# Blind Item, HIV+, Anyone Else Possible But Charlie Sheen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 3, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553 "2015-11-03T20:43:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/21 "2015-11-05T07:14:32Z")
Maybe it’s Ben Affleck? They named the 10-82 for him, after all. > [@](#): > > \*Miramax Security Guard Gordon: Echo Base, I’ve got a 10-07: two unauthorized on the lot, requesting backup. > Echo Base: [over Gordon’s walkie talkie] I thought that was a 10-82. > Miramax Security Guard Gordon: No sir, a 10-82 is disappearing a dead hooker from Ben Affleck’s trailer. > Echo Base: [slightly amused] Oh, that Affleck! Backup on the way… > \* ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/22 "2015-11-05T14:19:44Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Any outside chance it could be Clooney? He’s certainly a bigger megastar than Sheen, and maybe such a diagnosis would explain why he’s recently settled down? Just throwing it out there as a suggestion. I doubt it’s Clooney, since it says “the star has previously admitted to engaging in tattooing, injecting drugs and having sex with prostitutes”, none of which Clooney is known for. Johnny Depp popped into my head, since he’s big on tattooing, and I think had a drug problem at one point, but I don’t know of him being with prostitutes. Anyway, I don’t take too much stock in blind items, since they can be just completely made up. But if it is true and there is a celebrity knowingly exposing women to HIV without telling them, I do hope the news comes out. ---
**Author:** ![bethewave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@bethewave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bethewave)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/23 "2015-11-05T18:42:58Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Google “[leo Dicaprio Pussy Posse](pussy posse leo dicaprio)” Yeah… but that was more about them all banging starlets and club girls and supermodels, not porn stars and prostitutes. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/24 "2015-11-07T12:14:03Z")
What on Earth is a “blind item”? I know I could look it up, but it would be helpful for readers to have someone define it here – thanks. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/25 "2015-11-07T12:21:38Z")
“A blind item is a news story, usually gossip, in which the details of the matter are reported while the identities of the people involved are not revealed. The invention of the blind item is credited to William d’Alton Mann (1829 – 1920), publisher of Town Topics, who often used it for blackmail.” – Wikipedia ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/26 "2015-11-07T12:39:06Z")
I don’t get the joke. Are we, for whatever reason, pretending that Radar Online wouldn’t call “top megastar” to practically anybody down to, and including, Corey Feldman? ---
**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/27 "2015-11-07T15:09:49Z")
Thanks for the feedback, I’m horrible at these things. When Charlie Sheen first started wasn’t his acting well thought of though? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/28 "2015-11-07T15:54:30Z")
> [@Carryon](#): > > Thanks for the feedback, I’m horrible at these things. When Charlie Sheen first started wasn’t his acting well thought of though? Between _Platoon_ and _Wall Street_ he had a pretty big couple years, but after that it was forgettable films, _Hot Shots!_, and cameos. He was _potential_ A-List circa 1986-1987, but he never quite made it, from all I can see. At this point he’s a punchline in a semi-obscure pop culture gag. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/29 "2015-11-08T14:56:29Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Keep in mind that there’s also been a [rumor](http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/actor.asp) that _Family Matters_ actor Darius McCrary is HIV positive, but it’s never been proven, and he denies this story. And anyone who evokes a big fat “Who?” from people reading this thread is probably not going to be described as a megastar. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/30 "2015-11-08T16:40:17Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Between _Platoon_ and _Wall Street_ he had a pretty big couple years, but after that it was forgettable films, _Hot Shots!_, and cameos. He was _potential_ A-List circa 1986-1987, but he never quite made it, from all I can see. At this point he’s a punchline in a semi-obscure pop culture gag. Very recently he was the highest paid person in television. Maybe this qualifies as a megastar notwithstanding his movies. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/31 "2015-11-08T16:55:36Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Very recently he was the highest paid person in television. Maybe this qualifies as a megastar notwithstanding his movies. Possibly. Beyond that role, he was a punchline, and it doesn’t seem like he’s visible beyond that series and the occasional reference. Maybe I’m just too young for this television stuff anymore. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/32 "2015-11-08T17:15:02Z")
Following Sheen were Kutcher and Cryer as the #1 and #2 highest paid actors. I can’t see either of them being considered great talents either. The story could just be bait, there’s likely to be at least one well known actor with HIV who is considered a megastar by some measure and the eRag is just phishing for a story. Assuming they have someone in mind I don’t see any reason to give their description of the guy any credibility. ---
**Author:** ![WilyQuixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@WilyQuixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WilyQuixote)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/33 "2015-11-08T18:19:28Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Following Sheen were Kutcher and Cryer as the #1 and #2 highest paid actors. I can’t see either of them being considered great talents either. Two and a Half Men was a shitty sitcom that lasted for at least seven seasons longer than it should have, but Jon Cryer did have a sense of comic timing, which Charlie Sheen lacked. Not the greatest comic talent, but he was competent, which is more than what I can say for Charlie Sheen. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/34 "2015-11-08T18:20:05Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > And anyone who evokes a big fat “Who?” from people reading this thread is probably not going to be described as a megastar. I’m aware. I mentioned him as an example of someone who was rumored to be infected, but denies it, and how the story still gets brought up from time to time (this time by me) without anything conclusive on either side. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/35 "2015-11-08T20:38:44Z")
Charlie Sheen is definitely a huge star, and it doesn’t have anything to do with not being successful in movies. He’s probably talked about more than any other “actor” and when he had his famous meltdown he was making over $1 million a week on TV and had hundreds of more millions thrown at him. Yeah, it’s not the height of “Winning”-Mania or anything, since it’s a few years out from that whole 2 1/2 Men stuff. While I never watched the show, I am aware that it was a huge hit. I mean, even the kid was making something outrageous like 400-500 grand a week, and anything paying Jon Cryer millions as a 2nd banana has to be big. I guess Jerry Seinfeld is obscure, too- a 1 hit-wonder who never had a movie and has been gone from TV 17 years. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/36 "2015-11-10T16:52:27Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > I guess Jerry Seinfeld is obscure, too- a 1 hit-wonder **who never had a movie** and has been gone from TV 17 years. [Ahem](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0389790/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_8) ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/37 "2015-11-16T17:52:07Z")
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Charlie Sheen is making an appearance tomorrow on the Today show to make a “revealing personal announcement”. > **[Charlie Sheen to Make “Revealing Personal Announcement” to Matt Lauer](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/charlie-sheen-matt-lauer-today-show-840537/)** > > The actor will appear on ‘Today’ on Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/38 "2015-11-16T18:49:57Z")
Well how about that. Of course it could be him and the story is just a little off with the details. Or maybe he’s sick of everyone thinking it’s him. The thing is with Charlie, it could be anything. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/39 "2015-11-16T18:51:33Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > According to the Hollywood Reporter, Charlie Sheen is making an appearance tomorrow on the Today show to make a “revealing personal announcement”. > > [Charlie Sheen to Make “Revealing Personal Announcement” to Matt Lauer](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/charlie-sheen-matt-lauer-today-show-840537) I’d say that pretty much confirms that Sheen is the guy. He certainly looks gaunt in the accompanying photo. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553/40 "2015-11-16T19:14:53Z")
He’s looked like that for years now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blind-item-hiv-anyone-else-possible-but-charlie-sheen/736553.md?page=3)