Charlie Sheen confirms HIV positive status in 'Today' interview

In the heavily promoted Charlie Sheen interview with host Matt Lauer that "Today" promised would be "highly revealing," the former star of "Two and a Half Men" Tuesday morning officially confirmed what various websites have already reported -- that he is HIV positive.

He also said in the interview, conducted live just before 8 a.m., that he has been the victim of blackmail -- or shakedowns, to use Lauer's term -- by several people who knew of his condition, and that he had paid out "millions" to silence them, later confirming to Lauer that he had paid out $10 million. By admitting in such a public forum to his condition -- Tuesday's "Today" interview -- he said his "goal" was to escape further payouts. "I think I release myself from this prison today," he said.

After telling Lauer that he'd had unprotected sex since learning of his condition, Sheen, 50, was asked whether he expected to face lawsuits. He replied: "I would be predicting the future and assuming the worst. I can only imagine, based on what I've experienced, I'm sure that's what's next."

Lauer further noted that Sheen, by not revealing his illness to partners, could be criminally liable in dozens of states. "Having divulged it is the reason I'm in the mess I am with all the shakedowns. Again, I can't sit here and protect against all of that, and [can] only sit here and tell my truth."

At the outset of the interview, Sheen said, "I am in fact HIV positive. I have to put an end to this barrage of attacks, of subtruths, and very harmful and mercurial stories that are threatening the health of so many others, of [stories] that couldn't be further from the truth."

He said he first learned of his condition four years ago, after suffering headaches and night sweats. Tests later confirmed that he was HIV positive. Sheen added that it was "impossible" that others with whom he had sexual relations had also been infected.

Sheen was fired off "Men" four years ago in the middle of a public breakdown -- fueled, he said at the time, by drugs and alcohol. It's unclear from the interview whether Sheen knew of his illness at the time of his firing. Sheen said that " 'roid rage" was the cause of his behavior.

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Sheen said in the interview that up until now, he had told only a few people of his illness, telling Lauer that those included former wives, Brooke Mueller and Denise Richards. Sheen and adult film star Brett Rossi recently broke off their engagement, and various websites -- notably the National Enquirer -- said that she had learned of his illness after they had become engaged. Sheen said of the people he had told, "for some reason I trusted them. They were deep in my inner circle, and I thought they could be helpful. Instead my trust turned to their treason."

Also appearing with Sheen during the interview was his doctor -- Dr. Robert Huizuenga, well-known to viewers of "The Biggest Loser" as "Dr. H," where he  frequently appears -- who said the actor had responded well to his drug regimen and that there was no "detectable" virus in his blood.

The "Today" interview -- appearing in the middle of November sweeps, while "Today" is in a furious scramble with "Good Morning America" to regain its ratings leadership -- is of course just the latest twist in a long and often troubled career.

At the time Sheen was fired off "Men," he was TV's highest paid actor, later launching "My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat Is Not an Option" -- a bizarre, formless, onstage ramble about drugs, booze and those who he claimed had betrayed him. He later said the tour wasn't about revenge, but about money -- he earned a reported $7 million -- because he said he was "broke" after CBS fired him.

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FX later signed him to a long-term contract to star in a sitcom, "Anger Management." It was canceled last year.