There's Nothing Funny About Abuse!
September 18, 2011
Comedy Central is airing a "roast" of Charlie Sheen this week. Most would agree that there's nothing funny about serial abuse of women but Comedy Central and its advertisers apparently think otherwise. Richard Rushfield of The Daily Beast writes that "the upcoming Sheen roast is a disgusting, immoral spectacle" and I'm inclined to take his word for it. The only possible value this "roast" could have is if it was treated as an intervention and Sheen took responsibility for the numerous occasions that he has abused women - unfortunately that's not to be expected. Comedy Central doesn't seem to care about the funny - just the money. And it's a shame because this is the same network that brings us some of the parody and satire on TV. It will be interesting to see what advertisers are running commercials during this celebration of this abuser. I hope it's not any products or services that I currently use because I refuse to do business with any companies making money from this terrible idea for "entertainment." .
Charlie Sheen Fired!
March 7, 2011
According to the Associated Press: "Actor Charlie Sheen was fired Monday from the hit TV show Two and a Half Men by Warner Bros." Although Charlie Sheen's firing does not appear to be related to Charlie Sheen's repeated abuse of women, the news is nonetheless encouraging as at least it removes him from the cast of a prime-time TV show. CBS would have been wise to terminate their relationship with Sheen earlier - at least at the point when Charlie Sheen admitted that he assaulted (third-degree assault) against his then-wife Brooke Mueller. Say good riddance to Charlie - we don't want back until you: (1) publicly accept responsibility for your abusive behavior; (2) personally and publicly repudiate your abusive behavior; and (3) publicly renounce intimate abuse and violence.
Some background: Abuse by Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen is a coward who abuses women. Like most cowards he knows to hide his abusive behavior from other men; he knows how real men would react.
If a real man were to catch Charlie Sheen abusing a women it would be the last time that Charlie Sheen raised his tiny little hands against a women.
Charlie Sheen's arrest on Christmas Day, 2009 in Aspen, Colorado for allegedly assaulting his wife, Brooke Mueller, is the latest in several incidents for Sheen. Mueller told police that Sheen pinned her to a bed and held a knife to her throat after she told Sheen that she wanted a divorce. A knife with a four-inch blade locked in the open position was located by police in Sheen's travel bag. Sheen faces charges of second-degree assault, menacing, and criminal justice. [Charlie Sheen 911 Call Transcript: "I'm Scared For My Life," Says Wife Brooke Mueller (CBS News)]
This is not Charlie Sheen's first incident involving injuries to women in "domestic violence" incidents. In 1990, Sheen was dating Kelly Preston when she was shot by Sheen's revolver. Sheen later told Playboy in 2001, that it "was a complete accident." [Charlie Sheen's nightmare resurfaces:The day Sheen shot Kelly Preston (beginning of DV arrests)]
In 1996, Sheen was accused of attacking then girlfriend Brittany Ashland in his home. She accused Charlie of throwing her on the floor and splitting her lip. Ashland took Sheen to court where he plead "no contest" to battery charges, and was fined $2,800. "... Ashland had alleged that Sheen pulled her hair, slammed her down to the marble floor, and knocked her unconscious. Ashland had a split lip that required 7 stitches to close the wound. [...] Brittany Ashland said Sheen asked her to strip off her blood stained clothes. Sheen threatened to kill her if Ashland breathed a word of his assault to anyone. [Charlie Sheen ex girlfriend Brittany Ashland: Gloria Allred represented Brittany Ashland]
In 2006, Sheen's estranged spouse Denise Richards issued a restraining order against Sheen when he reportedly threatened to kill her. “I am filing now because I can no longer accept [Sheen’s] abusive and threatening manner and must stop him from the cycle of his abuse toward me and our children,” Richards claimed in divorce papers. [Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen's Divorce]
Why has Charlie Sheen abused women?
Why is it that Charlie Sheen continues to abuse women?
Why have at least four women had to seek protection from Charlie Sheen?
Did Charlie Sheen's parents not teach him to not abuse women?
Charlie Sheen is an embarassment as a man.
On Charlie Sheen and his Abuse of Women
Joyce Eng - TV Guide, March 3, 2011
"If [Two and a Half Men] were to return ... 30 percent of users would like to see Sheen replaced with John Stamos. Stamos denied the rumor a week ago on Twitter, but CBS subsequently approached the actor about joining the series, according to E! News."
