# Sheen-a-thon--Will Charlie's career survive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219 "2011-03-02T15:58:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/1 "2011-03-02T15:58:27Z")
Do you think Charlie Sheen will be able to recover from this meltdown? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/2 "2011-03-02T16:04:50Z")
You can’t be sure at this point. After what he said about Chuck Lorre, what producer will hire that ego? But people can recover. Sheen has to realize he has a problem and correct it. Until then, he’ll be unemployable. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/3 "2011-03-02T16:10:26Z")
Now, I really haven’t followed any of this other then bits and pieces I’ve read here or picked up on the news or TMZ. Having said that, I have to wonder if this is part of a bigger publicity stunt, possibly by Chuck/CBS or he’s purposely trying to break his contract because he’s got something way bigger in the works…or he’s just got more money then god and he’s ready to retire…but I can’t see why he wouldn’t rather just do one more season and have more money then god plus 20 million more. I dunno, the whole thing just feels like a farce. Yes, I think he’ll still get more roles. I really don’t think this is the last time we’ll see him on TV or in a movie. Maybe Chuck was running out of material for 2.5 men and told Charlie he needed more ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/4 "2011-03-02T16:15:07Z")
I think he can dig his way out of the pit he is in, but he will have to get back in touch with reality, something that can be hard for a multimillionaire. ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/5 "2011-03-02T16:20:24Z")
I keep telling myself I’m done following this wreck, but here I am, posting in this thread. Unless and until he busts his ass at being clean, and makes serious amends to his fans/coworkers, etc., yeah, I’d say he’s pretty much toast. I read a bit of the CNN Piers Morgan transcript, and Sheen went on saying he’s a winner, and they (presumably fans) were losers because they wanted to trade places with him, and he’d never do that. It’s not a good idea to piss off fans. Say what you want about Liberace, but he knew it was the fans who paid for his lavish lifestyle. I recall him showing off something (a fur coat? huge ring?) onstage, and saying something along the lines of, “Do you like it? You should! You paid for it!” and he said it with a huge grin. Had he said that in the style of Sheen, he wouldn’t have lasted. Celebrities need to remember that we (the fans) build them up, and we can tear them down (in addition to the self-destructive tendencies they exhibit). But we know they don’t remember that, because if they did, they’d remember the lessons of those who crashed before them, like Belushi and River Phoenix, among others. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/6 "2011-03-02T16:25:44Z")
As soon as I saw the specifics of what Sheen has said in his media outings lately, I immediately thought, “Manic!” – primarily the grandiosity he is expressing but also the weird phrasing and “flight of ideas”. I actually believe him when he says he is clean right now. He’s flying high on hypomania, he doesn’t need drugs. He needs to get on mood stabilizing meds. Or more likely, he needs to get BACK on his mood stabilizing meds. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/7 "2011-03-02T16:28:57Z")
Hollywood forgives a lot of mistakes. But, publicly cursing & embarrassing the people giving you million dollar checks is too much. Sheen has made some powerful enemy’s this time. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/8 "2011-03-02T16:31:29Z")
> [@lisacurl](#): > > As soon as I saw the specifics of what Sheen has said in his media outings lately, I immediately thought, “Manic!” – primarily the grandiosity he is expressing but also the weird phrasing and “flight of ideas”. I actually believe him when he says he is clean right now. He’s flying high on hypomania, he doesn’t need drugs. > > He needs to get on mood stabilizing meds. Or more likely, he needs to get BACK on his mood stabilizing meds. Or maybe just stop the freaking nose candy, and stop lying about not doing it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/9 "2011-03-02T16:33:20Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Sheen has to realize he has a problem and correct it. You’re assuming he _has_ a problem. Recent interviews paint him a very happy man. Does he have sufficient savings to continue his current lifestyle without working? I doubt his current lifestyle will lead to him living to a ripe, old age. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/10 "2011-03-02T16:57:19Z")
> [@lisacurl](#): > > As soon as I saw the specifics of what Sheen has said in his media outings lately, I immediately thought, “Manic!” – primarily the grandiosity he is expressing but also the weird phrasing and “flight of ideas”. I actually believe him when he says he is clean right now. He’s flying high on hypomania, he doesn’t need drugs. > > He needs to get on mood stabilizing meds. Or more likely, he needs to get BACK on his mood stabilizing meds. Aw, no! He was asked if he could be bi-polar, and he asked the interviewer what it meant. Her response was something along the lines of “two ends of the spectrum,” and his reply was that BOTH ends of his spectrum were WIN and WIN. Personally, if I were in his situation, I’d WANT to be able to blame it on the drugs, but it seems that it’s ALL Charlie. I’m bored with hearing how wonderful & full of win he is, and then blaming his show’s producers for having such an ego. Get over it, Charlie! The next best thing is on your tail & you’re speeding into has-been town. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/11 "2011-03-02T17:32:25Z")
