Charlie Sheen has been a tabloid staple for most of his adult life. Between his numerous arrests, failed relationships, and well-documented addictions, the actor has provided the media with endless fodder. It’s a miracle Sheen has had any time for his actual profession.
Two and a Half Men appeared to be Sheen’s saving grace. When he landed the role of Charlie on the half-hour sitcom approximately eight years ago, Sheen reinvented himself as a marketable entity who could successfully carry a show and relate to the everyman. He remarried twice, had more children, and stayed out of trouble for a reasonable amount of time—especially by his standards.
And yet, as is often the case with former addicts, Sheen has gone off the deep end once again, doing a complete 180 in a matter of months. He changed from a divorced family man into embattled party animal. His recent escapades include vacations and a 36-hour cocaine binge with multiple porn stars and one of his equally troubled ex-wives. He has also publicly said that he hopes his children ask him about his drug use so he can tell them some “epic” stories. Apparently, his years off drugs and alcohol were too “boring,” Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorre is a “bullshit TV persona,” and he is on “a drug called Charlie Sheen.” He has also spouted various anti-Semitic remarks about Lorre. This past week, production on Two and a Half Men was shut down in response to Sheen’s actions, specifically his multiple public jabs at the top management at his network and the show itself. Sheen has subsequently been given multiple opportunities to voice his deluded opinions in multiple press outlets such as TMZ and ABC. And lest we forget the power of social media—he now has a very active Twitter account.
Sheen’s behaviour can be ultimately summed up as highly inappropriate. His wild, unpredictable actions are no longer just material for the media but a terrible example for his children. What will they think when they are old enough to hear and read about his exploits? What does his eldest from a previous marriage think? Can his children truly rely on him as a father?
Sheen’s recent behaviour has also resulted in extensive job losses for those who worked on his show. He has cost his fellow colleagues their jobs, at least temporarily, with the future of the show hanging in the balance. Multiple news sources claim it’s all for the greater good. Had Sheen really had grounds for his nasty comments about his employers, it would have been advisable to settle them quietly and with lawyers rather than hashing it all out in the media, resulting in an inevitable backlash from the hand that fed him (and frankly, paid him exceedingly over-the-top amounts of money). Once again, Sheen has failed to see that his actions have consequences for more than just himself.
And what of the media, which has allowed him to wreak havoc with his words and provided a public venue to view photos and videos of his antics? While this is another article in and of itself, it’s worth mentioning, however briefly, that the media have served once again as enablers, provocateurs, and exploiters of a man who is clearly unhinged.
In Sheen’s defence, there’s no doubt the man needs help, both of the therapeutic and the rehabilitation variety, and is thus not completely responsible for all of his actions. So if there’s any reason to refrain from fully holding him accountable, it’s the fact that he is likely not in his best frame of mind at the moment.
Charlie Sheen is turning into a parody of himself and probably won’t have much time before his current situation becomes less of a media fascination and more of a total and utter tragedy.
