Neil Patrick Harris, who rose to fame playing kid doctor Doogie Howser on Doogie Howser M.D., has told PEOPLE that he is gay.  Harris currently stars on How I Met Your Mother.

“The public eye has always been kind to me, and until recently I have been able to live a pretty normal life. Now it seems there is speculation and interest in my private life and relationships.

“So, rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love.”

If you watched the show you will remember that Doogie’s good friend Vinnie was always sneaking in Doogie’s window late at night as he typed in his computer journal. The producers of the show were just foreshadowing what was to come on future episodes of the show and in Harris’ personal life. Too bad the show got cancelled. It was almost as good as Alf. 

Neil was the ‘celeb of the day’ at Disney World back in 1993 when I was there with my family. My sister had a crush on him and kept wanting to see him and get his autograph. I kept joking with her all day that I had just saw him and she would go to the spot I told her he was. Of course I was playing with her and like the boy who cried wolf I did eventually see Neil right around midnight before the park closed. I told my sister and she didn’t believe me, but after practically dragging her to him, she met him and obtained his autograph. If we had only known then what we know today I could have saved her a bunch of time and butterflies.