Bozell Column: Too Much Tolerance for Charlie Sheen
The 911 call went out on January 27. Charlie Sheen was unconscious after another wild 36-hour bout with alcohol and drugs. People magazine reported paramedics found him unresponsive, drooling blood. He looked like death. He was rushed to the hospital, and there the family gathered, expecting the worst. Again, he survived.
Nobody seems able to stop this train. No one can force him to change. And CBS will stop at nothing in its willingness to dote on its superstar, offering no “judgmental” analysis of his behavior. In this business, profitability comes before respectability. Sheen, star of the filthy sitcom "Two and a Half Men," is the highest-paid actor in television (at $1.2 million an episode), and he can apparently do and say anything and be welcomed back to work. It’s why Entertainment Weekly calls Sheen “TV’s Most Valuable Disaster.”
This latest health scare required a suspension of his top-rated show. Sheen agreed to rehab – at home, where it meant nothing. Within two weeks, Sheen was calling into a radio show to insist he had to get back to work, before he binged again: "It's like, I heal really quickly. But I unravel pretty quickly. So get me right now, guys,” the obvious cocaine junkie said to CBS.
But that wasn't the scariest thing Sheen said. He also proclaimed if you can manage crack cocaine “socially,” go for it: "I said stay off the crack, and I still think that's pretty good advice, unless you can manage it socially. If you can manage it socially, then go for it, but not a lot of people can, you know?"
That’s some effective rehab, don’t you think? Hours after the go-for-crack interview, CBS announced “Two And A Half Men” would be going back into production at the end of the month. To CBS and Warner Brothers, which produces the show, Sheen is merely a cash cow to be milked.
James Hibberd at the Hollywood Reporter noticed that CBS has no record of expressing disapproval for Sheen's flood of excesses.
In the spring of 2006, Sheen's ex-wife, Denise Richards, filed court documents accusing Sheen of being an abusive, unstable porn and gambling addict. CBS offered no comment for two weeks, and then gushed “Charlie Sheen has been a true professional and a valued friend to CBS. We offer him our continued support during this very difficult time."
On Christmas Day 2009, Sheen was arrested for assault in Colorado on charges related to domestic violence. Then-wife Brooke Mueller told a 911 operator that Sheen threatened her with a switchblade. CBS had no comment for two weeks, and then at a TV critics press tour, CBS entertainment chief Nina Tassler insisted “We’re being very sensitive to the fact that it’s a very personal and very private matter for Charlie. It has no impact on the network. His show is proceeding along with its regular production schedule and has had no impact. Right now, it’s business as usual.”
That says it all. CBS is in complete denial that Sheen's “very private matters” are all over the national media, and it's “business as usual” for CBS executives to plead “no impact” and ignore it all.
Last February, when Sheen entered rehab as part of a plea bargain, they played the patsy again: “We wish him nothing but the best as he deals with this personal matter.” Then in May, after gossip that Sheen would quit CBS, they renewed his contract at the new millionaire-every-week level.
Asked why CBS made the deal, Tassler responded:“Because the show is called Two and a Half Men. It’s not called One and a Half. Because it is the show, his point of view. He’s a big star. We’re so thrilled to have him back. I think we value our stars and our actors.” They may value Sheen as an actor – but they don’t really value him as a human being.
In November, Sheen trashed a New York hotel and partied with porn star Capri Anderson, who later told ABC she felt threatened when he put his hands around her neck. But Entertainment Weekly notes these stories have “never damaged his public persona.”
In the last original show before production stopped, show creator and producer Chuck Lorre's trademark “vanity card” comment that flashes for seconds at the end of the show joked that he'd be upset if Sheen outlived him. Sheen wasn't upset. He said he loved it: “I took it as a huge compliment. He basically wrote a brilliant little piece of literature and called me Superman.”
Charlie Sheen is “Superman” to CBS – which tells you everything you need to know about how this network wouldn't know immorality if...it threatened them with a switchblade.
- Brent Bozell's blog
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Comments
Money for nothing and your chicks for free
Submitted by MidAmerica on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 10:21am.
This show is nothing but soft porn. The reason Sheen does it so effortlessly is because he is just playing himself. If Charles Manson was to play Charles Manson he would do a pretty good job too and I bet he could be just as entertaining as Sheen.
Why does CBS have no standards? They would be ridiculed and critisized by the rest of Hollywood if they did.
I know this suggestion won't fly
Submitted by StarAZ on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 12:43pm.
We could mind our own business. Just a thought.
Never watched "Cheers"...Never watched "Mash"...
Submitted by Red Jeep on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 10:38am.
Never watched "Seinfeld" and guess what?... never watched Charlie Sheen's stupid show, as I bet most of America doesn't. Tried to find rating numbers but couldn't find any.
