‘Friday’ Star Anthony ‘AJ’ Johnson’s Cause of Death Revealed

The cause of death for Anthony “AJ” Johnson — a comedian known for his roles in movies such as “Friday” and “Lethal Weapon 3” — has been released.

On Wednesday, TMZ obtained Johnson’s autopsy report, which said he died a natural death last September from hard drinking or “chronic ethanol use.” He was 55.

Despite this, the document says there was no alcohol or common drugs found in his system during his toxicology test.

The coroner’s office also discovered that he tested positive for COVID around the time of his death, but they did not detect signs of pneumonia.

Last September, the actor’s nephew told TMZ that Johnson was reportedly found lifeless in a store that month. Though he was rushed to a hospital, he was later pronounced dead on September 6.

That same month, Johnson’s widow Lexis Jones Mason gave a heartbreaking interview to TMZ where she said her family’s GoFundMe page — aimed at amassing funds for Johnson’s funeral — raised less than $800.

“Where’s the love? Y’all not helping,” Mason told the outlet. “We’re raising money because I have to pay for this all out of pocket. I’m asking for help. But if I don’t get it, it’s fine because I’m not leaving my husband in there. We’re gonna have a service.”

“It’s just hurtful,” she added.

Following this, celebs including Offset and Lil Rel Howery donated to the page, amassing over $70,000 in donations.

As for her husband’s legacy, Mason told TMZ that she plans to create a foundation in his name that would warn the public about the lethal effects of alcohol.

Because Mason has close friends who have also lost loved ones to alcohol, she is volunteering at local churches to teach youth about its dangerous ways.

Per Deadline, Johnson was born in Compton, California, and began performing stand-up in the 1990s.