On Charlie Sheen
I’ve always liked the guy, his acting, and I must say: what they did to Robert Downey Jr. was despicable.
I don’t know, can’t be sure, but in the clips here and there, what I’m picking up is fucking righteous indignation. Has anyone raised the possibility? Who’s life is it? I think he’s admitted to being chemically dependent in the past. If he still is, is it not his business? And if he’s not, what’s the more likely explanation of what’s going on; that he just simply must be because he isn’t seeking "help?" Or, that he’s just fucking tired of all the bullshit, after all? you see, once dependent, always dependent. You just go from chemical, to all those trying to "help" you. Don’t forget the fees!
And if you have the audacity to go it alone…well, you lack the necessary contriteness. How dare you thumb your nose at those who want you to be perpetually dependent. Doesn’t play in Peoria, or some shit like that.
@charliesheen, his new Twitter account he started less than a day ago, has amassed over 1 million followers in less than 24 hours, which has to be a record. I’m one of them and I wish him well.
Anyway, comments open for any and all speculation or discussion. If you want to debase yourself and be mean, I sense he can handle it.
Update: Ok, let’s move on. We’ve all had our fun on this little diversion. 100 comments is enough.
100 Comments
1k
118k
40
45
8k
780
He may be a bit out there, but have you seen the “goddesses” – WINNING!
Serious. Everyone needs to back the fuck off his personal business. Another problem brought about by people having nothing going on in their personal life worth a shit so they have to follow celebrities to get their thrills.
I’ve always loved his style. Not sure whats going on here lately with him, but I still give him
the benefit of the doubt. I listened to him the other day on the AJ show, only because I was
curious about what he has to say, and not that AJ dude. His emotions seemed really out there in that interview. To the point where it had me concerned. But I believe that’s just
Charlie being wittingly sarcastic. Or maybe he’s re-living his reaction from winning at the GGA years ago, Quote: “This is like a sober acid trip” Un-Quote. Gosh I love that line.
It’s all very curious to me. It may be as simple as coming to the realization that he doesn’t need to hold back, can say what the fuck he wants, those who don’t like it can just go fuck themselves and he’ll be alright anyway.
Of course, I wouldn’t know anything about that.
There are a lot of wackos in Hollywood. For example, Mel Gibson… I think he went completely off the rails. Charlie Sheen… I’m not sure, I haven’t been following the festivities that closely. But he seems to be irritating the main stream media or at least not behaving as they expect him to behave so in that regard I enthusiastically support Mr. Sheen. The MSM, or as I call them, Fucktards with a Microphone, wouldn’t know shit from shinola if you shoved their head up their ass.
I believe Charlie, Mel, and people like Russel Crow are seeing Hollywood and the collective for what they are. I wouldn’t go as far as dubbing them wacko.
Willis gets it for what it is, too. That Diane Sawyer interview way back was classic.
We can’t have people living their own lives! It upsets the collective.
Personally I think he’s a fucking Rock Star from Mars!
I still think it’s hilarious that out of the 21 people he decided to follow on Twitter one of them was Nick Swisher–for those who don’t know he’s the New York Yankees’ right fielder. Charlie’s a huge baseball fan but that was still pretty random. Swish is a notorious attention whore so he’s undoubtedly loving that Charlie found him worthy.
As for Charlie himself he’s obviously reached his I-don’t-give-a-fuck point. He’s made shitloads of money basically playing himself on “Two and a Half Men” and he’s getting a nice chunk of syndication money, he doesn’t need to suck up to anyone for a job anymore, unlike what Robert Downey had to do when he came back. I thought the Piers Morgan interview was more of a performance, though, it seemed like he was a little too studied, his remarks a bit too glib. Personally? I hope that he keeps this up, fake or not. It would really suck if a year from now his contrite serious face is on the cover of “People” with the tag CHARLIE SHEEN: I’M A CHANGED MAN. Now if he was with his “goddesses” and the tag was CHARLIE SHEEN: SUCK IT, HATERS! that would be made of complete and utter awesome.
Trish:
Thank you. You make me love my commenters. You hit every major point, moral points, really. Points of dignity.
People may not get it, but a big reason behind blogging as I do is to push out the pussies and get more like you. Hopefully there’s enough.
I’ve got zero problem with the guy as long as he keeps to himself. In fact, I rather admire his attitude all of what’s going on. Although, calling out others working on his TV show as incompetent is not smart.