So is this the best of the worst that CBS has to offer? Sad.
CBS And Other Media's Shameless Exploitation
Submitted by Boil It Down on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 10:52am.
Unwisely applied tolerance can produce some very ugly and destructive results.
Brent Bozell seems to be one of only a handful in the media that really gives a damn about Charlie Sheen. Most everyone else is just using him up until there's nothing left. Sheen is a human being after all and the media parasites need to be removed from him so that he may heal.
The Tiffany Network?
Submitted by Mike Bratton on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 10:46am.
Yeah, that's what it used to be called.
Nowadays, all it can say about itself is that it's America's Most Watched Network.
But more people dumpster-dive for their dinners than eat at Michelin three-star restaurants...
--Mike
We are shocked!
Submitted by Doktor Riktor V... on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 10:55am.
Shocked, shocked, shocked I tell ya! Whooda thunk it?!
Seriously, this SOP for hollywierd. One only need to look over the last 30 some odd years at the hypocracy of these people. Look at what they promote, and in almost every instance, you'll find it violates all types of moral decency. So why should this be any different?
Additionally, the producers of this junk, are the first to jump on bandwagons crying foul at all major corporations that dare to make a profit. That is except themselves and their kindred spirits in the music industry. Walmart, bad, evil, corporation, Sony, good good good productive and savy business people.
Point in case.
Remember when the music industry, (led by SONY in particular), were demanding that the creators of sites like LIMEWIRE and others be brought to justice for copyright infringements. The "arteests" were crying in their beers and shouting from the rooftops as to how much revenue was being taken out of their pockets. (As a side note here, what happened to share the wealth folks?). Anyhoo, the fact that people were, horror of horrors, sharing music files with others and the above mentioned folks weren't making a dime, was EVIL!
Now don't get me wrong, I am all for rule of law, but somehow this demand seems so absured to me. If that is a problem for these folks then libraries shouldn't be lending books, CDs and movies, because someone is reading, listening, or watching someone elses creation without paying for it. Funny, how these folks love free market capitalism when it works in their favor. Secondly, many of these self-made men and women, learned their trades in the music industry by, you guessed it, actually recording a tape from a friends LP, and listening to it to learn how to play an instrument or worse learn and play a song so they can do covers in bars, honky tonks, and state fairs.
If these folks were serious about protecting their creations, these companies should not have made Tape recorders, VCRs, DVRs, etc. They could have make the preceeding machines, that only played back without recording abilities.
CBS is enabling Sheen
Submitted by Blonde on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 10:55am.
I remember reading that his father and the rest of his family have tried repeatedly to have "interventions" for Charlie Sheen. It's very obvious that he's incapable of getting himself under control.
This is the sad fact of addiction. A person must hit bottom before confronting reality, and CBS's enablement of Sheen's addictions merely prevent him from reaching his own bottom. (Which I suspect may eventually lead to death, his or others'). An addicted person's "bottom" varies, but you have to let them hit it before they can confront it. CBS is taking the short term view of his problems, which may ultimately end up in tragedy. They could (and should, IMO) sign him to a contract that requires weekly drug testing, but they won't.
I know there has been criticism of his ex wife for keeping mum, but remember, she's the mother of two of his children.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
WTF?
Submitted by Newsbubba on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 10:57am.
I'm over on Drudge this morning reading about the world coming apart at the seams, Geithner in bed with the Chicoms, Obama up to His usual Fascist crap, and all Bozell can find to write about is a coke head Hollywood star who tells the truth about his habits?
People, we need to actually start paying attention to the "fundamental transformation of this nation" that is gaining speed by the hour. What Charlie Sheen does or doesn't do ain't going to make much difference.
Where do we turn now that it is totally apparent that our government is declaring war on us through their unions both here and abroad? I'm not sure we can last till the next election to clean house in Washington.
Hell, Obama can declare marshall law because of all the chaos that He is encouraging and stay in office like His buddy, Hugo.
I agree entirely. This is a
Submitted by Smartypants on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 11:16am.
I agree entirely. This is a free country and Charlie Sheen is free to do as he pleases. If he is breaking the law, then he should be arrested and prosecuted accordingly. If not, CBS and Sheen are free to grab the money train while it's rolling. There are bigger things going on than a drugged out Hollywood nutjob's foibles. CBS is under no obligation to care about Sheen as a person. It would be great if that network did care, but it's not a huge deal if that's not the case. It is Sheen's own family who holds most of the responsibility for his health and safety; if they are willing to let Sheen go down the drain so be it. Why should CBS care any more than Charlie's own blood?
He's a middle aged man.His
Submitted by sablegsd on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 1:49pm.
He's a middle aged man.His family can't do squat except pray for him.Fine, but CBS can't do squat
Submitted by Smartypants on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 2:09pm.
