The SoapBoxers

I caught some snippets of Charlie Sheen’s made-for-TV interview over the weekend.

When it was announced that Sheen needed rehab to fight his addictions, I was disappointed, but somewhat sympathetic.  It’s an unfortunate fact of life in Hollywood that some stars find themselves addicted to drugs.  Many manage to regain their footing in life and resume their careers.

But then Sheen started to talk, and I realized that he had two problems.  The first – drug addiction – is something that can often be treated successfully.  Egomania, on the other hand, is often a lifelong affliction.

According to Sheen, he has “tiger blood”, “Adonis DNA”, and is tired of pretending he isn’t special.  In the midst of this whole debacle, Sheen is demanding a raise – he wants $3 million per episode.  The whole issue of how athletes and stars is for another day … but seriously, you’re asking for a RAISE at a time when you’re embarrassing those around you?  Perhaps not the best timing.

Is Charlie Sheen a talented actor?  Sure – I’ve enjoyed him in 2 1/2 Men and in his movies, dating back to Major League.  Is he head-and-shoulders above the crowd?  No.  There are a lot of actors in his class.  Can you see Mark Harmon (NCIS) or Rainn Wilson (The Office) ranting about how they have tiger blood coursing through their veins?

OK, maybe that’s a bad example.  I can definitely see Wilson saying that … but only in character as Dwight Schrute.

I’ve always liked 2 1/2 Men, but I’ve always contended that the real strength of the show is the writing, not the acting.  All of the characters, large and small, have great lines.  Even the pizza guy has good zingers (“We’ve had a good run, Mr. Harper.”)

It’s a shame you didn’t have your publicist handle the media this time around, Charlie.  I’m certainly tired of hearing about you, and I’m likely to flip past your show instead of tuning in.  I certainly hope other stars are taking note in order to avoid making the same mistake in the future.

Charlie Sheen

Yesterday, in the midst of the disaster that his life has become, Charlie Sheen demanded a 50% raise, to $3 million per episode, to continue starring in 2 1/2 Men.  I’ve never been one to begrudge entertainers and athletes their millions, but at some point, the producers have to decided whether it’s worth the headache at this point.    As it stands, the show is in end game, as Angus T. Jones (the kid) isn’t getting any younger – he won’t be half a man for many more years.  Perhaps it’s best to pull up stakes and reap the cash cow that is syndication.

Among the many strange comments Sheen has made during this time is his assertion that producer Chuck Lorre uses that name to hid his Jewish ancentry (his given name is Charles Michael Levine).  Apparently, nobody else in Hollywood uses screen names that mask their ancestry.  Good call, Charlie Sheen (given name Carlos Irwin Estevez).

Fact is, Chuck Lorre was a success before he began working with Charlie Sheen and he’ll continue to be a success after their partnership ends.  Can we can we say the same for Sheen?

(OK, time to catch your breath before the flood of Amazon affiliate links begin …)

The Oscars

I hear that the Academy Awards were held the other night.  I get bored to tears by award shows, so I only caught snippets of the broadcast.  I should probably make an effort to watch The King’s Speech at some point.  It seems like the type of flick I would like, in spite of the paucity of serial killers in the movie.  Another movie I wouldn’t mind seeing is Princess Ka’iulani – has anyone seen it?

Avril Lavigne

I generall y don’t get that excited about cd releases, but I am eagerly anticipating Avril Lavigne’s new disc, Goodbye Lullaby, which is due out on March 8.  Although my music tastes run very heavily toward country (Alabama, in particular), I’m also a fan of good music, regardless of genre, from Tchaikovsky to Jimmy Buffett to Bon Jovi.  Despite not being in her target demographic, I’ve been a fan of Lavigne’s since the first time I heard Sk8ter Boi, nearly a decade ago.

You might also want to check out the new country group The Band Perry.  You can find good prices on their disc everywhere (I paid $7.99 for my copy).  I’m a big fan of the song “If I Die Young.”

On the bookshelf

The time I spend writing means that I generally have limited time to read these days.  I finally finished up Jeffery Deaver’s newest Lincoln Rhyme book,  The Burning Wire.  The book features a villain who uses electricity as his weapon.  The book fell a bit short of expectations, but that’s more because of how high the previous books set the bar than a shortcoming of The Burning Wire.

I finally bit the bullet and bought the late Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, just to see what the fuss was about.  I don’t usually grab the popular books without a good reason, but when Silicon Valley Blogger over at The Digerati Life mentioned the book, I decided it was time to read it, since SVB and I have quite similar interests when it comes to literature and cinema.

I’ve also been attempting to read J.D. Salinger’s classic The Catcher in the Rye.  I really wanted to appreciate it as being a seminal American work, but it’s really not grabbing me.  If I didn’t “know” that the book was a classic, I would have long since abandoned it.

Speaking of abandoned tomes … I have been reading The Fountainhead since 1992 (very slowly).  After a recent restructuring of my library, the book has turned up missing.  If I can’t find it, maybe I’ll buy a new copy in another decade or so …