We had heard rumors last month that Jack was dating Dale from Top Chef, much to the chagrin of Lorenzo, who's got a little thing for the mohawked one.
Well, it's official:
"It's very baby steps. I really like him a lot. And geography is a bit of an issue, but we'll see where it goes. I like him a lot. I assume he likes me a lot. Unless he's lying...(laughter)... He's adorable. I like keeping it incestuous, keep it in the Bravo family."
So of course, we, being the intersection where all things gay and fabulous meet up with all things Bravo reality television, received a lot of emails asking about the relationship, especially the whole "one partner with HIV" aspect of it.
Frankly, it's none of our business, but knowing that Jack has lived a very open life as an HIV+ man, we dropped him a line today asking him if he'd like to address that. Here's his personal statement, which can also be found on his blog:
"First of all safer sex is VERY easy to practice and doesn't detract from the experience in any way. Beyond that if you are educated about HIV then you know that there are a myriad of things that two people of different HIV status can do sexually with no risk. I'm not going to delve into our sexual proclivities but all is good on the Jack/Dale front. Furthermore my viral load is undetectable which means that when they do a blood test they are unable to find any virus in my blood. That low level of HIV is due to the medication I take and regular monitoring my status. This combined with safer sex practices allows two people with different HIV status to have a full, healthy relationship. I would also like to add that in the past I had 2 boyfriends for two years each and both of them were and are still HIV negative."
[Photo: Outzonetv.com]
108 comments:
i can't believe he's still rockin' that fauxhawk
Let's be gentle and let it incubate like a wee little embryo, but BRAVO, boys (No pun intended!), you are one super hunkalicious couple!
well congratulations. i especially like that sweet little dale. he is just a little cupccake of a guy and i hope they're very happy together.
I'm glad for the two of them. There's really not enough information out there about being HIV positive, so naturally people react badly about it. HIV positive or not, being responsible is the best thing these two can preach. I'm very happy for Jack Jack!
I'm one of the readers who asked about that, so thank you for this post.
And what a beautiful and eloquent response from Jack... I hope people read that message and learn from it. Safe sex is important, fulfilling, and saves lives! And HIV+ people can live happy, full lives too!
Mazel Tov to them!
And what great news about Jack's viral load. Whenever I hear stories like this I'm thrilled, and also sad that research didn't move fast enough for friends.
--GothamTomato
>>There's really not enough information out there about being HIV positive<<
Too true, and thanks Jack for being
gracious enough to answer the questions.
(PS ~ Dale is my favorite Top Chef!)
Will this all lead to a "Topping the Runway" episode. I'm a big fan of love so whomever finds it - Good On Ya!
Now I want to see NinaGarcia and Padma Lakshmi in a power hook up.
And then Tom Colicchio can get all Daddy Bear with Tim Gunn.
Wonderful! We need far more HIV awareness messages like this. Thank you guys and thank you Jack!
YAYYY!!!
I saw the picture before the article and SQUEALED, hoping that what would follow would say that they were together. I agree with everyone, we should all leave them alone, but they're just too adorable and I'm SO HAPPY for Dale! ♥
Pooh, I was just on the Outzone site and was all ready to "break" the pic and statements. Oh well, I should have known that I need to get up much earlier if I want to outscoop TLO.
Good luck to the happy couple!
That's very sweet, and I'm rooting for them. I'm also glad that Jack doesn't write like a twelve year old skater boy, even though he talks like one.
Sorry to say but, in support of Jack's choice to be open and honest, he is slightly mistaken on one point.
Having a viral load that is "undetectable" does not mean that there is not any virus, it means that the level is too low for current tests to detect. So unfortunately, this doesn't mean that he's free of the virus. However, it is great news as it means that his body is handling the infection and for all intents and purposes, he's healthy.
Congratulations!
I know I'm going to be bashed for this, but what's with the love-in? Where's the snark? If I wanted sappy sentiment, I'd go to the local stationery store and peruse the greeting card aisle.
Not that I begrudge Chip -- er, Jack and Dale their happiness. Of course, I'm happy for them. As I always say, that which we deny others, we ultimately deny ourselves. And this perpetually single boy ain't taking any chances. You know what I'm sayin'?
But we can still be a wee bit bitchy, can't we? All in the name of good, clean fun? Just asking cuz I already went there on the previous thread. :-)
They are so cute together!