Guy’s lost it. Delusions of grandeur at a scale never seen before. He can brag all he wants about being a functioning addict and making a super high salary. Lots of people have done it. It rarely ends well. Guy actually looks pale and sick like a fucking cancer patient. If that’s “winning”, I want no part of it. As for Nikoley’s argument that its “his life, leave him alone” I think most agree, aside from his employers, which is what this whole thing is actually about. That’s why he went to rehab, and that’s why he’s back now. Why he’s suddenly totally insane is the mystery hahaha
his employers have the absolute right to exercise whatever terms exist in the contract they want. If it’s disputable, then they’ll work it out, fight it out, settle or drop it.
Another interesting aspect is that if he does still have addiction problems, putting himself out there like this may end up being far more thereputic than regular visits to the shrink. There’s the potential for a large double edged sword if he fucks this up.
I frankly have no firm position beyond two things: it is his life and I see we agree on that. Second, I like to see a man fight, which it looks to me he’s doing, for whatever reasons. I assume he has ‘fuck you’ money, so maybe he’s trying to break new ground. It has always amazed me how the super rich are so careful about what they say. Stern would be a rare exception.
Maybe, just maybe, his goals are different from yours? You want a homely wife, 2 kids, a dog and a house with a white picket fence? Great, that constitutes “winning” to you. His definition is different. That’s what freedom is about.
I’m just jealous I can’t express myself as openly as that. Yet.
Richard, I kind of feel like Charlie sometimes. It took ME to change ME and want to get my life back. Yes if it were not for great folks in the community like you, Steve Cooksey, Mark Sisson and Art De Vany I might not have found the proper tools quickly, but ultimately it is because I made up my frickin mind to change. Everyone out there has some magic snake oil, but it is up to you. I wish Charlie the best. WINNING
For some reason the stuff that’s come out of his mouth lately is some of the funniest shit I’ve ever read. Anyone who makes me laugh that damn much gets nothing but well-wishes from me. And while I hope he doesn’t damage himself (or others) with the drugs, I’m with you: it’s his life.
Charlie Sheen is the chemotherapy for the cancer that is political correctness.
Bleach, I dunno…
First, the men that praise the “goddesses”.. Um, yeah, if it was reversed and it was a bunch of Jersey Shore type men lifting up their shirts and flexing and gelling their hair and running around doing the bidding of some woman.. I think you would throw up a bit in your mouth.
2 millon an episode? Is anyone worth this money? When in todays day and age people can’t afford to put food on the table we still look up to these people who do basically do nothing and praise them as “talented”. Have you ever acted? I have. It’s not too hard. OJ Simpson and Jessica Simpson have made a career of it for chrissakes..
I guess the latest of the blog that I have read is we are praising people for just being honest? Well John Galiano was hones when he said he loved Hitler and hated all ugly people and they should be killed. And he got fired from Dior. He was honest. What’s the diff?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/28/galliano-hitler-racist-rant-arrest_n_828955.html
“2 millon an episode? Is anyone worth this money?”
Everything is worth what its purchaser will pay for it.
– Publilius Syrus
If something is popular, then its worth in the free market is whatever all the millions of folks who purchase it want to pay. Is [whatever #1 pop song] worth [whatever huge sum]? Sure, why not?
Thanks for that quote, Sean. It took me until 25 or so to realize the truth in that.
“if it was reversed and it was a bunch of Jersey Shore type men lifting up their shirts and flexing and gelling their hair and running around doing the bidding of some woman.. I think you would throw up a bit in your mouth.”
Not all of us are hypocrits. However, it does seem to disturb you. Why is that?
Actually, I now realize that D has already trumped all discussion by invoking Godwin’s Law. I bow down before his superior reasoning.
“You know who else used to like strippers and blow? Hitler!”
No Sean, it is because they both happen to be in the top of the news, or celebrity gossip if you will, for drunken rants. It is topical. I am not just “evoking” the name of Hitler.
And I am a woman. So its her superior reasoning.
And her superior sense of humor.
it’s contextual, D.
While I would not “praise” Galiono for his drunken outburst, what alternative would you like, the bliss inherent in ignorance?
He doesn’t get paid $2 million an episode for acting. He gets the money for attracting viewers who stick around for the commercials. Enough do; therefore he is worth it.