Fine, but CBS can't do squat for him either--and I'm certainly no defender of the msm.
I have to agree. I could care
Submitted by ricklail on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 12:10pm.
I have to agree. I could care less about some Hollyweird lib. I watched about 15 minutes of his show when it debuted. Haven't watched anymore since.
I think you hit the nail on
Submitted by gregfahey on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 12:31pm.
I think you hit the nail on the head here. Although Brent's articles do as well, this one article does something I see too much today:
Get's our eyes off the ball.
The world is indeed coming apart whilst Nero fiddles. Nero being America collectively. Too many times I see article links right beside each other along these lines:
"Iran threatens to unleash nukes on Israel and the US."
and
"Lindsay and Samantha get into a Twitter spat!"
What I see happening in Wisconsin really disturbs me. This is volatile stuff and Obama and now Jesse Jackson intend to ride this horse for all it's worth. We are a country that has no concept about budgets and restraint (hmmm, sorta' like Sheen I guess) and when we are told we need to make a few sacrifices, we erupt into a temper tantrum. It's tanamount to the Titanic going down and the people being told to prepare. "Why......it's Bush's fault!" They cry collectively. It's all a moot point. I cringe to think what would have happened to this country in 1941 if we had this attitude back then. We've become spoiled children. We don't want to be told what to do. We want to plop the plastic card down, swipe it and we don't spend a nano-second on how we are going to pay it off. "Oh, we'll do that 'later'!" All the time we'd rather see what Lindsey is up to and watch Two and a Half Men for our moral compass.
One thing that bothers me most now? I see INS agents gunned down and we continue to eat and say "pass the salt please?". Napolitano issues a "tough" statement which I'm sure had these guys quaking in their boots. And...that's it. We used to get upset about this stuff and retaliate with hell unleashed. Now we have a butch woman wagging a finger to the killers.
Obama and Hillary are now turning their back on Israel.
Egypt is just the beginning. Radical Islam is taking the world over and we ho-hum about it.
Charlie Sheen? Sure there are much bigger problems looming but, in a way, isn't Charlie a microcosm of the USA right now while CBS mirrors our government? NO tough talk. It would be ignored (and is) anyway.
What a steaming mess we are in.
Bingo.
Submitted by Satchmo on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 12:37pm.
Bingo.
So what?
Submitted by Unsane on Sun, 02/20/2011 - 9:50pm.
Mr. Bozell can write about what he wants. it's his site. And if he wants to comment on the train wreck that is Charlie Sheen...what's the problem?
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
Childish bastards.....................
Submitted by Patriot II on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 11:01am.
like sheen do this for attention.....past "spoiled brat" stage and moved into spoiled A.H. stage imo............GROW UP you ignorant dipwad!
Charlie is protected
Submitted by Agnostic on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 11:13am.
He didn't name names in the DC Madame case so is politically protected as well as the protection proveded for by being a second generation Hollywood success story, in his career anyway).
"No one can force him to change." - That is absolutely right but you can rarely force an addict to change their addiction. You can force a situation on them that creates an opportunity for them to reevaluate their choices and to opt for other goals but you can not force them to change. Basically he needs a reason to change and others can provide that and it most likely is going to have to be tough love but that will be difficult considering Charlie's resources.
Now to more important matters.
Liberals
Submitted by iveseenitall on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 11:50am.
Charlie Sheen is a "liberal"---no morality, no values, no sense--- an immature, hypocritical, intolerant pointless existence which chooses personal pleasure over anything else. "Liberalism" continues to drag humanity to the depths of depravity---witness Charlie Sheen.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal" (progressive)
iveseenitall
Submitted by shawn. on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 1:22pm.
I agree with what you say about Sheen, however, I would say this is not exclusive to liberals. There are many conservatives in this world with substance issues and self pleasure lovers.
Here's a thought
Submitted by Rush to Judgement on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 12:02pm.
Stop watching his show. The only way to put him in his place is to take away his fame. Here me, conservatives?
http://boffo.livejournal.com/880530.html
Who cares?
Submitted by Satchmo on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 12:36pm.
Who cares?
Satchmo
Submitted by Rush to Judgement on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 12:43pm.
Who cares? Well you should, for one. This sicko tears at the moral fiber of America. He represents everything that is wrong and leads our youth in the decline of western civilization.
Aw, shucks, who am I kidding?
Tears at the moral fiber of
Submitted by Satchmo on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 1:11pm.
Tears at the moral fiber of America? No he doesn't. There isn't anything Charlie Sheen does that affects your life, liberty, or property. Are you that weak of a person that you are so threatened by the actions of an actor miles from you?
Precisely
Submitted by Rush to Judgement on Sun, 02/20/2011 - 10:20am.
And either I'm really bad with writing sarcasm, or you're really bad at recognizing it.