Maybe Bravo could start a dating show that pairs up all their reality tv contestants.
Oh, and I'm WAITING for the announcement that they will do a Project Runway All-Star show. They've done it on Top Chef several times. Why not PR? That would be FABULOUS.
" Anonymous said...
Sorry to say but, in support of Jack's choice to be open and honest, he is slightly mistaken on one point.
Having a viral load that is "undetectable" does not mean that there is not any virus, it means that the level is too low for current tests to detect. So unfortunately, this doesn't mean that he's free of the virus."
The reading comprehension skills of some people never cease to underwhelm me. Jack's statement:
"Furthermore my viral load is undetectable which means that when they do a blood test they are unable to find any virus in my blood. That low level of HIV is due to the medication I take and regular monitoring my status."
He never said he didn't have the virus.
Love them both....so talented and cute. Lovely.
P.S Jack was a double major at Berkeley and you were suprised by his eloquent writing style?
I think Dale is a cutie, and Jack's lucky to have found him. And I'm glad that Dale's life is back on track after that rough patch he talked about on Top Chef.
OMG This is the BEST DAY EVER!
I HEART DALE!!!! I was heartbroken when he didn't win Top Chef and that awful HUNG did! *shakes fist in air*
And of course I HEART JACK!! So this is just perfect and fabulous in so many ways!!!!
YAY!!!! so happy!!! Especially for Dale bec when he went on Top Chef, he had broken up with someone and he was going through some hard times.
*sigh * =)
" twluvr said...
I already went there on the previous thread. :-)"
Well, next time send a memo to the Boys. I'm sure they will happily ignore all us who hadn't read about it yet so that you don't have to read something twice. Unbelievable!
Congrats to both! They're both hot and fabulous! Dale is my favorite Chef!
Awesome! Now we need to find somebody for Tim!
Awesome! And I applaud Jack loudly for his honesty and eloquence. This is a fantastic example of someone having the guts to turn the public's interest in his personal life into an opportunity to educate and maybe even save lives.
TokyoDoll said...
"Well, next time send a memo to the Boys. I'm sure they will happily ignore all us who hadn't read about it yet so that you don't have to read something twice. Unbelievable!"
TokyoDoll, honey.
If you had bothered to read my initial post in context, you would have realized that my "cuz I already went there on the previous thread" was my tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek attempt to get away with an earlier snarky comment about Jack & Dale's relationship, NOT me complaining that the boys were breaking old news. Sheesh!
Honestly, people need to lighten up around here. Relax and have some some fun. It's just fashion snark for heaven's sake.
I heart Big Gay Chef. I think he should have won Top Chef. That bastid Tom Colicchio, anyway!
Is that snarky enough?
bill! Bill! BILL!!!!!
what?????
And then Tom Colicchio can get all Daddy Bear with Tim Gunn.
TOM IS GAY?? my hot sexy crazy eyed in-my-fantasies straight Tom Colicchio??
say it's not so, please. and if it is, i want to come back as a gay man and jump on it. sigh.
Oh, I love Dale, it is great that they seem so happy (looking at his response in the article is hilarious!) And Jack seemed very thoughtful in his reactions to questions about his HIV status. I appreciate his willingness to share. Hopefully they make eachother happy!
Seeing two pretty boys get together consoles me a TINY bit for SissyBear. A bit.
Miss Fabulous, my two-year-old, was pointing at the boyz on my laptop and I said, "Look, honey! Pretty boyfriends!" She squealed. Mommy's little fruitfly. Awww.
Sorry, no snark here. My son is a teenager now, but someday I hope for a son-in-law as lovely as either of these two men.
Love! It makes me such a mush I can hardly stand myself.
Kathleen
My last long-term relationship was with a guy who was HIV+, and I applaud Jack for being open about the fact that +/- relationships can work and be just as sexually fulfilling as relationships between people of the same status.
Didn't keep my ex from being a total asshole, but I don't think the virus causes that.
Good for them! I really liked Jack's answer, it will help educate people a little more with regards to HIV and AIDS, there is a lot of misinformation and ignorance when it comes to the subject. And, damn they make a cute couple!!
Damn I had a crush on both of them and they are dating?
This could be the fuel for a lot of fantasies...
Completely unrelated to the topic at hand... what's up with the reports on the internet that Jack is leaving the show? Also, has anyone seen his nude photos online? HOT
that is a smokin' hot pair of manflesh...
I'm wondering if a tragic event happens to jack, like the death of a family member.
I can't see his crying having anything to deal with his HIV status. Seems more likely to be some kind of personal tragedy that happens while he's on the show.
I hope it isn't the case, but that's what I suspect.
They're both HOT as hell. I want to be the meat in that man sandwich.
It's getting hot in here!
Jack,
You should post that statement on your MySpace page. The more places the better.
Best luck to you both!
Had Dale ever publicly acknowledged that he was HIV-? If not, then all those people who sent emails asking about the serodiscordant thing should be ashamed of themselves.
Unless you've explicitly heard otherwise (and sometimes not even then), you should regard everyone as HIV-status unknown.
" Jefe said...
Had Dale ever publicly acknowledged that he was HIV-? If not, then all those people who sent emails asking about the serodiscordant thing should be ashamed of themselves.
Unless you've explicitly heard otherwise (and sometimes not even then), you should regard everyone as HIV-status unknown."
You're missing the point. My question had nothing to do whether Dale was + or -.
Aw, poor Dale. I hope he's okay. He must really love Jack if he's willing to risk his health. He was my favorite on Top Chef. I admit I was alarmed when I first heard he was dating HIV+ Jack but I trust that he'll be careful and take care of himself. Dale is very brave and kind-hearted.
Congratulations, anonymous at 7:37. You're an idiot.
"Risk his health"? Please. People have unprotected sex all the time with people whose HIV status they don't know. THAT is risking your health.
Those two are so adorable together! I hope that things work out, with the geographical distance and all.
I'm still amazed by how uneducated so many people are about AIDS and HIV. I'm glad that people like Jack are willing to speak up and inform people. I've lost friends to this disease, and was shocked by some people's reactions. I'd wash my HIV positive neighbor's clothes and help him with chores and there were people who would think I could catch it that way! I guess some people missed those "Life Goes On" special episodes. I read somewhere that Jack has been positive for something like 16 years. That is so awesome.
This is just too much. I feel like I voyeur.
Best of luck to Dale and fellow CAL alum Jack! Loved him in his tight fitting CAL tee last night. Go Bears!
If y'all can't play for the "other team," I'll settle for y'all together. :-)
The thing is, are there actually a lot of sexual things that HIV-status discordant partners can do with *no* risk? No risk?
I feel a little weird about him saying that. If he meant "minimal" risk or "almost no risk" I feel like he should have said that.
Anne
"Anne said...
The thing is, are there actually a lot of sexual things that HIV-status discordant partners can do with *no* risk? No risk?
I feel a little weird about him saying that. If he meant "minimal" risk or "almost no risk" I feel like he should have said that."
But I think that everyone knows that, if you want to get technical, everything carries some risk. Depending on what you are doing, with whom & where, sex can expose a person to any number of dangers, like; poison ivy in strange places, involuntary internet infamy, or marriage (not that I would have any first-hand knowledge of of any of these particular dangers).
I think Jack is both remarkable & evolved for being so open and giving (when he really doesn't & shouldn't have to be), and using this as an opportunity to, as they say, move the dialogue forward.
I certainly could never be so open, (though I will say, in the spirit of Jack's energy: Before you engage in any outdoor sports, Google 'poison ivy').
--GothamTomato.
Zak said...
Congratulations, anonymous at 7:37. You're an idiot.
I love you, Zak. I'm a writer, can I name a character after you?
Emma P.
Can I point out that the title of this post seems to say, "Woo-hoo, incest!"
But more importantly, yay them!
I really like Jack! I think he is a really nice fun person (from what he portrays on T.V.).
I never watched the show his BF is on but I think they are cute and wish them the best!
Best wishes to both!
Reality tv people are people like everybody else. I wish them both much love and happiness!
I love, love , love Jack....I want him for myself.
Wow! cute couple.
Good luck, Jack! Thanks so much for addressing this.
But, honestly folks... We're how many years along with this plague and people are still so ignorant. Even 20+ years ago, my brother was partnered with an HIV+ guy. They were together for 12 years until dear Clark died of AIDS. They practiced safe-sex & common sense (no sharing toothbrush! etc) and my brother was/is fine.
It's amazing how much progress has been made dealing with HIV/AIDs. It's also amazing how little progress has been made both medically and educationally.
Sorry to get on my soap-box. But people need to practice safe sex and common sense no matter what their status. We see with Jack's successful life that one can live well with HIV, but it is not a picnic.
-- desertwind
I just feel sorry for Dale. I know Jack is gorgeous but he is still HIV+. They will always need to be super-careful and intimacy can be compromised. There's also the added stress of knowing that Jack will pass on long before Dale. I imagine the hardship and grief that loved ones must go through. *sigh*
But it sounds like they are only dating and taking it slow? That's good. They do make such a handsome couple! It's a shame about the HIV. I wish them all the best. Both Jack and Dale will be in my prayers.
Anonymous 12:40 said, There's also the added stress of knowing that Jack will pass on long before Dale.
Oh? What do you know that they don't? Do you have a crystal ball? Has G-d spoken to you and told you what she has in mind for their fates? Criminy - you could get hit by a bus any day.
Anne asked, The thing is, are there actually a lot of sexual things that HIV-status discordant partners can do with *no* risk? No risk?
Basically, avoid penetration, ingestion of bodily fluids and contact of bodily fluids with open sores, and you're fine. Want more detail, or can you put your imagination to work?
"I just feel sorry for Dale. I know Jack is gorgeous but he is still HIV+. They will always need to be super-careful and intimacy can be compromised. There's also the added stress of knowing that Jack will pass on long before Dale. I imagine the hardship and grief that loved ones must go through. *sigh"
You really need to do some reading before you opine on things like this. You have no idea what you're talking about.
I'm sorry but having HIV is not a picnic either. Did you see that enormous bag of pills that poor Jack has to take every day? I don't understand how people can be so dismissive of his sickness and pretend it's not a big deal. I'm worried for Jack. I adore Dale and I'm terrified for him.
I think a lot of people share my concerns:
http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/18151298.html
Please don't lie and claim there is no risk. Of course there is always a risk that Dale could be infected too. And if Jack does develop AIDS, then he could die. It's a tragic reality. My heart goes out to both of these beautiful men.
Okay, so maybe i just spent an evening in Chelsea, but would someone make a reality show out of that couple? Yum
Sweet Jaysus, this thread is possibly the best argument against abstinence-only education that I have ever seen.
I don't watch Top Chef (don't take away my gay card!!) -- but I hope they're havin' fun. I think that Jack's answer regarding his HIV status was wise and gracious. I didn't have much of an opinion about Jack before, but now I've got a good feeling.
Now I'm sad that he's crying next week -- how long ago were these episodes taped, anyway?
Bigassbelle: Tom C came out very loudly as straight during the past season when it was brought to his attention that he has become a pinup for the boys (if you think that his baseline is cute, you should have seen him when he was blushing!!). Tom and Tim? What a combo! And Nina and Padma? To die for...
Re HIV and risk-free and all of that...prior to ARVs, the diagnosis of HIV was considered a death sentence. ARVs has transformed the landscape so that people who are infected learn to live with it. This is my opinion only but I've found that the more we do to demystify the demon of HIV, the better. So, instead of focusing on how helpless we are in the face of HIV, we recognize that it is -- at least from a viral standpoint -- a pretty stupid bug. The only way to spread it is to share blood or *profuse* amounts of other bodily fluids. Let's look at a distant relative of HIV: the common cold. Not a retrovirus but a wicked little critter if there ever was one. And infectious? My God, it puts HIV to shame. No matter how defensively you live, that cold will find a way to infect you.
I know, I know, the common cold doesn't kill. My point is that we have far more defenses against transmitting or contracting HIV than we do the common cold.
Jack's HIV is a Very-Big-Deal to us because he is a fresh new face in our universe.. For Jack? I suspect that -- after *living* close to two decades with HIV -- he considers it simply another aspect of who he is. And while lots of the posters here seem new to the idea of navigating a sexual relationship in the face of HIV, it's a very very sad truth that that is not new to members of the gay communities in developed nations.
Cry'n Jack....it's the old Bravo fool ya promo. Jack has just run in cry'n to tell the rest of the group that he just found fellow contestant Suzie Moonbeam unconscious from an overdose of huffing fabric glue!
Cheers for Jack and Dale! And thanks to Jack for being so gracious!
Dear Anonymous 1:44:
Of course there is always a risk that Dale could be infected too. And if Jack does develop AIDS, then he could die. It's a tragic reality.
And there's a risk I'm going to be bitten by a rattlesnake the next time I go hiking in the Georgia woods. There's risk in every human activity. As for HIV, Jack has said clearly that he and Dale are managing that risk. How can you assume that the worst will happen to people you don't know practicing precautions you seem to think are ultimately ineffective?
I just IMed my friend who's been living with HIV for 18 years now, who has about the same viral load as Jack, and he says this: "My father, who is 65, takes more medications each day to manage his heart disease and diabetic complications than I do. My HIV status is not who I am, and I don't think it's who Jack is either."
Frankly, your doom and gloom is phobic, incorrect, and insulting to both Jack and Dale.
valpal - haven't seen you around lately. So glad to see your post. Thanks for letting bigassbelle know that Colicchio "came out as straight" (I love that you put it that way!). I knew he was, but a boy can dream, can't he?
Tom is adorable when he blushes, isn't he?
CHC, then what was your question? TLo's original post clearly references emails they got asking about how Jack and Dale are managing a relationship with one HIV+ and one HIV- person. But so far as I'm aware we had no reason to know that there was an HIV- person involved until we got Jack's response.
And to address some of the other ignorance floating around in this thread: I've been HIV+ for five years, I manage it with exactly two (count 'em, two) pills once a day, and I fully expect to live a full lifespan. Jack's situation may well be different because his HIV predates ARVs, which means it could have advanced somewhat before he was able to beat it back with the cocktail (which became available in ~1996). Or some of those meds he was taking could be aimed at side-effects of the particular ARVs he's taking. (Or maybe they were just vitamins!) The fat loss in his face suggests he's probably been on protease inhibitors and/or AZT at some point in the past, and perhaps still is. Those drugs have a lot more side effects than the gold standard options available today, but many people who started with a protease-based cocktail have stayed on it in the interest of preserving as many options as possible should they ever develop resistance.
I could go on and on, but the main point is that, for most people with health insurance, HIV is a smaller day-to-day deal than you think it is. It certainly touches every element of my life (e.g., dating's a bitch, periods of voluntary unemployment are a thing of the past, traveling can be more logistically complicated), but it is nowhere near as overwhelming as, say, Type 1 diabetes.
Isn't Dale super-tall? Or was it just the Chef clogs? If he is, how tall does that make Jack?
Congrats to both of them. I loved Dale on TC and cheered for him all season...and Jack is just too adorable.
I hope things work out for them! Jack really needs to school Dale on fashion. I hated the pants he wore on TC. (Bitchy, I know..but hey?!)
Congrats to both. I'm not a huge Jack fan, but Je t'adore Dale!
As an aside, Jake Glaser has lived with HIV since birth, and has a very active & healthy life. He is now even off his daily medication. And I'm sure he's not the only one. Taking care of yourself is key as Jack mentions.
So good of Jack for taking time out to answer articulately and honestly. And to educate those who are not familiar with what postive people have to deal with.
YEAH!! CONGRATS AND GOOD LUCK!!!
LOVE YA DALE! YOU SHOULD HAVE WON!!
And the cold analogy? That's because there are about 200+ cold viruses that we've identified so far. Thus the "common cold" is a misnomer....each virus is different. Plus, HIV doesn't follow the same rules as a cold virus when it multiplies..hence to parallel the body's T-cell reaction to a cold cell vs an HIV one is erroneous.
I can't believe for a second how any of this is our business. Let's go back to cutting up rags, please.
" Boomer said...
I can't believe for a second how any of this is our business. Let's go back to cutting up rags, please."
It isn't our business - let's not forget that Jack had no problem answering the question - BUT a great opportunity to raise awareness and encourage debate about HIV and AIDS, and judging by some of the comments above, we desperately need it.
Ok, I love the both of them!! Dale is great. He has positive energy. I can see how he and Jack pair well.
It sounds like the two of them are very confident, educated gay men who know what they are doing and who they are. The issues they face are issues that people face everyday.
Live your fullest life or be scared and don't. That is true in the partner we choose for ourselves, the career paths we follow, choosing to go on reality TV so random people can critize us.
twluvr said...
"I know I'm going to be bashed for this, but what's with the love-in? Where's the snark?"
How about this: If I was "dating" Dale, the first time he fell asleep in front of me I'd have out my hair clippers and mow down that horrible, dated 'do!!!!
I am glad for Jack, but he is sooo hot, he could do better than this guy. A fauxhawk? That is sooo 2002. Plus he isn't that cute. But to each his own. Congrats Jack.
You know-Jack is VERY good looking....Dale comes off as very sweet-a nice guy all around. If it works, good. And if it doesn't, I hope the ending is easy.
I think this dialogue is awesome and I thank TLo for letting it happen. From Day 1, I've cheered for Jack because my husband, a college swim coach, had an HIV+ athlete in the '90s who achieved All-American status. But because of overwhelming bigotry and misinformation at the time, they chose to keep his status private. Just as well, I'm sure, but it hurt, knowing what an enormously brave kid this was, that he couldn't get full credit for what he accomplished.
To mike s. and seth...
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! Finally, a little snark! And I totally agree with you both!
Dale's hair has GOT to go. It's a cute look -- for a prepubescent boy. Or David Beckham. And you're right: Jack could do better -- until he opens his mouth that is. Talk about a deal breaker! It's like listening to Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) in "Singin' in the Rain." Can he be dubbed???
But there is a lid for every pot, so maybe they've found theirs in each other. Or not. I'm not holding my breath...
" twluvr said...
To mike s. and seth...
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! Finally, a little snark! And I totally agree with you both!
Dale's hair has GOT to go. It's a cute look -- for a prepubescent boy. Or David Beckham. And you're right: Jack could do better -- until he opens his mouth that is. Talk about a deal breaker! It's like listening to Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) in "Singin' in the Rain." Can he be dubbed???
But there is a lid for every pot, so maybe they've found theirs in each other. Or not. I'm not holding my breath..."
Congratulations, you're idiot # 2
Anonymous said...
"Congratulations, you're idiot # 2"
Why so serious, dear? Here's a dollar. Buy yourself a sense of humor.
okay. that is too much cuteness for one couple.
and jack seems like a true doll.
mazel tov, indeed!
Patrick said...
"Didn't keep my ex from being a total asshole, but I don't think the virus causes that."
Ain't it the TRUTH!
As for this thread, I am all for anything that brings HIV information to more people. Education and open dialog help save lives.
profp
" profp said...
Patrick said...
"Didn't keep my ex from being a total asshole, but I don't think the virus causes that."
Ain't it the TRUTH!
As for this thread, I am all for anything that brings HIV information to more people. Education and open dialog help save lives.
profp"
EXACTLY! We fear what we do not know.
First: ADORABLE. I'm a huge Dale fan, and Jack is definitely growing on me.
Second: Kudos to Jack for being so open. It's great that he was so willing to share his experience living with HIV- it can only help people!
"I've been HIV+ for five years, I manage it with exactly two (count 'em, two) pills once a day, and I fully expect to live a full lifespan. Jack's situation may well be different because his HIV predates ARVs, which means it could have advanced somewhat before he was able to beat it back with the cocktail (which became available in ~1996). Or some of those meds he was taking could be aimed at side-effects of the particular ARVs he's taking. (Or maybe they were just vitamins!) The fat loss in his face suggests he's probably been on protease inhibitors and/or AZT at some point in the past, and perhaps still is. Those drugs have a lot more side effects than the gold standard options available today, but many people who started with a protease-based cocktail have stayed on it in the interest of preserving as many options as possible should they ever develop resistance."
jefe, thank you for your informative post. It was very enlightening. I didn't realize there had been so many medical advances in this area. I'm so happy to learn that Jack will be able to live a normal lifespan. I did wonder about his face, and you answered that question for me, so again, thank you.
I admit most of my ideas of HIV/AIDS have been formed by movies like "An Early Frost" and "Angels in America". That's why it scares me so much.
I am concerned about BRAVO's previews... it makes it appear that something bad happens to Jack? I was alarmed that perhaps he fell sick... But he looks wonderful in that photo with Dale so I will try to be optimistic.
They're both adorable! Good luck, guys!!
I love them! Bravo should give them their own show.
anon at 2:30,
No problem. I'm sorry the tone of my post was so indignant, which I see reading it now. I shouldn't expect people already to know things I take for granted.
It's possible that Jack did fall sick. One thing that is still true for HIV+ people is that we tend to take any illness (from common cold on up) very seriously. Infections of any sort essentially spur your body to produce more white blood cells, which then get targeted by the virus. So in the general interest of maintaining low levels of viral reproduction all the time, many pozzies go further to avoid infections and to recover from them as quickly as possible. Both of which are more difficult since, even with undetectable viral loads, our immune responses are not as highly developed as they would be without the virus.
In emphasizing that day-to-day management of HIV care and the threat of death are much smaller than most people realize, I don't want to give the false impression that HIV is no big deal. It very much is, but often in ways that people without the disease aren't aware of, and that are only indirectly related to the physical health issues.
KlausK said...
I love them! Bravo should give them their own show.
YES! I emailed Andy Cohen w/ the same idea!
New From Bravo:
THE BOYFRIENDS!
Bravo stars meet-- but will they...?
Make Love?
Fall in love?
Open a B&B?
Emma P.
I think James Marsden looks like Jack -- NOT the other way around.
OMG
I CAN'T STAND THE CUTENESS!!!!!
best wishes to both of them
I'm glad Jack's speaking out. I spent two years studying AIDS in literature and pop-culture and one thing that upsets me to no end is that AIDS is on the rise and people don't seem to talk about it very much anymore, as if it stopped with AZT.
I've heard too many stories of people practicing unsafe sex and saying things like "who cares, I was going to get it anyway."
I'm really glad that someone with HIV is willing to discuss safe sex practices so frankly, because he's right! It's really easy to protect yourself and there is NO reason not to.
Also, they're both cute. I'm kind of jealous of both of them.
Yummy! I don't know if I'd like to see a new reality show with these two or just a hothouse porno...either way, they're gonna have chic dinner parties.
I like that things don't get too political here but I have to share this. I read this post this morning, then a few minutes later came across this headline:
Huckabee wanted to isolate AIDS patients
And that's why we need open discourse and information on HIV/AIDS. Bravo to those brave enough to share their stories.
YAY! HOT HOT HOT!
If one takes basic precautions like wearing a condom, it is quite easy to avoid hiv infection. I have a hot hiv- co-worker that has been with his hiv+ partner for 12 years and they still go at it on a regular basis. Staying negative with a positive partner is fairly easy just by using common sense. Now when is the grainy, poorly lit Jack/Dale sex video going to show up on youtube?
"Anonymous said...
Now when is the grainy, poorly lit Jack/Dale sex video going to show up on youtube?"
YES!!!!
Anonymous said, "I have a hot hiv- co-worker that has been with his hiv+ partner for 12 years and they still go at it on a regular basis."
I don't believe that any two people who have been together even half that long still "go at it on a regular basis." Sentimental sexual mythology
Well, gregor, since I once came right out and asked my co-worker about it directly one time and that was his response, I don't have any reason to believe he'd lie to me about it, especially as we were having a serious conversation at the time. Just because sex dwindles (or dies) in most relationships doesn't mean it happens in ALL of them. And having heard him talk about the first time he saw his partner, I really don't think he was blowing smoke.
“There's really not enough information out there about being HIV positive” … “And that's why we need open discourse and information on HIV/AIDS.” … Actually what there is is too much Big Pharma propaganda, and censorship of the facts which can enable people to make intelligent decisions. So-called HIV tests do not test for HIV, they react to one’s antibody response to non-HIV-specific proteins created in a lab, and they have never been validated by the direct detection of HIV in anyone. Ever. READ THE LABELS on the tests - the FDA has never approved any of them for diagnosing infection with HIV. And “viral load” is a load of crap – the inventor of the PCR technique which is the basis for such tests will tell you that quantitative PCR cannot be used to diagnose infection.
... Jack calling HIV a “bacteria” on the show just goes to show how ignorant most people are about the science involved. Please, people, educate yourselves. To this day there isn’t one scientific paper proving that HIV causes AIDS, and the so-called AIDS drugs are incredibly toxic and immune system-destroying.