Maybe Charlie is trying to be Andy Kaufman. But without the talent…
I haven’t been keeping up, but I remember Sheen on Letterman way back when he was just a young bratpacker. He was making fun of Marlon Brando, something about how Brando would have dinner with the family when they were filming Apocalypse Now but there was no conversation because Brando was too busy stuffing his face. This was back when Brando was still on a godlike pedestal in Hollywood, so for a young actor to mock him on Letterman, even if he had a famous daddy, was ballsy, and was pretty funny.
Personally, I prefer the Oliver Reed/Richard Harris types to the smug self-righteous Sean Penn’s who want to tell us how to live and how to vote, because they are famous actors, goddamnit! Snort as much coke off a hooker’s belly as you want, just don’t preach to me.
There aint no business like other peoples business. He is under the influence no doubt, but that doesnt mean he is not partly right in his views, just that he will speak them louder.
I guess I dont follow the star gossip circles so it took awhile to dig up what this was about. I gotta like the guy for not giving a shit what anybody thinks, and living how he wants to live.
So, like I was saying to a friend of mine, it’s his life, his business, who gives a fuck?
People are so fucking retarded. Man, it pisses me off.
I feel bad for him. I think we’re seeing a crack-fueled psychotic break. I think the court was right to send the LAPD to take his kids away, and I think it’s likely he’ll never get them back.
I don’t think he’s Norma Rae, and I don’t think he’s had it tough. Norma Rae didn’t have the head of CBS coming to her house to beg her to come back to work.
Sitcoms are a great gig for an actor, even the ones that aren’t making $2million/episode. It’s a 20 hour week for them. (And every third week is off.) They shoot at the studio, so they can sleep late and go home early. Cushy, cushy gig.
And they get to make people laugh. Even though they may delude themselves that the material is “beneath” them (while taking the $), the truth is they get to delight millions of people every week. They are beloved (though often wrongfully.)
A lot of actors are really strange, and some of the most beloved are unbelievable assholes. One major, major star’s hobby though his teen years was running block after block of his hometown, keying hundreds of cars at a time. (And everyone reading this has heard of this person and thinks he’s cool.)
Anyway…a whole lot of projection going on in Richard’s post, and the comments. I’ve never met Sheen. But I wouldn’t be so sure you’d like him if you actually knew him.
Yeah, yeah… we get it: you are jealous of people who make a lot of money with 20-hour work weeks. We should have more respect for you, because you work a lot more hours, right?
He’s living his life, not yours. How he chooses to do that is his decision. Everyone shut butt the hell out. Whether he is a nice guy or not is irrelevant.
“He’s living his life, not yours. How he chooses to do that is his decision. Everyone shut butt the hell out. Whether he is a nice guy or not is irrelevant”
Interesting point/observation. It’s always inherently risky raising and debating these subjects. You could be right. He is a professional actor, after all. Still, the point that it’s his life to harm is unassailable. I can also imagine how living under mass public scrutiny all one’s life (literally, in his case), could drive someone batshit crazy.
I still wish him well. Perhaps that my fault, but I hope not.
Oops, wrong quote. I meant to quote Joe’s last paragraph on projection in the post and comments.
I wish him well, too. It’s hard to believe this is the same person who played the jock in “Lucas.” (Little seen, but phenomenal film.)
I think Charlie’s considerably more talented than his father. But I don’t think he’ll ever recover. His career is over. He will have many, many years to rue this week.
(For a while, Robert Downey’s drug problems were as serious, but he never set out to destroy everyone who ever helped him.)
And Richard, this really isn’t about Sheen “standing up” to his bosses. Because if it were, he’d win, no doubt about it. A single phone call to Moonves is all it would take, and Lorre would move to another show. In season 8 of the #1 show, the star gets anything — ANYTHING — they want. But there’s no reason to make everyone lose face.
The real reason the show’s dead is that Moonves lost faith that he’d get another season. Everyone on the show is pay or play for 24 episodes at this point, and if Moonves renews, he’s on the hook even if Sheen sandbags the thing. Too much risk; Moonves has to pull the plug.
And you know all this first hand or are you talking out of your ass again?
Not on this show, but I have actually seen all this first-hand, yes. But you are just trolling me to avenge your netly honor, so I’m off to bed.
Good night, sweet Prince, and may flights of idiots sing thee to thy rest.
Actually, without revealing anything that isn’t public knowledge, I remembered that this exact scenario played out on Cybill, where Shepherd got Lorre fired off the show he created for her.
