Other celebrities have also shared their battles with HIV. For example, Danny Pintauro, who played Jonathon on the hit sitcom “Who’s the Boss,” recently shared his story of HIV with Oprah Winfrey. He is the first celebrity to claim to have contracted the virus through oral sex (yes, he used condoms). After sharing his story, he kicked off an HIV and drug awareness campaign called the Beacon of Light Tour with a goal of eradicating the stigma associated with HIV.
Another star who gained attention due to a positive HIV status is Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis. Louganis’s positive status became known after a diving accident in which blood spilled into a pool. These days, Louganis lives a healthy life as a husband and activist.
Other stars with HIV include: Jim Bullock (Too Close for Comfort), Chuck Panozzo (Styx), and of course, Charlie Sheen. Sheen recently revealed his positive HIV status in a Today Show exclusive interview with Matt Lauer.
However, Sheen’s initial announcement doesn’t appear to revolve around awareness. Instead, it’s about ending rumors and a need to pay people off to keep the secret. In fact, the star revealed that he has paid out about ten million dollars in an effort to keep his positive diagnosis under wraps.
"I have to put a stop to this onslaught, this barrage of attacks and of sub-truths and very harmful and mercurial stories that are about me, threatening the health of so many others that couldn't be further from the truth," Sheen said in the interview.