I’m thinking he’s lost it completely, but there are enough ironic-type roles out there for him to get work on the indie circuit if he really wants it. Heck, I can even see him pulling a Mickey Rourke at some point in the future. The big money is gone though–he’ll never make $1.8million an episode again. ETA: His GMA interview did seem like a textbook manic episode to me, too. Wouldn’t be surprised if all his substance abuse has been self-medicating. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/12 "2011-03-02T17:34:08Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > You’re assuming he _has_ a problem. Recent interviews paint him a very happy man. Does he have sufficient savings to continue his current lifestyle without working? I doubt his current lifestyle will lead to him living to a ripe, old age. Recent interviews paint him a very happy man? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/13 "2011-03-02T17:53:50Z")
I voted, “not sure,” but I wouldn’t write him off yet. We’ve seen celebs come back from this kind of thing before. Robert Downey Jr. was widely perceived as irretrievably addicted, and his career seen as dead in the water a few years ago, and since he got sober (how many years has it been?), he’s had a terrific resurgence. I believe Downey has said that it took prison to straighten him out and that nothing else would have worked. Something like that could happen for Sheen. The public loves a redemption story. Downey is very well-liked now. Of course, Charlie Sheen doesn’t have as much talent as Downey, but he’s not without any talent at all, and he could certainly work again if he got sober. Sheen might also have some bi-polar issues going on which he’d need to work on too, and he might have to bottom out before he works his way back, but I wouldn’t say his career is over. He’s been getting more publicity than ever lately. In my opinion, even his nutty interviews lately, while hilariously grandiose, have not been damaging in the same way as something like the Mel Gibson tapes, or Tom Cruise’s behavior. Sheen’s statements haven’t been scary, racist or violent like Gibson’s, nor has he come off as creepy as Cruise. Somehow I think that Sheen still hasn’t crossed a point of no return in terms of public image. That doesn’t mean he _won’t_, just that he hasn’t _yet_ and he still has a chance to save his career. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/14 "2011-03-02T18:06:28Z")
> [@kath94](#): > > Aw, no! He was asked if he could be bi-polar, and he asked the interviewer what it meant. Her response was something along the lines of “two ends of the spectrum,” and his reply was that BOTH ends of his spectrum were WIN and WIN. Personally, if I were in his situation, I’d WANT to be able to blame it on the drugs, but it seems that it’s ALL Charlie. I’m bored with hearing how wonderful & full of win he is, and then blaming his show’s producers for having such an ego. Get over it, Charlie! The next best thing is on your tail & you’re speeding into has-been town. I have a close family member who has had some severe Manic phases in his past, and I can assure you that the last thing a Manic person will ever do is actually admit that they have _any_ kind of a problem, even if doing so would be beneficial. It’s always other people’s fault. His response to the bipolar question is exactly what I would expect from someone who is manic. I think **lisacurl** is on the money. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/15 "2011-03-02T18:09:44Z")
Does anybody know where I can score some of that Charlie Sheen, by the way? It looks like it must be awesome. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/16 "2011-03-02T18:12:58Z")
> [@raindog](#): > > Recent interviews paint him a very happy man? 😕 Um, yeah. I don’t really follow Hollywood stuff, but he has talked about his enjoyment of “life”. > [@](#): > > “You’ve read about the goddesses, come on. They’re an international sensation. These are my girlfriends. These are the women that I love that have completed the three parts of my heart. … It’s a polygamy story. All my guy friends are gonna like throw tomatoes at me. It’s like an organic union of the hearts.” ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/17 "2011-03-02T18:25:07Z")
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. He’s just Emilio Estevez’s less-talented younger brother. As far as I know. I’ve never seen one of his performances. I base my assessment on the fact that he appeared in the _Hot Shots_ movies, which I was given to understand were merely cheapo attempts by Jim Abrahams to milk some extra dough out of his participation in the _Airplane!_ franchise. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/18 "2011-03-02T18:28:47Z")
He’s actually a better actor than Emilio. Ever seen _Platoon_ or _Wall Street_? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/19 "2011-03-02T18:34:34Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Does anybody know where I can score some of that Charlie Sheen, by the way? It looks like it must be awesome. No, **Dio** , don’t do it! You can’t handle it; it’ll melt your face off and make your head explode, and your [ugly] children will be crying over your body! Also, I understand that one of the side effects is “delusions of grandeur.” > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > He’s actually a better actor than Emilio. Ever seen _Platoon_ or _Wall Street_? Nope. Also: how did you not know that when I put it in the post you responded to? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219/20 "2011-03-02T18:40:18Z")
I thought you might have not remembered that he was in them. They’re both great movies, you should check them out. Especially _Platoon_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sheen-a-thon-will-charlies-career-survive/573219.md?page=2)