Cybill indeed got renewed. (Shepherd wasn’t crazy, though. Merely a b***c.)
But you really are full of shit, Sean. 🙂
Last word freak.
Wait, is that what this is all about? That you are in the biz but can’t really talk about it, and have to stay anonymous? But you are an ‘expert’ and no one else is allowed a valid opinion? Why don’t you just come right out and say it, ‘I worked as a gaffer on Jay Leno, so I’m really cool and insidery and stuff but I can’t talk about it, no one who doesn’t have insidery knowledge like me has the right to talk about this’. Oh wait you already did say this.
Did I mention I used to live in Hollywood? No, I wasn’t in the film or tv industry, but I met enough idiots who thought holding a mic on a real live TV show would fix all their daddy issues.
Sean: shattering delusions, one post at a time.
Wow…you lived in Hollywood for a year and know the word “gaffer.” Hats off!
And didn’t you used to live in Hollywood? 😉
Wow, you make idiotic claims and then weasel out of them. Tell us again about all the famous people you know but can’t talk about. Or how all the people here are self-identifying with Charlie Sheen.
Definite daddy issues.
I don’t like or hang out with anyone who threatens their wife with a knife (if that’s what actually happened). But that’s not the point. Even if he is batshit crazy (a debatable point), Richard specifically bolded this: “fucking righteous indignation”.
Sheen hasn’t taken (or been forced to take) the typical hypocritical Road to Contrition that is the de rigueur protocol of Hollywood. Apologise profusely, check oneself into a rehab clinic, appear contrite and supplicant. Let the establishment graciously forgive you.
The guy’s an asshole who thinks the WTC attacks were a government conspiracy, but at least he’s got style. If I had to personally embargo everyone I thought was an asshole in real life I’d have to trash most of my music collection.
Sean, what’s hypocritical is when actors mercilessly trash the same people whose asses they kissed DESPERATELY before landing the role.
BTW, what “Hollywood” shows have you worked on? Or are you also talking out of your ass?
I’ve never worked on a Hollywood show, but I actually did live in Hollywood for a year. None of it’s relevant to the discussion or whether I’m “talking out of my ass”. I doubt Charlie Sheen desperately had to kiss Lorre’s ass to get the job, but so what if he did? If you want to debate me, bring some more game to the table, cause you are looking like quite a dumb fuck at this point.
You “doubt”.
You are definitely talking out of your ass.
Am I feeding a troll or handing an idiot more rope?
OK, anonymous Joe please explain.
I actually stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night!
I’m actually not jealous. But I guarantee I know more about people like that than you do.
You’re pretty silly to identify with him.
Who’s identifying with him? Who? Relevant quotes, please.
“There, but for the grace of Martin Sheen, go I.” -Richard Nikoley
“Today, we are all Charlie Sheen.” -Ruben
Damn, there’s your smoking gun.
“Today, we are all Charlie Sheen.”
You mean filthy rich, banging porn stars and getting high? I wish.
Still, two out of three ain’t bad. 🙂
Of course. You are such an authority on people that you can diagnose people you don’t know via gossip media. I bow to your complete mastery of judgmental fucktardism.
🙂
At least I don’t imagine that he’s my special friend.
Something told me this comment thread could be a kick in the pants. Nice work, gents. Now, nobody give a goddamned inch, y’hear? 🙂
Fuck you, you fucking hypocrite!!! Or something.
Right back atcha, or something.
Now I’m actually laughing out loud.
This could be said for any celebrity. Who gives a fuck.
The reply would be… millions, obviously. Makes me want to shoot my TV/computer/smart phone/etc.
What the hell Joe, is it full moon?
Is something going on with Charlie Sheen? Apparently I’ve been too busy with my own life to notice. If Richard hadn’t blogged about it I probably wouldn’t have known anything until my DVR was no longer recording Two and a Half Men. The sole reason I allow Hollywood into my life AT ALL is so they can entertain me. I couldn’t care less what they “think”. But since I have a profound respect for anyone with that righteously indignant “fuck you” attitude (as is evidenced by my love of all things R. Nikoley) I say, “good on ya, Charlie!” Nothing gives me a giggle like someone giving “authority” the finger.
Only reason I knew, Sheryl was first some cryptic remark by a friend on FB that I dismissed, then I happened to stumble onto the last few minutes of an interview on 20/20 2 nights ago. So yra, I get what you mean.
Wow, I can’t believe no one has mentioned this yet. What’s going on here is obvious.
