Long time Big Brother fans will remember that when Dick Donato abruptly left the Big Brother house on season 13. He went into the diary room and came out saying he was leaving. It’s remained a mystery as to why he left until now. The only statement he made was the video above.
Until today, according to an interview with People, “Donato was competing on season 13 of Big Brother when producers called him into the house’s Diary Room. “They told me that something was wrong with my blood test,” he says. “They had done two HIV tests. One had come back positive and the other had come back negative.” The show’s doctor took more blood. Two hours later, Donato learned the life-changing news. “When they told me, I just went numb,” he says. With little explanation, Donato left the show. “They had a car take me from CBS to my mother’s house. She was the first person I told.”
More from People:
We could all see that Dick looked like he’d aged ten years since Big Brother 13. This explains a lot of things that Dick has been up to lately. Like the fact he moved to Ireland for a while. Where this mysteriously happened to his face. I hope that Dick can finally find some peace now. He’s had a rocky relationship with his family and his two kids. Let’s hope this brings everyone back together. It also explains why he is on the show with an ex. I think Stephanie is a great gal for being there for moral support.
Are you shocked by the news? I assumed it would be a health issue, but I didn’t excpect it to be HIV.
HIV was the furthest thing in my mind of why he left the show!
Wow! I’m shocked/not shocked at the news. He was after all a rock bar manager on the strip in the 80’s. Lots of people played with what would be considered unsafe sex today….
Really? it was said for a long time, but he left the show because he had that website up where he said he was going to be on and that broke his contract. I know that one about breaking his contract for sure but didnt think being HIV would eliminate him as a HG, so both together or he is bullshitting again. Even on twitter he has been called a junkie with aids, which is horrible but it has been out there for a long time now. It was brought up again when he posted that photo of him being beat up and saying he didnt remember what happened. Also Crazy James had the same said about him a lot, especially when he and Dick got to be buddies and hung out in Europe.
Does this comment have a point? The dude is opening up about an illness on national TV and you are rambling about some contract issue? IDGI.
On Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 6:16 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I am sorry tonilost, but your Post was so confusing to read…it really didn’t make a whole lot of since!
I am shocked. Mostly because he kept it secret for so long. I haven’t been watching Couples Therapy but is it going to come out on there too? Just wow, with the medical advances that have been made doesn’t necessarily mean HIV is a death sentence like it once had been. Continued good health to Evel. He was always one of my favorite BB villains.
Yes gerly, Dick will address it on Couples Therapy on VH1 tonight at 9pm normal people time. 🙂
On Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 5:41 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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@TT ( raises hand) what does IDGI mean ?
IDGI stands for “I Dont Get It”…
Are you saying I Don’t Get It? 😉
On Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 8:34 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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He was always one of my fave villains too.
@josie …..thank you
Wow, I remember his reaction then, but it was impossible to decipher.
How odd to find out in such a way.
Well, I immediately thought at the time that one of his closest friends may have gotten the news about HIV or HIV that progressed to Aids. I thought if it was most other diseases, he would just identify it. Dolt that I can be, it never crossed my mind for a second that it was him.
I had NO IDEA. I believe at the time he referred to some sort of emergency with a loved one. WOW. He has really gone through it. sad.
I am not shocked….glad we finally know why for certain. Luckily HIV isn’t a death sentence anymore. Loved watching him on BB but he sure was an asshole…..entertaining, but an asshole!
Yeah, I HATED him on the show. But I eventually got over it and checked his twitter from time to time when it was obvious he was going through some shit.
I don’t think anyone suspected at the time that someone gets called to DR and finds out they have HIV. You would think they would have the blood test results BEFORE they go into the house.
I hope his kids are talking to him.
On Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 6:44 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I follow Dani on twitter every once in a while, she is always very positive, but never mentions her Dad. I will have to check it and see if she addresses this…..I think he has a son too.
Yeah he does.
On Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 7:16 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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This blog, TV, and you check twitter from time to time……..excuse me but how many hours does your day have? Amazing!
24 just like you. But mostly, I am here all day everyday. If I let up I may have to go work for someone else again and I hate working for the man. The man, he be stupid and gay and in the closet and an asshole. 🙂
On Sun, Oct 5, 2014 at 12:35 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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My closest friend is HIV positive. He had a test every 6 months. I always felt like the early detection enabled doctors to find a cocktail that has kept his undetectable in his blood work. I hope ED had regular testing done so that he may be in that same position. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. Good luck Evll.
Does an HIV positive status disqualify a contestant from appearing on Big Brother?
Did he abruptly leave BB13 because it was HIS choice or because CBS Production gave him no choice and asked him to leave?
Somewhere on twitter today I thought I read a retweet where Evel Dick said he was given NO CHOICE in the matter for his abrupt exit from the game.
I’m probably going to start a tempest here but do you guys think someone with HIV should be allowed to play games like Big Brother/Survivor? Some competitions can leave people bloodied up.
No if someone is positive and there could possibly be blood shed, no.
I agree. Being on BB is different than being an accountant sitting at a desk where it wouldnt matter whether or not you were HIV positive.
He said he wasn’t given a choice BUT that he would not have stayed anyway as he needed to digest this information. Probably also was a good idea for him to get to his own physician asap to get started on a regimen rather than waiting another three months.
Agreed!
I would be m
Try again… I would be more worried about blood if the person has Hep C. Do your research and you will find that the Hep C virus lives much, much longer than HIV in blood, even dried blood. I would have no worries whatsoever with living in close quarters with someone with HIV even if contact with blood might become necessary. I would be more concerned about the transmissivity of Hep C.
No worries, roomie! I am clean and practically revirginalized now .:)
On Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 10:05 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Dude, if some one called you into DR and said you had HIV would you want to stay? Could you stay? Would you want to go on? That said, no you probably can’t play if they find out six minute into your stay. Dick even in the above video thanks CBS a lot.
But no, they would not have allowed him to stay anyway as he has a history of spitting in people’s tea, etc.
On Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 8:22 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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HIV is not spread through saliva.
I don’t think a person’s status matters at all. A positive diagnosis comes with responsibilities, though. Be upfront and honest, that way the other people can choose to participate or not. It’s 2014, not 1984.
I hope he finds peace. He was always a favorite villain. I watched his first season on BB, I think his daughter was on then too.
Living with HIV isn’t so bad but as the prostitute said, ‘ it’s not the work, it’s the stairs’
Have I told you lately that I love you? xooxo
On Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 11:01 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Enchante to you too. 🙂
MTV’s The Real World had a cast mate die from the same thing.
He was aware of his prognosis before filming, however.
Pedro had AIDS not HIV. And yes he knew that and so did production as he went on the show to promote awareness.
On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 8:34 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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@loriflack But on the real world they didn’t play games that could cause blood shed!
I think his name was Pedro. He got pissed at Puck for sticking his germy finger into a jar of Pedro’s peanut butter. They documented the decline of his T-cells, it was hard to watch.
And he eventually died of AIDS. Doesn’t seem like that season of Real World was so long ago but I guess it was…….. before the drug “cocktails” were discovered.
I remember watching when Pedro was dying in the hospital and the cameras continued rolling and even today that makes me sick to think about it. He should have had some amount of dignity dying, but the cameras didn’t allow that. It was so very sad. I know that dying is dirty business but that was so upsetting to me wanting his family to say cut the cameras and let us just be with him instead he was flashed on the screen for our “entertainment”.
Pedro did not die on camera. Pedro CHOSE to come on the show to give a face to AIDS at a time where everyone was scared to death of AIDS patients. No one who watched that show will ever forget him and he changed so many hearts.
On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 11:13 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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