NFL
By: Zachary Draves
There are very few figures in the culture that go by one name that are easily recognizable and Magic is one of them.
When people utter that there is only one person that comes to mind and that is none other than Lansing, Michigan’s favorite son Ervin Johnson.
The AppleTV docu series They Call Me Magic does a compelling job through four episodes in chronicling the colorful life of one of the greatest and most captivating athletes of all time. Magic was consequential for many reasons not the least of which was his epic run with the Showtime Lakers in the 1980’s and his legendary battles with Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics which helped rescue the NBA out of obscurity when they first came in together in 1979 after duking it out in the most watched NCAA Final ever. His razzle dazzle style of play mixed with his effervescent charm and charisma made him a beloved figure that was perfectly suited for the free spiritedness that defined popular culture in the 1980’s. It showcases him as a dedicated and effective businessman who has used power and resources to bring jobs and prosperity to black and brown communities and utilizing an innovative approach to building relationships with Sony, Starbucks, TGI Fridays, and others to provide culturally relevant products and services.
(Courtesy: Youtube)
Behind his beautiful smile, the series also looks into Magic’s personal life from when he grew up to his roller coaster relationship with his wife Cookie that has lasted more than 30 years to his public announcement after being diagnosed with HIV to him as a father accepting his gay son EJ. All of which humanizes Magic in a way we hadn’t seen before and shows him to be a man who has done a lot of growing and maturing over the years as well as him being as a proud family man.
On the issue of HIV, Magic changed the culture in a profound way when he made it official at that press conference on November 7, 1991. At the time, HIV/AIDS was ignorantly labeled a “gay disease” and that it affected introvenious drug users as well. There was much hysteria, misinformation, and fear mongering that contributed to acts of violence, bullying, and harassment towards people living with the virus as well as a lack of adequate action from elected officials. Magic, being a heterosexual man, helped changed people’s minds on how they viewed the disease.
“Suddenly populations that had assumed they were safe to ignore the rise of HIV had to pay attention, take action, and actually give a damn” says Roger Brigham, LGBTQ+ sports journalist who wrote a cover story on Magic for The Advocate in 1992.
(Courtesy: Roger Brigham)
In the years since, Magic has used his name and influence to advocate on behalf of people with HIV/AIDS and has made a considerable difference in various ways from access to treatment, prevention/education, and awareness and doing so with a clear focus on all the major social intersections.
“We cannot think of him without thinking of the intersections of race, sexuality and discrimination that were represented by the immediate reaction to his initial exposure and his subsequent actions as an athlete, advocate, patient, fund raiser, and entrepreneur” said Brigham.
Magic made it a point to do the work in black and brown communities that are impacted by the virus at a disproportionate rate.
The series also looks at his role as an advocate but according to Brigham it missed out on some crucial points to what made him an advocate in the first place.
“For a 2 or 3 month period, Magic withdrew from the public eye and concentrated oon meeting with medical experts, activists, and going into Black communities where the disease was rampant and heavily stigmatized along with homosexuality” he said.
“He talked with people living with the virus, learned how their lives are impacted. His approach was virtually unique and helped bring down the racial walls that channeled HIV related resources.”
They Call Me Magic is a masterpiece and dare I say Emmy Award winning.
Throughout all the triumphs and turmoils that shaped his life, the world would be a much duller and depressing place without Magic Johnson and he is an icon for not only what he did on the basketball court but for what he has done in the world of business, advocacy, and philanthropy.
Through all the ups and downs in life, there is always a bit of Magic in the air.
