How cool is Magic Johnson?

**kraig** · June-25-09, 03:02 PM

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Posted by Neal Rubin [[The Detroit News) on Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 1:43 AM
Magic Johnson, magical indeed

Magic Johnson delayed a Hawaiian vacation to attend the Cass Community Social Services fireworks party Wednesday night. He flew off before dark with several hundred new friends and fewer courtside seats.
CCSS' annual fireworks fundraiser takes place in the best possible spot: Coach Insignia, the glass-walled restaurant atop the tallest tower of the Renaissance Center. By way of full disclosure, my wife's public relations company represents both the restaurant and Cass, which we've also both been known to volunteer with.
Among the things that make the party and the venue unique: Great food at a strolling buffet, including lobster corn dogs, scallops the size of hockey pucks and rack of lamb. An open bar. Fireworks at eye level. And, most important, air conditioning.
This year there was also Johnson, who may have been even cooler than the A/C. He shook hands, posed for pictures, signed autographs and was fundamentally gracious. Then he grabbed a microphone and offered up an auction item.
The prize: Signed replica jerseys from his days with Michigan State University and the Los Angeles Lakers. And his courtside seat for a Lakers game. And four seats a few rows behind that one. And, he said, if he's in town on the date of whichever game the winner chooses, dinner with him.
When the bidding hit $5,500, he stopped. Tell you what, he told the two competitors -- if you'll each pony up $5,500, you'll receive identical packages. They agreed ... and then four other people said heck, let me in on this.
OK, Johnson said.
If you're keeping score at home, that's $33,000 to support the good works of CCSS, which deals with homeless families, mentally impaired adults, mentally ill homeless men, and assorted other people who generally get ignored.
Johnson conceded that he has plenty of jerseys. As for the courtside seats next to Dyan Cannon and the other tickets, he said, "I'm just glad there's 41 home games."

2blocksaway · June-25-09, 03:07 PM

magic has $33,000 i the seats of his private jet.

i am so tired of celebrities getting tons of credit for showing up at fundraiser and getting people to donate their money.

a real cool thing would have been for magic to match the $33,000.

**Hypestyles** · June-25-09, 03:10 PM

good for Magic.. and cass community Social services..

I hope that Magic can bring his movie theater imprint to the city.. of course there's the Renaissance building theater.. also the "Phoenix 6" on east 8 mile.. but that's it, unless you're into art films and go to DIA, etc.

**Johnnny5** · June-25-09, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by 2blocksaway

magic has $33,000 i the seats of his private jet.

i am so tired of celebrities getting tons of credit for showing up at fundraiser and getting people to donate their money.

a real cool thing would have been for magic to match the $33,000.

You're knocking the guy for donated his seats, his jerseys and his time for a charity fundraiser?

**Detroitnerd** · June-25-09, 03:16 PM

Seriously, you could spend $5,000 just buying an ad in the paper talking about how great you are. Here, he spends the same amount and gets more credibility, wider dissemination, etc. When you give publicly, it's often because you're buying your reward right then and there.

Blarf · June-25-09, 03:26 PM

Magic is an encouraging reminder that if you have tons of money, you too can live a normal long life with HIV.

**ejames01** · June-25-09, 03:41 PM

I'm sure that there are people that don't have plenty of money that ALSO live a normal long life with HIV too.

Originally Posted by Blarf

Magic is an encouraging reminder that if you have tons of money, you too can live a normal long life with HIV.

**kraig** · June-25-09, 05:16 PM

This was all pretty impromptu. He could have just went back to Hollywood and Cass Community wouldn't have gotten anything. I bet they appreciate the $33,000. That's one of the big differences between those that do and those that whine and moan about everything.

**Hamtragedy** · June-25-09, 11:45 PM

Maybe he feels guilty after pitching Rent-A-Center and is giving a percentage of the proceeds back to the lower income people that entity rips off. $1500 for a shitty couch, no problem.

**rajdet** · June-26-09, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by 2blocksaway

magic has $33,000 i the seats of his private jet.

I am so tired of celebrities getting tons of credit for showing up at fundraiser and getting people to donate their money.

A real cool thing would have been for magic to match the $33,000.

......wtf?

**GREENTROIT** · June-26-09, 09:02 AM

Geeeez some people are so miserable! I'm referring to you 2blocksaway. Magic didn't have to match the $33,000 because he basically created it. By offering up his personal items, it allowed some very affluent people to donate what they otherwise wouldn't have.

And stop acting like Magic Johnson has a personal jet. The most he ever made in a season [[not counting an aberration in 1995) was $3.1M. NBA players didn't start making tons until the late 1990's. Magic's total earnings through basketball were about $46M. By comparison, Chris Webber made $177M and Allen Iverson has made $132M [[and isn't done earning). Split his $46M in half for taxes, and he really made only around $20M through basketball. That's hardly enough money to buy and maintain a personal jet. Even with his business operations he couldn't afford a personal jet.

Magic is a kid from Lansing who worked his ass off to get to where he is. And he's never forgotten his roots. He remains actively involved with Michigan State University, Lansing, and even Detroit. Take your negativity elsewhere.

**j to the jeremy** · June-26-09, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by GREENTROIT

Geeeez some people are so miserable! I'm referring to you 2blocksaway. Magic didn't have to match the $33,000 because he basically created it. By offering up his personal items, it allowed some very affluent people to donate what they otherwise wouldn't have.

