SAYS SON EJ G OUT AS GAY 'CHANGED' HIM: 'HE WAS JT SO PROUD'
• MAGIC JOHNSON ON LEARNG TO ACCEPT HIS GAY SON EJ: ‘HE CHANGED ME’
• MAGIC JOHNSON OPENS UP ABOUT LEARNG TO ACCEPT HIS GAY SON
• MAGIC JOHNSON OPENS UP ABOUT GAY SON
• MAGIC JOHNSON TALKS ABOUT G TO LOVE HIS GAY SON
• MAGIC JOHNSON ON GAY SON EJ: 'I WAS JT WAG ON HIM TO TELL ME' (VIDEO)
• MAGIC JOHNSON OPENS UP ABOUT HIS SON EJ COMG OUT AS GAY
• MAGIC JOHNSON TALKS ABOUT WHY HIS SON EJ G OUT AS GAY ‘CHANGED’ HIM: ‘THIS DU HERE IS JT SO PROUD OF WHO HE IS’

MAGIC JOHNSON ON LEARNG TO ACCEPT HIS GAY SON: 'HE CHANGED ME'

“Very European, ” says EJ Johnson, the son of Magic Johnson, as he rells when he me out as gay to his father.

I’m gay, but I didn’t want to tell my parents. Earv “EJ” Johnson, the son of basketball superstar Magic Johnson, is talkg about what was like to e out as gay to his famo father back , who starred on the E!

While EJ, who is also the son of Magic’s wife Cookie Johnson, said he was out to all of his iends, but that his parents were “the last people” he spoke to about Johnson, the son of basketball legend Magic Johnson, spoke about what was like g out as gay to his father. "The former NBA player, who beme an activist for HIV/AIDS rearch after he publicly announced his HIV posive stat 1991, spoke to The New York Tim  2020 about how he ially thought might be hard for EJ given the stigma around gay men and HIV. “Very European, ” says EJ Johnson, the son of Magic Johnson, as he rells when he me out as gay to his father.

MAGIC JOHNSON SAYS SON EJ G OUT AS GAY 'CHANGED' HIM: 'HE WAS JT SO PROUD'

In an terview wh Entertament Tonight ahead of the release of his new Apple TV+ doceri They Call Me Magic, the former Lakers star, 62, revealed that EJ, who me out publicly as gay 2013, helped spire Wa, 40, and Unn, 49, who publicly opened up about Zaya's genr inty more than two years ago. ”Sce his father’s relatnship wh HIV, as a spokperson and beg posive himself, EJ was troduced to gay culture om a very early age, so he has longtime been related to the activism and discrimatn that surrounds knowg and enjoyg his privileged life, he has been part of “Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, ” for four seasons, and then on his own spoff lled “EJNYC, ” which lasted only 6 episos.

Over the years, Magic and Cookie have been open about their rponsibili as parents — like when Magic told Ellen DeGener that he was "so happy" when their son EJ me out as gay.

EJ publicly me out as gay 2013, though he me out to his fay several years earlier. In 2014, EJ told PEOPLE that, although his parents "pretty much already knew" that he was gay, they were worried about the public's reactn. He has also been a gut star on Real Hbands of Hollywood and lent his voice to the Disney animated seri The Proud Fay: Lour and by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Imag for “To Kill A Mockgbird”“When my son me out, I was so happy for him and happy for as parents”EJ reportedly me out as gay 2013, and Magic and his wife have been credibly supportive of his journey.

MAGIC JOHNSON ON LEARNG TO ACCEPT HIS GAY SON EJ: ‘HE CHANGED ME’

"Johnson's son me out as gay to his parents 2010 — a revelatn that the NBA legend later admted was difficult for him to accept. The sociale and TV personaly me out as gay 2013 when TMZ posted a vio of EJ wh his then-boyiend. EJ told the magaze that he was first out as gay to his iends before his parents.

MAGIC JOHNSON OPENS UP ABOUT LEARNG TO ACCEPT HIS GAY SON

And when his son EJ me out publicly as gay more than 20 years later, the Johnson fay add another meangul layer of visibily to their public EJ’s journey to fdg acceptance wh his fay wasn’t easy. News alum said a jot terview wh his father for Variety, ahead of the April 22 release of They Call Me Magic, an Apple TV Pl doceri about the former NBA player’s life and, who voic the character Michael Colls on The Proud Fay: Lour and Prour reboot, said that he had e out as gay to his iends before openg up to his parents.

MAGIC JOHNSON OPENS UP ABOUT GAY SON

”Gay dads? Days after Magic Johnson publicly announced his support for his openly gay son, the basketball legend is openg up about when he learned his son was gay, the backlash sce the news broke and what he thks about athlet g out. Johnson said fay members were prepared for the negative reactn, but they are more foced on the good that may e out of this, cludg more lbians and gays g out to their parents as well as gay athlet steppg out of the closet.

Magic Johnson’s offered nothg but love and support when he was first publicly asked about his gay son. EJ says his parents were the last people to know he was gay.

MAGIC JOHNSON TALKS ABOUT G TO LOVE HIS GAY SON

At that pot, the vis was still monly viewed as a gay problem. “Along the way Magic enuntered the same sort of prejudice and discrimatn that many gay men had to al wh, but not once do I rell Magic nouncg the gay muny orr to ‘clear his name, ’” wrote gay Los Angel sportswrer LZ Granrson 2008. On "Oprah's Next Chapter, " Cookie and Magic open up about how they learned their son was gay and why their love is unndnal.

"I read a story where you went to him and said, 'Are you gay? " Cookie says she and Magic have known for a long time that their son was gay.

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MAGIC JOHNSON ON GAY SON EJ: 'I WAS JT WAG ON HIM TO TELL ME' (VIDEO)

Magic Johnson is not jt leadg a legacy on the urt, but also the hearts of Gabrielle Unn and Dwyane an April 21 terview wh Entertament Tonight, Gabrielle and Dwyane touched on how Cookie Johnson and Magic's actns as parents to their son EJ Johnson—who publicly me out as gay 2013—helped shape their journey wh Zaya Wa, 14, who publicly me out as transgenr 2020.

As NBA legend Magic Johnson gears up for the April 22 release of his new Apple TV+ doceri, They Call Me Magic, he opened up about his relatnship and acceptance of his gay son, Earv “EJ” Johnson III. EJ was outed as gay by TMZ 2013 before starrg the E! The former NBA star, 57, shared what advice he would give to other parents who have a child who is gay.

MAGIC JOHNSON OPENS UP ABOUT HIS SON EJ COMG OUT AS GAY

Ten years ago, EJ me out as gay. Earv “EJ” Johnson, the son of basketball superstar Magic Johnson, is talkg about what was like to e out as gay to his famo father back 2010.

MAGIC JOHNSON TALKS ABOUT WHY HIS SON EJ G OUT AS GAY ‘CHANGED’ HIM: ‘THIS DU HERE IS JT SO PROUD OF WHO HE IS’