Watching EJ Johnson evolve into an outspoken activist in the last decade, one can’t help but wonder what happened to the once reserved son of Magic Johnson.
In 1992, Magic and Cookie Johnson announced the birth of their son Earvin “EJ” Johnson II. The media interest surrounding his birth was vast, as months prior, the basketball great went public with his HIV status.
Following final confirmations that EJ was indeed alive and healthy, the undesirable publicity came to rest to some extent. However, that did nothing to stop the lad from growing up in the spotlight, surrounded by paparazzi.
As a result, little about him evaded the headlines, from his coming out as gay to becoming a hot cross-dresser, reality star, and influencer.
Yet, between his days as a confused teenager scared of confronting the world following his forced outing and the outspoken hottie and activist the world knows today, there seems to be a huge margin.
It almost seems like we missed a lot of that transformation despite that it happened in the full glare of the public. So what exactly did we miss? What happened to EJ Johnson, the once overweight and passive son of Magic Johnson who feared criticism and judgement?
What Happened To Magic Johnson’s Son EJ Johnson
Since his birth in the early nineties, EJ Johnson has grown up in the spotlight, living under the shadows of his dad’s fame. However, he broke out of his famous dad’s shadow during his junior year in college, joining the cast of “The Rich Kids Of Beverly Hills.”
The star eventually landed his own reality show, which put him on the map, cementing his name among Hollywood’s famous figures.
Long before that, EJ proved himself ready to take on anything when he openly admitted his sexuality after TMZ outed him.
He has since proudly owned up to his gay status, bravely navigated the dating waters, set himself up for a life of Hollywood stardom, embraced acting, and underwent a remarkable transformation that has made him almost unrecognizable.
EJ Johnson Came Out In 2013
Magic Johnson’s son EJ came out as gay in 2013 in a scandalous revelation that made headlines for months. Years prior, the icon already surmounted his biggest hurdle, coming out to his family.
At the time, sharing his big secret with his dad did not go well at first, as Magic lashed out at the then-teenager, expressing disappointment.
However, following a word from his wife who discovered the truth earlier, Magic later came to terms with EJ’s sexuality. His family has since shown him nothing but support.
Sadly, the world was not as receptive. When he was first outted along with a leaked photo of him and his supposed boyfriend, many took to various platforms to haul profanities at him. Thankfully, EJ tapped into his family’s love and acceptance to find his strength. He once revealed:
“I was obviously scared as most people are. After I got all the love and support from my family then, I knew I could go out and conquer the world.”
Conquer the world he did. Rather than let the public criticism weigh him down, EJ faced it head-on. He granted various interviews to share his take on the issue and finally come clean to the world.
The icon then set out on a mission to become a voice for gay people and the LGBTQ+ community.
EJ Johnson Identifies As Gender-Fluid
Following what happened to Magic Johnson’s son in 2013 and how he braved the incident, many expected EJ Johnson to take on more drastic challenges. For many, a change of gender identity seemed imminent.
Yet, the icon chose to maintain his gender. Admittedly, he has considered transitioning on occasions, with the pressure heightening following Caitlyn Jenner’s transition.
Media speculations did not help, as fans assumed he would definitely transition to a woman given his fashion-forwardness. However, after much consideration, EJ realized he never felt incomplete in his male body, and hence, had no need to alter his gender.
Notwithstanding, the star considers himself in the middle of both genders, what he describes as the gray area. He now identifies as gender-fluid and does not care about the pronouns used to qualify him.
Magic Johnson’s Son Underwent A Dramatic Weight Transformation
EJ Johnson once weighed up to 360 pounds, considered too much weight on his 6ft 2” frame. After struggling with his weight for years, Magic Johnson’s son happened to find the ideal solution.
In early 2015, he underwent gastric sleeve surgery and ended up losing 200 pounds. EJ described the surgery as the best thing that ever happened to him as he never thought he could look so good.
True to his words, the socialite easily passes for a hottie today, having the perfect figure to rock his gender-defying looks.
He Starred In Various Reality Shows
While some may be curious to know, “Is EJ Johnson Magic Johnson’s son?” Others who’ve followed the 30-year-old from his early days of fame are more familiar with the star’s remarkable transformation.
Born into the spotlight, EJ began making a name for himself following his stint on E!’s reality show, “The Rich Kids Of Beverly Hills.”
His four season stint ended in 2015. He then landed his own spin-off reality show titled “EJNYC,” which was canceled after six episodes.
The television personality also appeared on “Fashion Police,” and has served as a special correspondent on several red carpet events.
Magic Johnson’s Son Established A Multifaceted Career
Aside from reality shows, EJ Johnson has stamped his name in the hall of superstardom with a handful of career ventures.
His pursuits so far include serving as an E! News commentator and appearing as a guest host on “The Real.” He also kicked off an acting career, snagging a voice acting gig.
Additionally, the reality star, who studied event management and design, has his eyes set on a fashion career. He aims to one day establish his own brand, a dream that doesn’t seem so far off given EJ’s penchant for rocking fashionable outfits.
His multiple ventures so far have earned the fashionista a net worth of $2 million. He is also privileged to be the son of basketball legend Magic Johnson who has a net worth of $600 million.
He Is The Most Famous Of His Siblings
EJ has come a long way since his days on “RKOBH,” making a run for his dad’s fame. In fact, among Magic’s three children Andre, EJ, and Elisa, the gay rights activist remain the most famous.
His younger sister sits next in line, breaking into the spotlight following a family feud between the duo. Their heated clash which made them love rivals set the stage for “EJNYC.”
Although he and Elisa have long put the feud behind them, EJ hasn’t exactly had it easy in the romance department. He admittedly has never had a serious relationship as something always happened before things came that far.
Notwithstanding, the fashionista looks forward to finding love someday, even if in the most unlikely places. Meanwhile, EJ, the second son of Magic Johnson remains determined to brave whatever life throws at him, as he has done everything else that happened in the last three decades.