by Dr. Lillian Glass
After watching Charlie Sheen on his recent home videos and on CNN with Piers Morgan I am more convinced than ever that he has gotten over on everyone. Yes, there is no doubt that he appears as though he is in some type of manic phase with his constant movement, high level of anger and agitation, and pressured speech rate. But if you listen carefully between the lines, Charlie knows exactly what he is doing. And no doubt Charlie will come out ahead of this as far as making money goes and being even more popular than ever before. Having said that, if he is in his manic phase and if he is drinking and drugging along with it, there is a super high risk he may get even more angry and violent and either do himself in or do physical harm to others.
In my latest book Toxic Men, I write about Sheen being one of the most toxic men based on his alleged history of violence towards women. He was accused of beating a woman up back in the 90′s. He shot Kelly Preston, John Travolta’s wife, in the arm once when they were dating. He threatened and abused ex wife Denise Richards. His Christmas fiasco with holding a knife to Brook Mueller’s throat also shows his extreme violent tendencies .
So, based on this, there is a high probability that Charlie may physically harm or even kill someone out of his uncontrolled anger and rage. Another possibility is that he may accidentally kill himself by ingesting either too much of something or a combination of something. I say accidentally because there is no question that Charlie appears to have narcissistic tendencies. While delusions of grandeur often accompany a manic phase, what is really confusing is that Charlie’s delusions of grandeur are a reality.
He thinks he can get millions of followers to rally behind him, and guess what? He can! He thinks he can make million and millions from representing product, and guess what? He can! He thinks he will be a huge film star. And guess what? He will be! People will flock to see his movie just to see how he turned out. Can he get insured? Absolutely. He is so cleaver that before any physicals or drug tests are done he will make sure he is clean, just like he did when he recently took a test with cameras rolling.
The fact that he is in such great shape at his age, complete with ripped abs, and with all the partying he has done is also impressive to many fans as well as non fans.
Battle Against the CBS Suits
CBS absolutely knew who they hired when they hired Charlie. They knew he could do the role, but what he didn’t know was that he could do it so well and make the show such a hit and a cash cow for them.
That is why they let him get away with so much for so many years, turning a blind eye. They felt that his personal life was his personal life, and as long as he showed up on the set and did what he was supposed to do, it would be no problem. In fact, they were of that mindset when Charlie had his latest binge in New York City hotel and caused a public embarrassment. While most companies would immediately fire an employee after such a fiasco, or after the fiasco in Aspen at Christmas when Charlie put a knife to his wife’s throat and CBS turned a blind eye.
In show business, bad press may be good press. It keeps your name out there. His bad-boy behavior certainly didn’t hurt his image or CBS's ratings. So they kept him on. A long as he made money for them, they did not care what he did in his off-camera life. Charlie knew that, and he knew he was safe with his $2 million income an episode. So he had no worries.
During this last binge, the only reason he was given a break in production was that CBS knew Charlie was their cash cow and wanted him to take care of whatever ailed him. They were willing to wait until he sorted himself out. They were willing to give him 30 days or longer to dry out in a rehab facility and put the show on hiatus until he returned. Charlie was the show, so they were willing to wait for him.
But Charlie didn’t want to wait. He didn’t want to be in rehab. He didn’t think he needed to have anything rehabbed. He loved his life. He loved that he could get away with anything. He loved that he could have any woman or as many women as he wanted. He loved the hookers and prostitutes and having two women at once. He loved the fights and the high drama inside and outside of his life. He loved his his kids. He loved the drugs and drink. He loved getting whatever he wanted at the snap of a finger. And most of all he loved Charlie as we have all seen on his many interviews. The common theme is Charlie loves Charlie and considers himself omnipotent.
CBS knew he was getting out of control and believing his own press as being the greatest and even God-like, as we have all seen in his on-camera musings. When Charlie wanted to get back to work a day or so later instead of taking off the 30 days or whatever it took to get “well,” CBS for the first time in Charlie's life said "No!" They really wanted him to sort himself out and at the same time wanted to show they were the one who were in control and had the power, not Charlie.
So Charlie, like any spoiled child who doesn’t get his way, went on a tirade and threw a tantrum. He took his tantrum to the airwaves to tell everyone how bad and awful the producer Chuck Lorre was to him.
This no doubt freaked out my dear friend, public relations maven Stan Rosenfeld, who, no doubt, said "No way! You can’t do that! This is career suicide to trash your producer in public! I am having nothing to do with this! I am out of here!" This didn’t phase Charlie in the least, as he certainly didn’t need a PR person to get press. Everyone in the media clamored to get some airtime or press time with him. In a few day period he generated major league press all by himself by appearing on every major morning and entertainment show including CNN's Piers Morgan.
