Should Celebrities Who’ve Had Strokes Retire?

I feel bad about saying this, but was I the only one cringing as Dick Clark galumphed his way through his annual New Year’s Eve broadcast from Times Square? The effects of his 2004 stroke were in evidence.

The above quote is from Rhea at the Boomer Chronicles. No doubt many others were thinking the same thing and she links to several such reviews in her post.

But then Rhea turns the article around and wonders if this isn't actually the beginning of a positive trend. I agree. Though I didn't watch Mr. Clark this year and in fact haven't watched him for at least the past decade, I do feel that the less that stroke victims (or any other disease) are stigmatized the better for all. Mr. Clark had to relearn how to walk and talk and if part of his motivation for doing so was a desire to get back to his regular life then more power to him. Magic Johnson did the same thing with his announcement of being HIV positive and remaining in the public spotlight.