[Drew68]

She’s asking for “privacy”. Why did she tell anyone to begin with?

There are a lot of people in Hollywood who are in the business of outing the personal news of celebrities. Often, they'll demand a bribe to keep the lid on something. There's also people, a nurse for example, who would've been privileged to Applegate's condition and would have no problem selling tips to entertainment reporters.

She was diagnosed some time ago and might've figured the news was going to come out so she should just let it come out herself.

[Gay State Conservative]

I worked at a very famous hospital for many years and encountered several rather well known people during that time. If it had occurred to me to call the National Enquirer I just might have done so...if the money was right!