In the 1980s, the Los Angeles Lakers dominated the basketball court with star players like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. While Magic dominated the hardwood with his wizardry, he also soaked in the famous nightlife of LA at the time. The five-time NBA champion recently made some startling revelations about his club life back in the day.

Behind the scenes, there was a completely surreal ambience at the iconic Forum Club in Los Angeles. This private club, exclusive to season ticket holders and other privileged guests, was a hotspot for Hollywood executives, actors, writers, and athletes. Johnson recently remembered the ‘Forum’ period of his life. 

Magic Johnson reminisces about the forum club

Recently resurfaced photos of Magic Johnson with popular celebrities like Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Mike Tyson at the Forum Club have stirred nostalgia for the golden era of the Lakers and the glamour of the nightlife that once thrived at the iconic venue. Magic Johnson, in a recent interview on the Breakbeat Media podcast, reminisced about the heyday of The Forum Club. 

The Forum Club was a spot where the elite would mingle and socialize after Lakers games. NBA teams loved playing in LA not just for the thrill of the game but also for the allure of the nightlife that awaited them at The Forum Club. It was a hub of excitement and excess, a place where the who’s who of Hollywood and the sports world converged.

Magic described it as a larger-than-life experience, comparing it to the biggest nightclubs in other cities multiplied by a million. He recalled seeing Hugh Hefner with his entourage of Playmates, Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, the Jacksons, and other big-name celebrities in the establishment. The club was a melting pot of A-listers. When the podcast host referred to the time as, “no cameras, no Instagram”, Johnson replied, “Nothing, just life, just having fun.”

He added, “If you’re not in L.A., just times your biggest nightclub in your city times a million, that’s what the Forum Club was on steroids…. Hugh Hefner came in with his smoking jacket on, robe on, you like, and he had 20 Playmates with him, bro. He brought his own team, it was like the whole place just went, that’s how great it was. Anybody that was an A-lister was coming up in there, man.”

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The Forum club’s legendary status in LA nightlife history 

Magic Johnson’s anecdotes shed light on the allure of The Forum Club and the legendary status it achieved during its heyday. However, with its downfall, it became a thing of the past, and memories of its heyday remain in the stories and anecdotes shared by those who were fortunate enough to experience it. The resurfacing of photos and Magic Johnson’s recent recollections have reignited nostalgia for the iconic Forum Club and its legendary status in history.

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