And stop acting like Magic Johnson has a personal jet. The most he ever made in a season [[not counting an aberration in 1995) was $3.1M. NBA players didn't start making tons until the late 1990's. Magic's total earnings through basketball were about $46M. By comparison, Chris Webber made $177M and Allen Iverson has made $132M [[and isn't done earning). Split his $46M in half for taxes, and he really made only around $20M through basketball. That's hardly enough money to buy and maintain a personal jet. Even with his business operations he couldn't afford a personal jet.

Magic is a kid from Lansing who worked his ass off to get to where he is. And he's never forgotten his roots. He remains actively involved with Michigan State University, Lansing, and even Detroit. Take your negativity elsewhere.

Zing! Thanks for saying what I wanted to. There aren't really negatives in EVERY story, no matter how badly some people want there to be.

**Gary** · June-26-09, 09:12 AM

Very well said, Greentroit and Kraig; I couldn't agree more. I applaud Magic's efforts on behalf of the good folks at CCSS.

**kraig** · June-26-09, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by Gary

Very well said, Greentroit and Kraig; I couldn't agree more. I applaud Magic's efforts on behalf of the good folks at CCSS.

Congratulations to the CCSS. It's always good to see groups that know how to create opportunities and are prepared to capitalize on those opportunities.

**Detroitnerd** · June-26-09, 09:32 AM

Well, I mean no ill will to Magic or anything. Maybe it's just a longstanding bias against giving in a very public way. I was raised to keep your charity private, or else it isn't really charity. [[I know, probably doesn't make sense.)

**GREENTROIT** · June-26-09, 09:49 AM

Well it's not like you know what Magic did. He didn't report to the Free Press or write the article. He donated some items that people bid on. Maybe he quietly matched them. Maybe he game much more than $33,000 secretly. We don't know... And I'm sure he gives a lot to charity that you don't hear about.

**kraig** · June-26-09, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Well, I mean no ill will to Magic or anything. Maybe it's just a longstanding bias against giving in a very public way. I was raised to keep your charity private, or else it isn't really charity. [[I know, probably doesn't make sense.)

I understand what you're saying. But for the charity or non-profit organization, donations done in a very public way brings awareness that is needed to them.

How successful would a private Breast Cancer Walk be compared to the public one?

**Detroitnerd** · June-26-09, 10:15 AM

I understand, Kraig. I know my bias isn't completely rational, maybe just a last vestige of being raised religious ...

**rajdet** · June-26-09, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Well, I mean no ill will to Magic or anything. Maybe it's just a longstanding bias against giving in a very public way. I was raised to keep your charity private, or else it isn't really charity. [[I know, probably doesn't make sense.)

I have personally witnessed Magic Johnson do charitable and kind acts on the St Cecilia hardwood floor, for no other reason than to help out the community. And I will always respect him for the way he handled his HIV and his work with AIDS organizations. I think there are other celebrities and public officials that would be better suited for your criticism.

**Detroitnerd** · June-26-09, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by rajdet

I have personally witnessed Magic Johnson do charitable and kind acts on the St Cecilia hardwood floor, for no other reason than to help out the community. And I will always respect him for the way he handled his HIV and his work with AIDS organizations. I think there are other celebrities and public officials that would be better suited for your criticism.

OK, I already qualified my comments. I already searched my soul. Still want to "correct" me? Go jump in a lake ...

**ejames01** · June-26-09, 02:14 PM

So you admit that you are not being rational [[and judgemental), but you still think you are right?

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

OK, I already qualified my comments. I already searched my soul. Still want to "correct" me? Go jump in a lake ...

**DetroitPlanner** · June-26-09, 02:17 PM

Ervin Magic Johnson is a famous name. By being there he has done a lot more than simply give money. Too many folks forget that the giving of time is many times equal to giving money, and I'm sure Magic has more money to give than time. By the way how would anyone know if he has not given this charity a fat check as well as lending his time and his name to the event?

He has accomplished a lot more by being there. Right now we are discussing Cass Corridor and what they do instead of discussing Monica or which building is open to tresspass. In today's world you need this kind of support to get media attention.

**rajdet** · June-26-09, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

OK, I already qualified my comments. I already searched my soul. Still want to "correct" me? Go jump in a lake ...

Point taken, and I'm not trying to "correct" anything. I just wanted to say what I know to be true about someone I respect. As for the lake part, I'm about to jump into the Detroit River, does that count? Have a good day Nerd.

**Detroitnerd** · June-26-09, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by rajdet

Point taken, and I'm not trying to "correct" anything. I just wanted to say what I know to be true about someone I respect. As for the lake part, I'm about to jump into the Detroit River, does that count? Have a good day Nerd.

Well, OK then. I take it back. Don't jump, rajdet.

**Detroitnerd** · June-26-09, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by ejames01

So you admit that you are not being rational [[and judgemental), but you still think you are right?

No, I think I'm being somewhat irrational, but I think I am being judgmental, not not being judgmental. And I think my opinion is one you'll find commonly held, not because it's rational, but because it was preached by Jesus of Nazareth.

I grew up with that story: Give your charity in public, before the eyes of everybody, and you already have your reward. It was drummed into us that charity should be anonymous where possible, and as out-of-sight as practical.

Rational? How can you say that anything you're inculcated with in church is rational. But it always sort of stuck with me. I have an admitted bias against people who give lavishly, show as many people as possible. And I've always respected people who gave when it hurt them, gave without fanfare, gave out of conviction.

Anyway, you wanted some clarification, so there you go. Don't want to hear about how I feel? Stop asking.