Apparently trashing the Plaza Hotel, alleged coke binges, and on-set problems because of drug fatigue have not gone over well with Warner Bros.
For these reasons and more, the studio fired actor Charlie Sheen from the hit CBS show Two and a Half Men today.
The move comes after several weeks of public battling the actor has had with CBS, Warner Bros. and Two and a Half Men co-creator Chuck Lorre.
The studio said the following in a one-line statement: “After careful consideration, Warner Bros. Television has terminated Charlie Sheen’s services on Two and a Half Men effective immediately.”
The actor was quick to respond in true Sheen-style with the following statement.
“This is very good news. They continue to be in breach, like so many whales. It is a big day of gladness at the Sober Valley Lodge because now I can take all of the bazillions, never have to look at whatshis**** again and I never have to put on those silly shirts for as long as this warlock exists in the terrestrial dimension.”
From messy divorces, to accusations of violence toward women, to trips to rehab, Sheen has done little to hide his rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle for the past two decades.
In a letter sent to Sheen and his lawyers, and later obtained by TMZ, Warner Bros. stated, “There is ample evidence supporting Warner Bros. reasonable good faith opinion that Mr. Sheen has committed felony offenses involving moral turpitude.”
An issue being raised is the one year Sheen has left on his contact, a year which he has routinely vowed to fulfill and maybe more – but with a hefty price tag.
The price to be exact is the studio giving the actor a $1 million raise, which would bring his grand total payment per episode to $3 million.
The request for a pay raise, constant twist and turns in the public’s eye, and attacks on showrunner Chuck Lorre were to much for the studio to handle. It seems Sheen’s state of “winning” has come to an end as far as Warner Bros. and CBS are concerned.
Sheen, his tiger blood, and Hollywood lawyer Marty Singer are gearing up for a possible legal battle with the studios if Sheen is not paid for the rest of his contract, which runs through next season.
There’s no mention as to whether the show will be canceled or another lead actor will replace Sheen. There have been rumors that John Stamos was a possibility for a Sheen replacement, but Stamos has denied the rumors via Twitter.
The deal CBS has for the program runs through next season and costs about $4 million per episode.
The show stopped production in late January after top executives from Warner Bros. and CBS confronted Sheen about his unpredictable lifestyle.
