Ernie Johnson Opens Up About Son’s Death With Paul Finebaum

Longtime Turner broadcaster and personality Ernie Johnson was on The Paul Finebaum Show yesterday to discuss a number of different topics, including his co-host Charles Barkley.

“If you think about our show and how long we have all been around, the fact that we have a group that has remained in tact for as long as we have is remarkable. Usually someone has an idea, oh this will work better than this. I grew up with older sisters, and this is as close as I will ever come to having brothers,” said Johnson.

Finebaum also asked Ernie Johnson about his dad, who was also a legendary broadcaster himself. Ernie Johnson Sr. called Braves games from 1962 until 1999.

“It was terrifying to work with my dad,” the younger Johnson said. “In the early to mid 90’s when we got a chance to work together for 3 or 4 years of Braves baseball. My Dad had been doing games there for ages. It was definitiely nerve-racking.”

Johnson has also been very public about his son, who lost his life recently after a long battle with a progressive form of muscular dystrophy.

“At first, we didn’t talk much about what was going on in our lives. Our adoptions, we have adopted 4 kids out of our 6. People asked me about my journey as a broadcaster and my personal life is certainly a part of that. Jeremey Schaap’s E60 on us shined a light on adoption and special needs kids and going through cancer like I have, and a father and son relationship and it made a difference for people.”