Soon after its debut, the series was panned by critics citing Johnson's apparent nervousness as a host, his overly complimentary tone with his celebrity guests, and lack of chemistry with his sidekick, comedian Craig Shoemaker. The series was quickly retooled with Shoemaker being relieved of his 'sidekick' responsibilities and relegated to the supporting cast after the third episode. Comedian Steve White became the new sidekick for a period of time. Radio personality and UPN Sports host Kenny Sargent was considered for Johnson’s new Ed McMahon styled side man, but finally comedian and actor Tommy Davidson was brought in as the new sidekick and Johnson interacted more with the showband leaderSheila E. The format of the show was also changed to include more interview time with celebrity guests. The announcer was Jimmy Hodson.
One vocal critic of The Magic Hour was Howard Stern. Stern would regularly mock Johnson's diction and hosting abilities on his popular morning show. In an attempt to confront Stern, Stern was booked to appear on the show as a guest. Stern appeared on the July 2 broadcast with the band, the Losers, and played the song "Wipe Out". While being interviewed by Johnson, Stern asked Johnson about his lifestyle prior to contracting HIV and if he practiced safe sex with his wife. Stern also asked about "the white guy comedian", referring to Johnson's previous sidekick, Craig Shoemaker, who had been fired shortly before Stern's appearance for publicly calling the show "an absolute nightmare".
Cancellation
The highly publicized episode featuring Stern increased viewership for a time, but ratings soon dropped off. The series was canceled after eight weeks. Johnson later blamed the demise of his talk show on a lack of support from black celebrities who refused or could not appear on his show. Johnson claimed, "Their managers and agents keep them off of the black shows."
The Magic Hour was lampooned on the sketch comedy showMADtv. The show began to parody the idea of Magic Johnson having other types of jobs, including that of a game show host and judge. Each sketch consisted of Magic Johnson struggling to read. The sitcom Unhappily Ever After also made fun of the show in a fall-1998 episode. Ryan makes a pass at a girl, who turns him down, saying she's watching a magic show. However, she's referring to the short-lived talk show, and the producers superimpose an on-screen graphic lampooning the show. In a 2016 episode of Comedy Bang! Bang!, the show was referenced in a sketch where co-hosts Scott Aukerman and "Weird Al" Yankovic visit a museum based on popular television shows. At one point, a kid yells out "Look, mommy, it's that talk show host I love!" and then points at a cardboard cutout of Johnson. In his book What Were They Thinking? The 100 Dumbest Events in Television History, author David Hofstede ranked the show at #26 on the list.
