So I did a show tonight…had a lot of fun…but one joke and it’s reaction stuck out to me. I was talking about Michael Jackson’s memorial…

“Magic Johnson was there. That tripped me out. If you went back to 1993 and said to the people there, ‘In 2009, there’s going to be a funeral that will involve Michael Jackson and Magic Johnson…who will be speaking and who will be in the casket?’ I would say 98% of people would have picked the wrong guy.”

You guessed wrong!

For some reason that got a huge moan/laugh from the crowd. I don’t get why. The joke is about perception…it’s not about disrespecting anyone. It’s about the juxtaposition of expectations. When we first heard Magic had HIV, it was like he had 6 months to live…or at least that’s how they made it sound in a world where we didn’t understand how AIDS worked.

Hey Tim Babb…shut your mouth or it will shut “Magically!”

But even if I was making fun of Magic (which I was not) the dude is ALIVE. Magic is going just fine. He’s got his name on a TGI Fridays and 24 Hour Fitness down here in LA, he’s doing commercials for Rent-A Center and some check cashing place…he has apparently made AIDS his bitch.

So I am going to try the joke again…becasue if I don’t, then I’m leting AIDS win!