ANY other non-celebrity human being would be in jail for what Charlie Sheen has done. Read the police reports. The outrage/attention given to Sheen is simply a manifestation of people’s sense of unfairness about how the law works.
Imagine that Charlie Sheen was black, poor and living in Newark NJ. The police show up at a hotel room where he admits that he’s been snorting cocaine off a hooker. Would he be in rehab and talking about his Adonis DNA and tiger blood on national TV, getting props for “sticking it to the man”, or in jail for 30 years of happy funtime buttrape?
I don’t care if people do drugs and are assholes (typical “legalize it” attitude towards things), but so long as we’re locking up one class of people for exactly his behavior, then it’s obvious hypocrisy not to throw him in jail too. The “righteous indignation” isn’t really targeted at his behavior, though our prudish society likes to say it is, it’s targeted at the fact that he’s getting away with it, the fact that there exists this class of people who we arbitrarily exclude from the punishment we eagerly mete out to everyone else. It taps into the anger people feel towards bankers (notice how the only one of them to go to jail was the guy who stole money from rich celebrities despite massive systemic fraud) or really any group of people who through their social power avoid the laws the rest of us serfs have to deal with.
Of course, pointing this out on national tv would ruin the fun everyone is having and so it’s probably not going to happen. Instead, we’ll get uptight bullshit about how he’s insane (which he probably is, but whatever) and being mean to the people who used to be employed on his TV show.
Insightful observation.
I think the difference is that some people want to pull someone like Charlie Sheen back down with the regular folks, while other wish to pull the regular folks up to the Charlie Sheen level. In other words, some people believe everyone should be able to live their life the way they see fit as long as they aren’t harming anyone else. Other people believe no one should be able to be outrageous as it’s offensive and hurts people’s feeling sometimes.
Yeah so how do you plan on pulling the regular folks up to Charlie Sheen’s level? We don’t have money or fame, and if we did what he’s done we’d end up in jail no questions asked, no interviews granted, no warlocks summoned.
There’s a reason revolutions are precipitated by and associated with blatant displays of how different the upper class is from the peons. “Let them eat cake” ring a bell? I doubt “tiger blood and Adonis DNA” is going to cause any protests, but it is indicative of the same essential problem: a class of people who all act as if they’re better than everyone else, apparently genuinely believe they’re better than everyone else, and who manage to actually BE a special class, at least when it comes to run ins with the law.
The allure of being special makes people stare, the realization that this sort of behavior is only possible without consequence if you’re of the privileged class makes them throw feces.
I don’t have a plan, I’m just one man who likes hiking and visiting the library. I see the discrepancy but simply wish for everyone to enjoy that freedom. If he becomes more successful he will become a role model, if he crashes and burns, a bad example.
Totally agree about the idiotic War on Drugs and celebrity exceptionalism. But I don’t think it is that hypocrisy or double standard that is at the root of the righteous indignation, or not the majority of it. I believe it is the righteously indignant segment of society who are responsible for promulgating the ridiculously wasteful WoD.
They absolutely are, very true. But while they SAY, “Oh he’s doing something tut tut” what they MEAN is “Oh he’s not going to jail! The fuck!?”
pfw
“I don’t care if people do drugs and are assholes (typical “legalize it” attitude towards things), but so long as we’re locking up one class of people for exactly his behavior, then it’s obvious hypocrisy not to throw him in jail too.”
Of course. Having the distinction of being the country with the highest per-capita incarceration rate in the whole world, the obvious solution is not to rail against the injustice of the drug war, mandatory sentences and so on, the solution is to put even more people in jail.
https://freetheanimal.com/2005/10/america_the_pol.html
The solution is to abolish drug prohibition. We are not a society that deals in solutions, however.
We’re a society that deals in making sure we get ours, and making sure other people get theirs. Charlie Sheen not being in jail excites the part of our brain that chimps out and throws feces when someone else gets cake while we get pre-formed Monkey Pellet #7.
So long as we’re jailing everyone who isn’t a celebrity, not jailing celebrities is hypocrisy. You can avoid that by not jailing everyone or by throwing the celebrities in jail. Bets on which one Americans will go for tomorrow?
(Answer: neither, ’cause he’s a warlock)
It’s not like no celebs do time either.
Stewart
Downey Jr
Hilton
Lohan
Anyone else?
Incidentally, I love how righteous mobs howl in glee when the successful go down. I wish they would be so generally gleeful when a politician goes to the clinker.
