He was the guy who could make you laugh without saying a single word. If you grew up in the 90s, you knew him as Ezal. He was the chaotic, hilarious heart of Friday, the man who turned "I'm gonna sue for $25,000" into a legendary cinematic moment. When news broke in September 2021 that Anthony "AJ" Johnson had passed away at just 55 years old, it didn't just feel like the loss of a character actor. It felt like a piece of Black Hollywood history was gone. But for months, the public was left wondering. The Anthony AJ Johnson cause of death remained a mystery, fueling the kind of internet rumors that usually crop up when a relatively young, beloved figure dies suddenly in a Los Angeles infirmary.
The truth, when it finally came out via the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, was both sobering and a bit of a wake-up call regarding health in the entertainment industry.
The Official Medical Verdict
It took nearly five months for the toxicology reports and the autopsy to clear the air. People were guessing everything from foul play to COVID-19 complications. Honestly, the reality was much more "everyday" and tragic. The formal Anthony AJ Johnson cause of death was determined to be multi-system organ failure. This wasn't a sudden fluke or a violent accident. It was the result of chronic ethanol abuse.
Basically, his body just gave out.
The coroner’s report was pretty specific, which is rare to see in such detail for celebrity cases unless there’s a public interest. It noted that the organ failure was a "natural" manner of death, but it was triggered by years of heavy drinking. When the news hit, his widow, Lexis Jones Mason, was surprisingly open about the struggle. She didn't try to polish his image or hide the reality of what happened. She spoke about the dangers of alcohol and how it slowly erodes a person’s health until there’s nothing left to fight with.
Breaking Down "Multi-System Organ Failure"
You've probably heard that term on medical dramas. It sounds vague. In AJ’s case, it meant his heart, liver, and kidneys were no longer communicating or functioning. When you have chronic ethanol (alcohol) abuse, the liver is usually the first to take the hit. Cirrhosis or fatty liver disease sets in, but it doesn't stop there. The heart muscle can weaken—a condition called cardiomyopathy—and the kidneys eventually fail because the fluid balance in the body is completely shot.
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He was found unresponsive in a store in Los Angeles before being rushed to the hospital. By the time he got there, the systems were already shutting down. It’s a terrifyingly fast process once the "tipping point" is reached.
A Career Defined by Hustle
To understand why this hit so hard, you have to look at what AJ Johnson represented. He wasn't a leading man in the traditional sense. He was a scene-stealer. He started out in Compton, doing stand-up and finding his way into the orbit of some of the biggest names in the business.
Think back to House Party. He played E.Z.E. Then came Lethal Weapon 3, Menace II Society, and The Players Club. But Friday changed everything. As Ezal, the crack-addicted petty thief always looking for a "slip and fall" payout, he became an icon. It’s a testament to his talent that he took a character who, on paper, was quite sad and made him the most quotable person in the movie.
But the industry is tough.
Behind the scenes, the life of a character actor is often one of high highs and very low lows. You’re famous, but you aren't always "rich." You're recognizable, but the next check isn't guaranteed. This kind of stress often leads people toward coping mechanisms that aren't exactly healthy. While we can't say for sure what drove his specific habits, the pattern is one we've seen time and again in Hollywood.
The Aftermath and the "Fake" GoFundMe Drama
Shortly after he died, something pretty ugly happened. It's the kind of thing that makes you lose a little faith in humanity. Lexis Jones Mason had to come out and plead with fans to help with funeral costs because the family was being "fake loved" by the industry. She pointed out that while everyone was posting "RIP" pictures on Instagram, very few people were actually reaching out to help the family bury him.
- The Backlash: People on Twitter started attacking the family, asking why a famous actor needed a GoFundMe.
- The Reality: Many actors from that era didn't have residuals that lasted forever. They didn't have massive insurance policies.
- The Turning Point: Eventually, stars like Michael Blackson and Lil Rel Howery stepped up.
It highlighted a massive gap in how we perceive celebrity versus the financial reality of many performers. AJ was a legend, but he was also a working man who struggled with the same health and financial hurdles as anyone else.
Why the "Natural" Label Matters
In the coroner's report, they checked the box for "natural." This is an important distinction when discussing the Anthony AJ Johnson cause of death. It means there was no drug overdose involved in the immediate sense—meaning no fentanyl, no cocaine, no pills. This was strictly the long-term physiological toll of alcohol.
Often, in these cases, there is a secondary finding of pneumonia or an infection because the immune system is so compromised. For AJ, his body simply reached its limit.
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The Warning Signs We Often Miss
When we talk about chronic ethanol abuse, it's rarely a secret to those close to the person. Lexis Mason mentioned that she wanted his death to be a warning to others. Alcoholism is often treated as a "social" vice until it becomes a terminal illness. In the Black community specifically, there is often a stigma around seeking help for addiction or mental health issues, which can lead to "self-medicating" with alcohol.
AJ was 55. That is incredibly young by modern standards.
His death serves as a brutal reminder that the body keeps a tally. You can be the funniest man in the room, the life of the party, and the person everyone wants to be around, but if the internal systems are failing, the laughter eventually stops.
Addressing the Legacy
What do we do with this information? Usually, when a celebrity dies of a substance-related issue, there’s a period of mourning followed by a lot of "what ifs."
If you look at the trajectory of AJ Johnson’s career, he was still working. He had projects in the pipeline. He was still doing stand-up. He wasn't a "has-been" hiding away; he was an active participant in his craft. That makes the loss sharper. He had more to give.
Actionable Insights for Moving Forward
Understanding the tragedy of AJ Johnson’s passing isn't just about celebrity gossip. It’s about recognizing the signs of systemic health failure before they become irreversible.
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- Monitor "Social" Drinking: Chronic ethanol abuse doesn't always look like someone drinking out of a paper bag on a street corner. It often looks like a high-functioning person who just "needs a drink" to unwind every single night.
- Regular Screenings: If there is a history of heavy drinking, regular liver enzyme tests (ALT/AST) and kidney function tests are non-negotiable. These can catch damage while the liver is still capable of regenerating.
- Support Systems for Artists: There is a dire need for better mental health and addiction resources specifically tailored for those in the gig economy and entertainment industry, where "party culture" is often normalized.
- Estate Planning: Regardless of fame, having a basic end-of-life plan or small life insurance policy prevents the kind of public scramble for funeral funds that the Johnson family had to endure.
AJ Johnson gave us characters that will live as long as cinema exists. Ezal isn't going anywhere. But the man behind the character deserved more years. By being honest about how he died, his family has ensured that his legacy isn't just one of laughter, but also a sober reminder to take care of the one body we get.
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol dependency, reaching out to organizations like SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) at 1-800-662-HELP is a vital first step. Life is too short to let a "slip and fall" become a permanent exit.
Key Takeaways to Remember:
- Anthony AJ Johnson died of multi-system organ failure due to chronic ethanol abuse.
- The death was ruled "natural" by the Los Angeles County Coroner.
- His family faced significant financial hurdles post-death, highlighting the lack of safety nets for character actors.
- Alcohol-related organ failure is a progressive condition that requires early intervention.
Check in on your friends. Even the funny ones. Especially the funny ones.