Charlie Sheen will sit down with Matt Lauer Tuesday morning to make a “revealing personal announcement,” as reports suggest that the Two and a Half Men star is HIV-positive.

Charlie Sheen’s ‘Personal Announcement’ Amid HIV Reports

NBC announced Monday that Sheen, 50, would be talking to Lauer, the Today show anchor, for an exclusive interview. Further details regrading the interview, including the “revealing” subject matter, were not disclosed in the statement.

The Today show’s interview with Sheen is coming as reports questioning the actor’s HIV-status are mounting. Some reports are even claiming that Sheen will disclose that he is HIV-positive during the sit-down.

Howard Bragman, a top Hollywood publicist and crisis manager, claims to have had foreknowledge of Sheen’s diagnosis and believes that doing the interview with Lauer could end up being good publicity for him – provided he hasn’t put others in danger of contracting HIV.

“The interview could open up a lot of sympathy for him, but he has to be concerned about a fear of litigation from former sexual partners. You don’t take that lightly,” Bragman told People magazine. “It’s been going on for quite awhile. He’s not necessarily comfortable talking about it. It was very hard to get up the courage for him to talk about it.”

“I’ve known about this a long time, it’s not a surprise to me,” Bragman added. “I feel very sorry for his pain. And I hope it’s used as a teachable moment for the world. This is a disease that can affect anyone.”

Sheen allegedly learned that he was HIV-positive four years ago, the National Enquirer is reporting, according to Radar Online. A source told the tabloid that Sheen was having unprotected sex with partners who were not aware of his status during that time, including ex-wife Brooke Mueller and former fiancée Scottine Ross. A number of lawsuits filed against the actor are reportedly pending.

More than 1.2 million people are living with HIV or AIDS in the U.S. To learn more about living with HIV/AIDS or to contribute to fundraising efforts to fight the diseases, visit amfAR.org or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Leave a comment

Read more about: