I was deeply hiding my HIV status when we were on the road. I couldn’t embrace those high levels of accomplishment at the time, because I had this other thing going on.I was diagnosed in 1985 on tour with a company in Hawaii. I moved to L.A. in 1986, largely because of my diagnosis. In 1985 it was fire and brimstone. So I moved to L.A. because I thought, if I’m going to die in a year, I need to make my life as amazing as I can right now. That’s really where I was. At that time I had no evidence that I would live life for many more years.No one knew. My family didn’t know. I didn’t tell my family until 2006. I was dodging and hiding for most of my adult life.”Carlton Wilborn, who besides continuing his work as a performer is today a sought-after life coach, looks back at the legendary Blond Ambition tour while promoting the upcoming documentary Strike a Pose in an interview with Attitude
in quotes
Madonna Dancer Carlton Kept His HIV Status Secret During The Blond Ambition Tour
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Scott Strall
Yeah so?
Glücklich
I’m biased because I’m not crazy about Madonna, either as a performer or a person, but why this uptick in coverage of a tour that by this point in pop culture has to be carbon-dated it’s such old news? WHO THE HELL CARES about back-up dancers from A QUARTER CENTURY AGO?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gutCFMc5khY&nohtml5=False
Jodie Begaye
that’s his business, no one else. #RebelHeart â¤
Stached1
Seriously why is this news? Nobody cares.
AtticusBennett
it must have been terrifying for him back in those days, when we were dying by thousands and it seemed that even treatments might not work. I’m very glad he lived to tell (see what i did there?)
Bob LaBlah
Wasn’t he the one who complained about Luis walking around in his bikini’s in the documentary Truth or Dare?
asa1973
Heaven forfend we should ever take a look back. Only newer and shinier things for this community. No wonder people call us fickle.
Jeremy Kinser
@Bob LaBlah:
That was Oliver Crumes.
JPinNC
@Glücklich: Because they are HUMAN BEINGS!!! unfortunate you don’t have empathy.
JPinNC
@Stached1: No one care how HIV affected people before? hmmmm… Why do you think HIV prevention drugs have advanced??.. because people care, because people raised money and because people made it their mission…. you’re a soulless jerk.
Bob LaBlah
@Jeremy Kinser….thank you.
@Glucklich……..a quarter century ago there was more or less NOTHING on the market that helped people with HIV. A drug called AZT was available but for the most part it did nothing. Think for a minute as to how exhausting it had to be to perform the dance routines night after night and not collapse during nor after the performances. This guy is amazing to have been able to do that.
Many of Madonna’s and Janet Jackson songs performed on stage have/had were backed up with recordings because of how exhausting the dance routines were. They had them out of breath by the time it was time to start singing again. It was a mother-of a performance by both of them and the timing was PERFECT because the audience was non the wiser. I applaud the guy.
Brian
If he’s been HIV positive for so long then that proves that HIV is not terminal.
Oh, and I don’t think pre-recorded concerts should be allowed. They’re a rip-off.
Bob LaBlah
@Brian……..remember Milli Vanilli? Now THAT was a rip-off. I always thought they were nothing but a joke but had no idea they went way beyond being a joke. They (Milli Vanilli) were an outright fraud and had to return the money to the concert goers. The only problem was by the time they were discovered very few of their fans had proof they had bought a ticket.
Tracy Pope
@Brian: You never really stop to think about what you’re saying, do you? You failed Reasoning 101 with that amazingly stupid HIV comment.
Stached1
@JPinNC: Project your own issues much?