Those are kind of the exception that proves the rule. Downey Jr is actually a bad example, since he managed to get away with nonsensical behavior for a while before actually ending up in prison for any length of time.
Let me put it this way: if you were dragged out of a wrecked hotel room in a drug induced haze, do you think you’d get away with only fake celebrity rehab?
When it’s just you, no children and you want to nuc your brain and explode your heart by taking massive anounts of drugs and go out in a body bag, have at it, but when you make the decision to bring 5 children( he has an older daughter by yet another woman/marriage) into this world , it becomes a life long commitment. It’s no longer just “your life” to selfishly do as you please and be “left alone.” The drug fog he’s in, can’t see the forest for the tress. The guy needs help.
“it becomes a life long commitment”
Really, Marilee? So when two people ever produce any offspring they are henceforth beholden to your child rearing values for life?
So far as I know, he hasn’t harmed any of his children. And I wonder, what do _they_ want? And certainly, they are unlikely to have financial problems or want for anything their entire lives. The have a rich grandpa, too.
Those _POOR_ kids.
Well, on my side of the fence, it is. I see it as a responsibility to be as good a parent as I can be for as long as I can be. For my children and grandchildren. Doesn’t mean we all do a great job of it, but at least no delusions of granduer or thinking I have tiger dna, and can escape the dangers of doing massive drugs repeatedly. I’m not talking about harming them physically , I’m talking about dying and leaving the burden of raising them ( and yes, sometimes it feels like a burden) to someone else. What would you rather, Richard, your mom and dad living a long healthy life or money?
“as good a parent as I can be”
Oh, really? And however good YOU can be is projected upon others such as Sheen as minimum requirements?
“What would you rather, Richard, your mom and dad living a long healthy life or money?”
What I’d rather, as a self sufficient adult, implied absolutely ZERO obligation on the part of my parents. Their moral/ethical obligations to me were completely and forever extinguished, no matter what, the moment I left the nest in 1979. Now, that doesn’t mean they haven’t helped me out since then or I them. I have employed my mother in my company since 1993 and now that she’s semi-retired at the age of 70, she does sales work from home and still makes a tidy income.
But you had a healthy and secure childhood, I believe you described it as idyllic, if not perfect (whose is ?) right?
“So when two people ever produce any offspring they are henceforth beholden to your child rearing values for life?”
When someone is a shitty parent I have the right to rip on them for it. I’m not sure what kind of parent Sheen actually is, and I agree that parents have no obligations upon their children after adulthood, but Sheen’s kids aren’t adults.
Scott Adams (Dilbert) wrote that in his blog that in his brief encounter with Sheen, Charlie was the sharpest one on set, didn’t miss a single line. I’m not going to assume he’s a lousy parent just because he parties hard and harbors idiotic conspiracy theories.
Do I think having kids is a moral obligation, of course it is. Having a dog is a fucking moral obligation. If I see someone abusing their dog or child, or whatever, they aren’t beholden to my moral values, but they suck.
Not sure what you were gatherting from my reply, Sean, but I don’t disagree with any of that, so far as I can tell.
I was taking Marilee to task for asserting that the moral obligation is life long. It’s not. And incidentally, I don’t think its _always_ the right choice for parents to stay together, no matter what. Families can be so dysfunctional if mom & dad hate one another that forcing themselves to live in close proximity can be less optimal for the kids than if they were to slip up and each work on building as healthy of a half family as you can.
Two and a half men has always been a guilty pleasure of mine.
Great writing, great ensemble work, very funny. And, to a large extent, the completely amoral, stupid, and hapless character played by Charlie Sheen, playing Charlie Sheen, is an entertaining trainwreck to watch.
However,
In my real life, I am the victim of infidelity in my marriage, and belong to an online support group of people recovering from that abuse. There are about 30,000 of us.
Charlie Sheen has singlehandedly triggered and set back a good number of those folk by his public and unapologetic adultery, violence, abuse, and rhetoric.
I acknowledge his right to self-destruct. How does it do service to your own intellect, and the community of your readers, to praise this man and his decisions?
There’s a difference between watching someone do something wrong, that is their right, and shaking your head, and watching someone do something wrong, that is their right, and extolling their virtue.
Cheaters suck. Famous or not.
