Hooped Up

Who would leave the NBA and fake a non-curable disease for attention? Well according to radio host Chris Baker of KTLA, Magic Johnson would.  What???  You heard me. According to the Star Tribune, Chris Baker and co-host Langdon Perry are convinced that the former Lakers superstar and part owner “faked AIDS”.

Below is the transcript of the comments made yesterday and here is the audio .

CALLER: What you run into is — you run into this idea, the same way that in education we want to make all the dumb people smart even though it’s impossible — their IQ limits them — and we’re going to spend all this money to try to do something that’s impossible. And you — it’s a waste of time, and you get frustrated employees, frustrated workers with all these demands to do something they can’t possibly do.

BAKER: There you go. All right, thanks.

PERRY: What about diseases that are eminently treatable and you can live with for a long, long time quite healthily if you just get some basic drugs?

BAKER: Like Magic Johnson.

PERRY: Like Magic with his faked AIDS. Magic faked AIDS.

BAKER: You think Magic faked AIDS for sympathy?

PERRY: I’m convinced that Magic faked AIDS.

BAKER: Yeah, me too.

PERRY: It falls apart –

BAKER: Which is horrible.

PERRY: — when you get into motivation. I’m not sure why, but I’m pretty sure he faked AIDS.

BAKER: I’ve got a great email here from –

PERRY: ‘Cause he’s the only cured AIDS guy ever.

In response, Magic Johnson had this to say regarding the comments made on KTLK:
“I am extremely disappointed in KTLK in Minneapolis. I am outraged that Chris Baker and Langdon Perry would minimize such a serious and deadly issue. Millions are dying from HIV/AIDS and the fact that they would make jokes about my status is unbelievable,” Johnson said. “Chris, Langdon and KTLK should use their power in a more positive light by encouraging people to get tested for this disease instead of making up such ridiculous lies.”

Great job guys, because insulting a legend and alienating millions stricken with a disease that has no cure can get your crappy show ratings and friends.  I’m glad that Magic Johnson took the high road on this, because this is a definite pimp slap moment with extra baby powder.

I’m sure that if the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University Medicine were to have a look inside either brain of these two “winners”, they would find a convulsing dead hamster underneath a busted exercise wheel.