I think in this case it's
Submitted by Satchmo on Sun, 02/20/2011 - 1:55pm.
I think in this case it's both.
Precisely
Submitted by Rush to Judgement on Sun, 02/20/2011 - 10:20am.
And either I'm really bad with writing sarcasm, or you're really bad at recognizing it.
Authoritarian tendencies slip again
Submitted by Unsane on Sun, 02/20/2011 - 9:55pm.
Once again, Incestmo, the authoritarian who swears up and down he is a "libertarian", is bent out of shape that someone wrote a commentary on a human train wreck. Freedom of speech simply does not apply to select people in Incestmo's world.
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
I DON'T CARE ABOUT SHEEN
Submitted by ripper58 on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 1:02pm.
CBS OR ANY HOLLYWIERD BRAT!!! IT'S THE USA I CARE ABOUT AND IT IS GOING DOWN THE TOILET!!!!!!!!
Trai wrecks
Submitted by Kilroy on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 1:07pm.
Charlie Sheen,Lindsay Lohan, the black haired kleptomaniac who cares. Losers who have squandered their advatageous positions, whether they deserve them or not. If these train wrecks can't keep to the path of moral decency that the rest of us have to maintain just to survive let them ruin themselves. All of these celebrities deserve the exact same cosequences as you or I would have to pay. Get over it,grow up and act like adults, and all you retards that are so concerned put down the fork and get out of the house to live your own life.
1. I can't believe people
Submitted by sablegsd on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 1:46pm.
1. I can't believe people watch this crap. 2. Sheen can't act his way out of a wet paper bag. 3. I can't believe his salary. 4. I guess when he croaks they will finally cancel that POS show.I don't want him to die.
Submitted by Slyrr on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 2:50pm.
I don't want him to die. He's a sick man on a self-destructive path and he needs help. He should be getting that help, not hiding among enablers. Someone needs to drag him out of his trailer by the scruff of his neck and lock him up in a rehab clinic and leave him there until he's clean and sober.
If the Hollywood liberals surrounding him keep this up, then he's going to suffer an untimely death, as sure as the sun rises tomorrow. Think about something besides the money, lefties. Get this man some help before its too late - there's no such thing as a 'glamorous' death...
then there will be the...
Submitted by OldJoe on Sun, 02/20/2011 - 5:38am.
book deal and made for TV movie about the life and times of Charlie.
Don't count on his "friends" to pull him back from the edge.
It will be one party too many, then the crocodile tears will start to flow.
CBS needs to set an example
Submitted by Miket53 on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 7:30pm.
Charlie screws up one time then OK give him a pass. But repeated wild out of control behaviour should not be rewarded. CBS is rewarding Sheen and we all know its for the high ratings and ad dollars. If they cut him I bet many other "stars" would take notice. $1.2 million a week is a lot to lose even for the hollywood rich.
Miket53 http://mtaricani.blogspot.com/
It's all about the Money Mike
Submitted by shawn. on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 8:11pm.
Sheen overall was professional about coming in to work. He makes them money and they don't care what he does as long as it does not cost them money it also has nothing to do Hollywood liberals either. Conservatives were all up in arms about Avatars liberal message and James Cameron, but nobody seems to mention the person that made the biggest profit off Avatar is Rupert Murdoch. I believe it was close to a a few billion dollars profit even after the cost of making the movie and marketing.Wrong
Submitted by Rush to Judgement on Sun, 02/20/2011 - 10:24am.
He may have appeared professional, but there is nothing professional about getting into the kind of trouble as Sheen has during his off hours.
Do you really think it's professional to put a few hundred people out of work because you have a drug addiction? A functioning alcoholic is no different from a functioning junkie.
The last stint was not professional
Submitted by shawn. on Sun, 02/20/2011 - 11:14am.
But throughout the years overall he showed up on time and did his job well. Look I am not defending Sheen here, I am believer in personal freedom and you can do what you want behind closed doors. Sheen tests that theory to a max. My point also is Hollywood cares more about money than anybodys well being.That may very well be true
Submitted by Rush to Judgement on Sun, 02/20/2011 - 12:31pm.
But this time it's going to cost the production a lot. It's also going to cost advertisers, the network, not to mention a whole lot of people filing for unemployment. It's selfish and narcissistic, but will he be forgiven? Watch the ratings.
Forget Charlie Sheen
Submitted by Galvanic on Sat, 02/19/2011 - 9:52pm.
Obsessing over this deviant is a waste of time.
His fuse is lit, and he will self-destruct. When he dies, Hollywood and the MSM will mourn his passing as the loss of a great talent. Some will describe him as a victim of success rather than a pathetic man who made the worst choices.
And the day after he perishes, the vast majority of Americans will see the headline, shrug or yawn, and keep on truckin'.