Should he be praised? No. But that’s not the point anyone is making. The point is: should he be vilified by millions of people on whose lives his actions have absolutely no bearing? Of course not. You can’t shift failure of your support group onto him. He’s just doing the cheating. He isn’t buying airtime from his personal funds to publicize it. If you want to blame anyone, blame either the media or the dumbfucks that the media panders to.
ps.
Support group for (male?) victims of infidelity? Jesus Christ how gay. Drink a quart of whiskey, slap the ho, bang her best friend. Problem solved.
“Support group for (male?) victims of infidelity? Jesus Christ how gay. Drink a quart of whiskey, slap the ho, bang her best friend. Problem solved.”
While I wholeheartedly agree, in spirit, how is it you conclude the commenter is male? Incidentally, I think females should get on as well. In both cases, there’s a absolute value in having a massively flawed character exposed, such that you can go find someone else and hopefully not be as bright eyed the second time around.
Invariably in interviews I’ve seen, those subject to infidelity knew the sings and high potential were there all along. It’s so easy to spot.
“How does it do service to your own intellect, and the community of your readers, to praise this man and his decisions?”
I wish him well. I’m not praising him, at least not yet. Trying to understand as a point of curiosity. I don’t watch his show, never have. Looks like he may have set this on a course where sumthin’s gotta give. We’ll have to wait and see what it is.
What I want to know is how this man, who seems to have lost it a bit (tiger blood and Adonis DNA? Really, Charlie?), constitutes the LEAD story on every fucking news program on every fucking channel for the last week. Am I following him on Twitter? No – I see and hear far more of him on a daily basis than I care to.
Jan:
Valid point. Full admission: this post was an irresistible indulgence for me, for whatever reason. I don’t do it often and never will.
This is yet another story the corporate owned media use to distract the American public from real news. I no longer watch teevee. I gave up cable a year and a half ago because I couldn’t justify paying for 200 channels and watching about four programs. When I want real news I go to several blogs around the world that do news analysis. Lucky me I can read three languages and that helps. My four programs I watch on CastTV for free.
Having said all that, there is nothing righteous about Sheen’s indignation. He is not a grown man, he developmentally arrested at a teenage level, probably from his drug use. It’s embarrassing how he is airing his dirty laundry without regard for his family, his children, his friends, his colleagues. He didn’t get where he is alone. No one does. He owes his success to luck, which so many so-called adults refuse to acknowledge, plus the support of writers, producers, crew, and actors. His decision to be an asshole affects the jobs of hundreds of people on his show, not just the faces we see on the sitcom.
Yes, responsible people think about how the consequences of their actions affect others, and behave accordingly.
This isn’t about the “collective,” this is about a human being deteriorating in front of the world, in a fit of drug-addled narcissism.
“He didn’t get where he is alone. No one does. He owes his success to luck”
No, he doesn’t. See the last paragraph.
https://freetheanimal.com/2011/03/on-charlie-sheen.html#comment-60958
What he owes to luck is the ease with which he had the _opportunity_ to give it a shot without having to break down doors as a nobody.
He owes his _success_ to years of hard work and dedication. He’s in a very tough and competitive business. Film and TV studios don’t just hand out millions because you have a name. You have to constantly, consistently bring in the box office or the rating. You not only have to make a profit, but you have to make margins cmfortable enough that investors are willing to risk money on the next gig.
“….plus the support of writers, producers, crew, and actors. His decision to be an asshole affects the jobs of hundreds of people on his show, not just the faces we see on the sitcom.
“Yes, responsible people think about how the consequences of their actions affect others, and behave accordingly.”
Oh cry me a river for all the poor downtrodden folks who live in Hollywood. What will they do if Sheen doesn’t do his duty and show up for work for as long as it pleases his dependents.
You know, someone once wrote a very long book about what would happen if the engines and prime movers of production and productivity went on strike, rather than the workers. You might have heard of it. I hear there’s a movie coming out April 15th. Sheen isn’t in it, though.
Ha, ha. Keep in mind, Jan, that’s only a problem if you live in the US. That’s why I had some fun arguing about it. I imagine if I was living there and was actually inundated with it, I’d be sick of it. Kurt Harris characterized FTA as a paleo pub and I think that’s a great term. So I don’t think its a bad thing to talk about something as frivolous as this, along with more serious things like lying vegan liars and their lies 😉
Uh, lemme get this straight. He outs the writer he hates by revealing his ethnic background and jewish name, even while his own real name is Carlos Irwin Estevez? He goes on and on about how great he is and states several times how big his house is and how small everyone else’s are, and all the hot babes he sleeps with. What a prick.
