Kelly Osbourne reveals relative`s HIV diagnosis

[Heroin_Chic]

Kelly cries as she reveals relative's HIV diagnosis

Date: 18/02/2007

Kelly Osbourne fought back tears tonight as she told an audience that a member of her family was HIV positive.

The TV personality was speaking at a benefit gig for HIV support charity Body & Soul at Koko in Camden, north London.

Introducing a performance by the Scissor Sisters, she said the cause was special to her because a member of her family had been diagnosed with HIV.

Photographers present at the concert reported that Osbourne sobbed before leaving the stage.

She shot to fame on the reality TV show The Osbournes, which followed the antics of her father, rock star Ozzy Osbourne, and his dysfunctional family.

Osbourne’s representatives could not be contacted for comment. http://www.showbizspy.com/music.aspx?articleid=1241

The story can also be found here:
http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/kelly%20osbourne%20weeps%20for%20hiv-positive%20relative_1022497

Is a stage the right place to reveal something like that? I think such serious health issues should remain private...but of course we all wanna know now: who is the HIV-positive Osbourne?

...but I still hope it was some "neurotic joke" of Kelly or maybe she was drunk or something...

 

[VainJane]

^ Probably just a random aunt or cousin-- I doubt it's any of the famed Osbournes.

 

[Heroin_Chic]

^ Probably just a random aunt or cousin-- I doubt it's any of the famed Osbournes.

Oh, ok, in that case I`m relieved - it`s only a loss if somebody famous dies

 

[VainJane]

Oh, ok, in that case I`m relieved - it`s only a loss if somebody famous dies

I know, screw the homeless people lying on the side of the road

 

[Heroin_Chic]

I know, screw the homeless people lying on the side of the road

Karma for a great sense of humor!

But I agree in assuming that she wouldn`t publicly announce f.e. Jack`s infection "just on the side" - they`ll make sure at least TMZ and MTV will be present for -THE BIG- drama...

 

[VainJane]

^ True dat. TMZ would probably find before Jack even did.

 

[novella]

TMZ = Big Brother and they're watching you!!

I completely agree that they'd break something like that before Kelly could allude to it.

 

[Priestess]

Even if it's just some "random family member" I still don't think she has the right to reveal their HIV status without consent. That's private information and it's not up to her to tell it.

 

[silk skin paws]

Even if it's just some "random family member" I still don't think she has the right to reveal their HIV status without consent. That's private information and it's not up to her to tell it.

Well said.

 

[BerrySweet]

Even if it's just some "random family member" I still don't think she has the right to reveal their HIV status without consent. That's private information and it's not up to her to tell it.

She may just have been overemotional and it just spilled out.

 

[Priestess]

Overemotional or not, now the relative has to live with their HIV status being splashed all over the world. People are actually kicked out of communities for having HIV, and now this person has to struggle with the possibility that everyone they meet is going to know they are HIV positive. It can cause them problems with getting work, with friends, with relationships. People are very judgemental when it comes to any illness, but when it comes to one that is transmitted through sexual activity, especially HIV, they are even worse. So now this person is going to be judged by people who have never even met them. It's a real kick in the guts from society that could have been avoided.

 

[zembla]

Even if it's just some "random family member" I still don't think she has the right to reveal their HIV status without consent. That's private information and it's not up to her to tell it.

Everything Kelly does is for her own publicity, she's just like all the other Hollywood starlets she mocks all the time...

 

[misssakura]

Overemotional or not, now the relative has to live with their HIV status being splashed all over the world. People are actually kicked out of communities for having HIV, and now this person has to struggle with the possibility that everyone they meet is going to know they are HIV positive. It can cause them problems with getting work, with friends, with relationships. People are very judgemental when it comes to any illness, but when it comes to one that is transmitted through sexual activity, especially HIV, they are even worse. So now this person is going to be judged by people who have never even met them. It's a real kick in the guts from society that could have been avoided.

Exactly. The relative. You have no idea who it is. So how does it affect them? How do you know that the relative isn't okay with Kelly saying it? Come on this isn't the 80's anymore. People know you can't get HIV by brushing up against an infected person or using the same pen. And if Kelly knows then obviously the relative is telling people.

Judged by society? Who? You? Not me. Not anybody I know. People who are scared of people who are HIV positive aren't particularly intelligent and I'd wager they wouldn't be friends with Kelly nor her family if they were that moronic. Come on, you're talking about a family who went through the crazy woodstock drug era! I think they know more than enough about the scares of HIV and I'm sure they know their share of people living with it.

This sort of thing shouldn't be hidden in the closet. It's sad. It's preventable. If people have a problem then they're not the kind of people one would want to socialize with. So no big loss.

P.s. if they lost their 'job' it's not like they're kicked onto the street. If Kelly cares enough to be sad then they're obviously close and there's financial support there.

 

[Priestess]

That's why I said earlier, "without consent". If she had consent, that's fine. And people are still judged for HIV. They are still kicked out of communities and fired. It's not right that it happens, but it does. No longer being in the 80s doesn't mean some people don't still have a bad attitude towards HIV.

I think it should only be out in the open if the person personally agrees to it. And it's one thing to tell friends and family members but to have it out on national tv? But, if they agreed to it, nothing wrong with it.

And it is sad, and in most cases it is preventable. When I was talking about people being fired for being HIV+, I wasn't talking about just this person in particular, but people in general.

 

[Heroin_Chic]

Kelly Osbourne's Cousin Clears Up HIV Mystery

TV presenter and singer Kelly Osbourne’s cousin Terry Longden is the mystery family member who is HIV-positive. The 43-year-old, who starred in British reality show The Salon, was standing in the wings when Kelly went on stage at a charity benefit last week and told the audience she had a relative with the condition. He says, "I told her to say whatever she wanted because it might help someone in a similar situation, but I didn't expect her to cry. I felt quite guilty. She gave me a big hug when she came off."http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/
Longden discovered he was ill after taking a test six years ago, and
admits he was terrified of telling his family, which included Kelly, and her parents, Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne. He says, "I was very worried about telling the Osbournes, especially Ozzy. I was on tour with him in the '80s when everyone was talking about AIDS and Ozzy saw a lot of friends die. Sharon and I are very close and I was going to tell her straight away, but then she was diagnosed with colon cancer and I didn't want to add to her problems."
But when Terry managed to break the devastating news to his aunt and uncle, he couldn't have hoped for a better reaction: "I spoke to Sharon and she was fantastic. She totally understood and gave her support. Five minutes later Ozzy rang and he was great, which was a relief. Then Aimee (the Osbournes' eldest daughter) called. She was a bit worried, but very supportive. Then I had dinner with Jack and Kelly the other day to tell them face to face. They were amazing. I couldn't have a better family."

http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2007/02/27/kelly_osbourne_s_cousin_clears_up_hiv_my