I'm guessing that whatever was wrong with Jack's face may have had to do with injections to counter the facial wasting which is a common side effect of AIDS drugs. But of course, once you're supposedly "HIV+", anything bad that happens to you is attributed to HIV.
kitty, just to set the record straight, Jack wasn't calling HIV a bacteria. He was referring to the bacteria that causes staph infections, like the one that caused him to leave the show. I think as an HIV+ person he probably knows what the "v" stands for.
Ah, thanks, I guess I must have misheard. But still, I was troubled by the mention that he had to step up his HIV drug regimen because of this infection. Like I said, once you're supposedly "HIV+", any condition you come down with is treated with so-called HIV drugs.
Jack, you are amazing. What a tough decision it must have been to leave the show, but your designs are fabulous and you are fabulous! So stay strong and enjoy your hot new man ;)
$2.5 Million Award Over False HIV Positive Test
Brings up Basic Problems With AIDS Testing and Treatment, Say Scientists
CHICAGO, Dec. 12, 2007--A lawsuit decided today against the University of Massachusetts Medical Center over consequences of an allegedly false-positive HIV antibody test exposes basic problems with the test and treatments for all persons taking them, according to a high-ranking medical researcher who has advised the plaintiff’s lawyer on the case. The verdict, issued today, awarded $2.5 million to the plaintiff.
The complaint by Audrey Serrano, 45, in court hearings this week in Worcester, Mass., focused on the absence of a “confirmatory” Western Blot test in her records. However, Andrew Maniotis, Ph.D., research assistant professor in the Department of Pathology, University of Illinois-Chicago School of Medicine, contends that, though the reliability of all HIV testing was not on trial in court here, the case history opens questions about it. And, because Serrano developed illnesses commonly defined as “AIDS-related conditions” only after taking HIV medications known as “highly active antiretroviral therapy” (HAART), the drugs themselves appear to have caused “AIDS.”
Rethinking AIDS (RA) has been asking such questions since its founding in 1991. Etienne de Harven, M.D., president of RA, says, “It is urgent that we open a public debate on the highly suspect reliability of all HIV testing. Moreover, I fully share Dr. Maniotis' concern about the safety of HIV drugs.” Further resources are online at the group’s Web site, Rethinking AIDS.
Rodney Richards, Ph.D., worked on the development of antibody (ELISA) and genetic “viral load” tests for Amgen and holds some related patents. “The diagnosis of being HIV positive is based on arbitrary combinations of tests, none of which are approved for diagnosing HIV,” he says. “In fact there is no test for HIV. It’s just an illusion.”
Raising issues of informed consent for all persons submitting to HIV antibody testing, the test kits themselves contain disclaimers that doctors rarely, if ever, share with patients. For example, Abbott Laboratories’ ELISA test kit, typically used as a preliminary test, warns:
“ELISA testing alone cannot be used to diagnose AIDS.”
Confirmation of an ELISA result with a Western Blot test is currently required as a “standard of care.” Epitope’s Western Blot package insert reads:
“Do not use this kit as the sole basis for HIV infection.”
“This is somewhat more concerning, since the Western Blot is supposed to be a highly accurate test, used to confirm that an ELISA is not a false positive,” says Dr. Maniotis. “Moreover, the peer-reviewed literature gives substantial evidence that the virus ‘HIV’ has never been isolated in purified form free of contaminating cellular debris in order to generate the so-called ‘specific viral antigens’ used in the test kits.”
Serrano, now acknowledged to have always tested HIV negative and therefore not to have been at risk for developing AIDS, nevertheless suffered from several AIDS-defining illnesses, including wasting, herpes, and oral thrush, while taking HAART. She also suffered from other health problems, including constant diarrhea (AIDS-defining under the African definition), muscle wasting, profound fatigue, non-specific skin lesions, oral thrush, herpes outbreaks, severe nosebleeds, constant gynecological bleeding and pain from ovarian cysts, fibrocystic breast lesions, hyperplastic pituitary lesions, and severe heart and respiratory difficulties.
Labels for HAART drugs actually list these conditions as possible side effects, suggesting that the drugs themselves cause AIDS-related conditions, Maniotis says.
Serrano’s experience is, sadly, not unique. Dr. Maniotis chose to investigate her case because, he says, “it is typical of many cases reviewed and, as it illustrates so clearly the development of AIDS-related conditions in a woman testing HIV negative who was healthy before she took HAART, strongly suggests that profound paradigm shifts are urgently needed to avoid more human rights violations.”
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