I’m very disappointed in you Richard to supporting such a maggot like Sheen. He is a spoiled brat. If he ever worked a real job in his life like the rest of the world, he would be on his knees begging for his job back. I’m hoping this Paleo Movement is not going to become a yuppie circle jerk promoted by rich and priviledged wankers scratching each other’s backs.
Sheen is a no-talent megalomaniac who’s lucky to have a famous dad, and whether he speaks his mind or not, he has no respect for his fellow human beings. He should thank his lucky stars he has what he does, especially these days.
Let’s stop worshipping people because they’re the rich and famous. They shoudn’t get any special treatment at all. He did absolutely nothing to earn his money except crap movies and an unfunny show.
No talent!? Obviously you have not seen Men at Work.
Ha ha. But Keith David was the true talent in that film.
“Aww, lookie here. Looks like somebody threw away a perfectly good white boy!”
“Rent-a-cops! I hate rent-a-cops too! “
I totally agree. He is slimy. He is all over the media proclaiming himself to be the “tiger”, how wonderful he is, how rich he is, his eyes are darting all over the place, he looks and talks like he’s delusional or has brain damage from decades of cocaine abuse. He looks like a skeleton, he now has a permanent angry scowl on his face. Yikes. And those “goddesses” – are you kidding me? They look skankier than he does!
“I”m very disappointed in you Richard”
Well excuse me while I go cry my eyes out. Puhleez. Obviously you harbor expectations of my based upon the sliver of my life you see here combined with your own projections representing your own values and not mine.
News flash: humans are complex beings and the myriad things we value and disvalue aren’t always internally consistent and in fact, I’d guess rarely are. Chances are there are any number of people in the world who don’t even behave as badly as Sheen, and I still wouldn’t like them. Why? Fuck if I know, but I’m not going to lie about it, though virtually everyone else in the world probably does. You’re supposed to condemn Sheen. Therefore, you can see absolutely nothing good in this. You must condemn him. Resistance is futile and you will be assimilated.
“Sheen is a no-talent…”
That’s objectively untrue and simply the result of your insistence on projecting your values onto all others. Because YOU don’t care for his acting, which is perfectly fine, then NOBODY ought care for his acting, lest they face your disappointment and scorn.
Hollywood is littered with the corpses of those who were lucky enough to get their shot, including the sons & daughters of the highly connected, but could never sustain it. What, Sheen makes 2 mil an episode because the studios like him, are buddies with Martin? Obviously the guy has the talent required to hold a successful career together for so long and commands audiences large enough to deliver those kind of bucks. Perhaps even more, as he has managed to do it in spite of the chemical entertainment.
You know you’re right. I shouldn’t be disappointed by you. You rich guys are all the same. Rally round each other and protect your ranks!
Just because Sheen can show up to read his lines, either on or off drugs, for a nothing show like Two and a Half Twats does not mean he is an actor, or an artist, or anybody worthy of credit or deserving of protection. If you like him it’s because you’re falling for a ridiculous and pointless circus freak show not unlike Ann Coulter or Johnny Rotten, or whoever lights themself on fire this week. They are just selling shit. In this case, themselves.
That guy deserves to be ignored. And maybe to wake up to an alarm clock for once like the rest of us. He obviously doesn’t think he is one of us. WHY would you admire that???
“You rich guys”
I wish.
Just more projection of some weird ideal you have of me. But knock yourself out.
“…a nothing show like Two and a Half Twats does not mean he is an actor, or an artist, or anybody worthy of credit or deserving of protection.”
With the exception of the millions upon millions who like him for who he is and/or who he pretends to be when playing a role. But, of course, they’re all idiots, morons, disappointments in your oh so lofty eyes.
I think I’ll start calling you “The Projector.”
“…not unlike Ann Coulter or Johnny Rotten, or whoever lights themself on fire this week. They are just selling shit. In this case, themselves.”
Coming from an anonymous commenter who goes by the handle “BangOn.”
Classy.
Who is this “Charlie Sheen” guy. If you know and you care, you are part of why the current culture sucks.
From the Editor: OK, as I just posted in an update to the post, time’s up. Everyone had a good time, some decent flames and I think everyone got in at least one good shot at whomever they wanted to. By coincidence when I closed comments I noticed there were exactly 100. #WINNING 🙂