Anna Holmes - The New York Times, March 3, 2011
"CBS executives, not to mention the millions of viewers of his “family” sitcom “Two and a Half Men,” have consistently turned a blind eye toward Mr. Sheen’s history of abusing women."
"... while his self-abuses are endlessly discussed, his abuse of women is barely broached."
Gloria Allred - statement to RadarOnline.com, March 1, 2011
“Charlie Sheen, in his interview with Piers Morgan on CNN last night, failed to state that he was charged with one count of battery with serious injury of my client, Brittany Ashland, Penal Code Section 243(d). He entered a plea of no contest to that charge. No contest has the same effect as a guilty plea for his crime."
"Charlie Sheen should look in the mirror and if he is honest with himself he will see a man who was convicted of battering his girlfriend, Brittany Ashland in Malibu, California, and who was also convicted of the crime of assaulting his wife and the mother of his little children, Brooke Mueller, in Aspen, Colorado."
Scott Collins - The Los Angeles Times, January 9, 2010
"Charlie Sheen is quietly working on 'Two and a Half Men.' But attention to his case could lead to bad PR for the network."
"'It's business as usual' on the set, said his publicist, Stan Rosenfield"
David Bauder - Forbes, January 10, 2010
"(the) producer said (...) the audience at the actor's first show taping since his arrest on felony and other charges was 'incredibly supportive.'"
"Nina Tassler, CBS entertainment president, said the network has been 'very sensitive to the fact that this is a very personal and private matter for Charlie.'"
Mary Mitchell - Chicago Sun-Times, January 10, 2010
"There's something terribly wrong in the media when a serial wife beater is treated more favorably than a serial philanderer."
"Sheen is a known abuser who should have been washed up by now."
Brian Steinberg - Advertising Age, May 20, 2010
"CBS executives said they had toyed with virtually every sort of scheduling combination possible. But the one that will show up in the fall would not have been possible without Charlie Sheen making an appearance Mondays."
"Yesterday isn’t the first time that Charlie Sheen has been in the news, and unfortunately, it certainly won’t be the last."
Aimee Picchi - DailyFinance, October 28, 2010
"Charlie Sheen, the star of Two and a Half Men on CBS (CBS), is breaking the playbook with his latest behavior, which included trashing a room at the pricey Plaza Hotel in New York while his two young daughters slept across the hall."
"As long as viewers keep flocking to Two and a Half Men, Sheen will continue to draw top prices from advertisers."
Catherine P. Taylor - BNET, January 28, 2011
"... at almost the same time, the stock of CBS ... dropped by as much as two percent, TMZ reported that its biggest sitcom star, Charlie Sheen, had been rushed to the hospital after an alleged all-night party."
Michael Ventre - Today Celebrities, January 28, 2011
Quoting Maureen Ryan, lead television critic for AOL Television: "'Truth be told, though, I don't really know why there hasn't been more of a public reaction about Sheen's behavior. I certainly do think that if this had been a female star engaged in these antics, the outcry would have been far more severe and condemning.'"
Trying to prevent future abuse by Charlie Sheen
- Educate the public about Charlie Sheen's abusive behavior.
- Hold Charlie Sheen publicly accountable for his abuse of women.
- Ensure that Charlie Sheen accept responsibility for his abusive behavior.
"If Charlie Sheen does not: (1) publicly accept responsibility for his abuse; (2) personally and publicly repudiate his abusive behavior; and (3) publicly renounce intimate abuse and violence we will boycott all sponsors and advertisers of Charlie Sheen and any projects with which he is associated."
Good Companies Make Tough Decisions
January 7, 2010: Hanes has ended its advertising campaign featuring Charlie Sheen because of charges filed against the actor, according to a company spokesman. Doing this might seem difficult in the short term but in the long run it will pay off for those companies doing the right thing. Thank you for doing the right thing Hanes!
February 25, 2011: Although CBS finally made the right decision in canceling production of "Two and a Half Men," it was unfortunate that they waited so long. Rather than cancel the show based on Charlie Sheen continued and systematic abuse of women, the show was cancelled "based on the totality of Charlie Sheen's statements, conduct and condition." MenSpeakUp got it right: "CBS to Charlie Sheen: you can threaten, and abuse women, but insulting the boss will get you fired."
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