There are two sides to every situation, but only one side of Charlie Sheen’s situation is being told by the media. He’s attempting to tell his side, but his erratic communication style is just causing more ridicule.
Yes, Charlie seems to be an addict. And yes, he is filled with anger and seems somewhat imbalanced right now. And since I’m a therapist (in Denver, CO), I can say that. Some see Charlie as a bad role model, although he’s certainly not as bad as Britney Spears was when she lost it, and her primary audience was teenagers. His main audience is adults.
Sheen’s own role models were obviously Hugh Hefner and all the rockstars he watched brag about being able to sleep with tons of women. In the past, his role models have been glorified, not called out on the carpet. Mainstream society certainly does not agree with these lifestyles and they certainly don’t approve of his harem/goddesses/ménage trios relationships. But doesn’t he have the right to live his life as he wants? He’s worked hard to create enough money and fame to be able to have the same life as his rockstar role models.
And yes, if Charlie breached his contract with “Two and a Half Men,” they had a right to shut down the show. He says he was only late a couple of times, and we don’t know the truth. Also, if he put his kids in harms way, the children should possibly be removed, but again we have no proof of any of this. There are natural consequences to not showing up to work or not adequately taking care of your kids. Let him face those consequences, not our judgement.
Charlie Sheen went on TV and spouted off a bunch of stuff without thinking it through, so people are lashing out at him. It would have been helpful to him if he had taken the time to know what he was going to say, as more people would have gotten his point. But he really does have a point in his defense that he isn’t making very well, so I’ll try to interpret it for him.
This is what I believe his point is:
Stop judging me until you’ve walked in my shoes. I don’t want the “normal,” boring life all of you have. I live my life full of passion for what I love and how I want my life to be instead of the norm you have all set. I don’t want the life of mediocrity all of you “judgmental people who follow the rules” have. I’ve worked hard to create the “rockstar” life I always wanted, and I’ve succeeded. I’m proud of that! You get to have your own goals, why can’t I? I didn’t harm anyone or cheat anyone. All the people in my life that I have interacted with during this issue have been adults and willing participants.
Even when I’m not on drugs, I’m totally different than you are. I’m high on Charlie Sheen, meaning that I’m a passionate, “enjoy my life to the fullest” kind of guy. And I don’t really care if you “get” me or not because it’s nobody’s business as long as I do my job. When I signed the contract for the show, I never promised to “behave” according to how society thinks I should live my life. And I certainly never promised to be anybody’s role model or to be politically correct in any way. Besides if you’re so worried about what message this sends to children, why write the script of the show portraying me as a bad boy? I’m just living in real life the character I portray in the show. And I’m loving it! You all need to go mind your own business and live your own lives.
I wish Charlie would have been this clear. He said most of this, but his anger was indirectly telling everyone watching or listening to “F off!” Could Charlie benefit from therapy and drug counseling? Of course he could, but so could the thousands or millions of other people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol, say bizarre things, have weird sexual arrangements (has anyone told Hugh Hefner he needs help?). But in this country, seeking therapy or rehab is still a choice. There are natural consequences to not living the life everyone thinks he “should” – DUI’s, child custody battles, drug possession charges, etc. And these are real and may force Charlie into therapy or drug rehab. But his point – that he has a right to live his life the way he wants without our judgment – is certainly valid.
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