I’ve had the opportunity to meet Magic Johnson a few times, when he was the guest speaker at events my marketing agency was organizing for clients. From the little that I’ve spoken with him, he’s a very nice guy – well spoken, good natured. “Charming” is probably the best word I can think of. And for all of the greatness he displayed on the basketball court, he’s proven himself to be even more talented as a business man. He’s earned every penny he has – I don’t begrudge him a single cent.
His son, on the other hand, is a tool. I watched part of one episode during the first season of Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, but couldn’t get through much of it. I actually felt dirty after just a few minutes; like “jump in the shower and wash the grime off my skin” dirty. I have no intention of watching it again (when the civilization that rises up after ours does a documentary on our demise, I guarantee that footage from this show will be included), but I recently found myself reading an article in the NY Post about the show’s upcoming second season.
The article mostly featured Magic Johnson’s “fabulous” son, EJ. Know what EJs favorite hobby is? Drinking champaign on his yacht. According to him, there’s never a wrong time for that activity:
“Whether it is Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, honey, yachting is always cute.”
Yes, indeed, EJ. As I’ve often said myself, yachting is, without question, always cute. Jackass.
Johnson, who is now a regular on the show, along with other pampered celebrity offspring, explains that they’re not really lazy – the show is actually their launching pad for breaking out from their parents, and trying to be successful on their own. The only problem is that I’m not sure if he made that speech before or after he took a joyride in the $120,000 Mercedes his parents bought him in June for his 22nd birthday.
It’s a pathetic display of entitlement, and EJ will never have any idea what work or sweat really is, and will never appreciate anything because it’s all been handed to him.
Will Smith worked hard to achieve his fame, and should know better than anyone the value of suffering for your success. His son Jaden, on the other hand, gets handed starring rolls in big budget movies produced by his dad, even though he hasn’t earned them and hasn’t developed the talent to properly execute them. And those movies haven’t worked because of it.
Conrad Hilton spent a lifetime building his hotel empire and became one of the most respected businessmen of his generation. Decades later, it took Paris Hilton about an hour on her back in a leaked sex video to launch her “career” of being a spoiled TV brat to forever tarnish her great grandfather’s hard earned reputation.
A few weeks ago, people across social media erupted in anger when it was revealed that actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died earlier this year of a drug overdose, didn’t leave any of his $35 million to his kids. Instead, he left his money to the children’s mother, trusting she would take care of them. Apparently he had explained to his attorney that he didn’t want his kids (who are ages 10, 7 and 5) to be trust fund kids.
On the surface, this may sound harsh, but in realty it’s quite the opposite. So to Philip Seymour Hoffman’s kids, I say this with all sincerity: for the next few years, you may feel angry with your father – not just because he was reckless with his life, but because he didn’t leave you with anything. You may watch the fabulous personalities on reality TV and feel jealous, not understanding why your dad kept you from that life. Be patient. One day you’ll understand it. One day, when you achieve things on your own, and you realize that a canoe you earn is more valuable than a yacht you’re given, you’ll know for sure that your dad loved you.