Lying in Bed With Wife Cookie, “Unsatisfied” Magic Johnson Decided to Turn Rebellious After Struggling Post Lakers Career

Magic Johnson had the spotlight all to himself during his time in the NBA. The five-time champion resonated with millions with his style of game. He was arguably the architect responsible for bringing ‘Showtime Lakers’ to life. He enjoyed an illustrious career collecting nearly all the accolades a basketball star could dream of. After conquering the world of basketball, Johnson retired in 1995. In 1998, he announced his return back into the mainstream, but this time it was late-night television. However, the response to his show, The Magic Hour was poor. After being criticized for his capabilities as a host, Johnson turned to basketball to vent his frustrations.

The Magic Hour was Johnson’s attempt to make a run as a late-night television host. The space was competitive with certain shows already well-established. However, the competition had never deterred the Los Angeles Lakers legend. Likewise, he went into the world of television with an optimistic approach. Unfortunately, even his radiating smile couldn’t help the show’s ratings.

The first three episodes served doom to the show. Listening to all the critics, Johnson was upset. While in bed with his wife cookie, an unsatisfied Magic Johnson decided to turn a blind eye to his producers. Notably, he decided to do what helped him become one of the adored basketball players, just be himself.

Magic Johnson decided to go natural

After reading the early reviews of the third telecast, Johnson wasn’t happy. The four-time assists leader went to UCLA to his domain, the basketball court. While playing the game, he would think about certain interview questions for the next segment of The Magic Hour. It was also then that he decided to abandon his producer’s set pattern of questions. Instead, the three-time MVP decided to do what felt right in the moment.

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The next show had encouraging signs. With good friend Samuel L Jackson on the show, the duo produced well. The telecast had banter and saw the natural side of Magic Johnson. It was arguably better than the previous episodes which had the Hall of Famer follow a pre-decided flow.

As soon as he finished the show, the staff’s reaction gave him all the confidence. They jumped up congratulating Magic Johnson for a great performance. Moreover, many even said, “Best show yet!” according to Washington Post. However, the three-time Finals MVP still didn’t feel at ease. Notably, as a winner, Magic Johnson was used to finishing the job. Hence he decided to continue letting himself immerse himself in the night.

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The Lakers icon was dedicated and obsessed with making it work. Sadly, The Magic Hour only aired for one season. The show was canceled after criticism mounted. Despite all efforts, Magic Johnson couldn’t make his mark on late-night TV.