Charlie Sheen appearing on 'Today' to make 'a revealing personal announcement'

Charlie Sheen will appear on NBC's "Today" Tuesday morning to make what the network called "a revealing personal announcement." One knowledgeable entertainment-industry figure has gone on the record to say Sheen will reveal that he is HIV positive.

The former star of the sitcoms "Two and a Half Men" and "Anger Management" will sit for a live interview with co-host Matt Lauer in NBC's Studio 1A, the network said in a news release. Sheen, 50, has had a history of substance-abuse issues and of sexual activity that includes, as he testified in Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss' 1995 trial, spending more than $50,000 on 27 prostitutes.

"I've known about this a long time; it's not a surprise to me," publicist, author and ABC News consultant Howard Bragman told People magazine Monday. "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." Bragman, who said he was approached six months ago by people close to Sheen but never dealt with the star directly, added that he was informed Sheen "is getting treatment, and a lot of people in his life know about it."

An NBC spokeswoman said Monday the network had no comment beyond the information in the news release. Sheen's longtime publicist, Jeff Ballard, told Newsday in a statement, "We had a disagreement how to handle a situation and we parted ways. We have had a 35-year friendship and I love him. I wish him nothing but the best."

Bragman told People, "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." He said Sheen was "not necessarily comfortable talking about it. It was very hard to get up the courage for him to talk about it."

The story was first reported by the National Enquirer, which said Sheen has been HIV positive for years but has kept the diagnosis secret.