While he was an angry mess on every morning show and shocked viewers with his rhetoric and outrageous sayings, the ratings went through the roof. People never saw this Charlie Sheen before. They always saw a clean and funny watered down version of him on Two and a Half Men. Now, they saw him raw and angry. I even commented about him on CBS’s "The Insider" saying how angry and hostile he looked body language wise.
Charlie on CNN
When Charlie arrived at the CNN Studios to do Piers Morgan’s show, there was tension in the air. I was even at the CNN studio shooting the Nancy Grace Show and everything there seemed to be on lock down.
There was a heaviness and nervousness in the air, and people were walking on eggshells. You couldn’t roam around freely as usual and there were only certain rooms you could be in. Security was everywhere and in full force. It was because Charlie was on the loose, and no one knew what would happen. Would he fly off the handle? Would he harm someone? So as a precaution, they wanted to keep everyone away from him and out of his path.
When I walked out of the CNN studio to get into my limo, a throng of paparazzi three-feet deep were waiting outside for Charlie, to take his photo, as soon he emerged from doing Piers Morgan’s show. Because they were so anxious and camera-trigger happy, they immediately began flashing away at me when someone yelled out, "That’s Dr. Glass," Then, the multitude of questions and cameras came at me as I was asked what I thought about Charlie Sheen on CNN as I was getting into my limo. Since I didn't see the show at the time because I was busy filming the Nancy Grace show, I had nothing to say except that I didn’t get to see it.
I did manage to see the show while I was in an airport in Salt Lake City that Sunday. Charlie was not as angry on the show. In fact he was hilarious at times. He was bright and sharp, and clearly knew what he was doing and saying. He did not seem crazy at all. In fact, Peirce also remarked that he didn’t think Charlie was crazy and actually thought Charlie was great and charming.
The Cardinal Sin in Hollywood
But those who did not find Charlie's interview charming was CBS. Charlie committed the Cardinal sin in Hollywood, biting the hand that feeds him. He was discussing money, whether or not he would return, and the negotiation process. This is a huge no-no. That is why there are agents and lawyers. You cannot discuss this on the air. It made CBS look bad as well as all producers.
Because of Charlie's popularity, he used his forum to, in essence, badmouth his employers and put them in a bad light. They could have none of that, and rightfully so. So, they fired him last Monday. They clearly had enough of him making them look like the bad guy when all they did was give him a chance to sort himself out.
Charlie was shocked and no doubt went on a binger as he ranted and raved and looked even more out of control and manic than ever on his homemade reality show. He looked awful as he had no makeup or hairstylist to make him look good. It was just raw Charlie.
When his kids were taken away, it was sad and horrible, but the right thing to do as kids cannot be anywhere near this man now. He seemed to take it in stride, but when the reality sets in that he will not be seeing his kids when he wants to, it will no doubt have a huge emotional impact on him. Maybe that will be the catalyst for him to sort himself out. One thing is for certain: He truly loves those kids, and that was evident on the video.
Charlie will Fight his Firing and Will Probably Win
Charlie's legal battle with CBS is far from over and no doubt a settlement will take place. No one wants a drawn-out trial, which would keep this ugly situation alive. It won't look good for CBS as Charlie's growing popularity would make them look like the big, bad wolf, even though they were not. Marty Singer, a great contracts attorney who also specializes in defamation against celebrities, will make sure Charlie comes out ahead, and he will, from a financial point of view.
I think CBS would rather settle than see the likes of Charlie on the set of Two and a Half Men. I am sure that producers would rather stick hot coals in their eyes than see Charlie show up on the set again. There is talk of replacing him with Rob Lowe, whom I have known for years. That would be a great move, in my view. Besides being funny, Lowe is definitely easy on the eye and would attract a lot of female viewers.
Charlie Capitalizes on his Infamy
On his latest home reality show, he was funny. I even laughed out loud. He gets under the table and takes a swig of something and says he isn’t going to tell us what it is because he hasn’t gotten paid for it. So, now it is all about money as we hear how he is getting this offer and that offer. Charlie will probably make more money than ever and make more of a name and a brand for himself than ever before. He will probably make so much that he may end up producing his own movies and end up one of the biggest moguls and powerhouses in Hollywood. Since he is such a porn-star aficionado, perhaps he may even produce some porn as well.
The money machine has started the sound of ka-ching already. There is a winning T-shirt line and a Tiger’s Blood drink and "I'm on a Drug Called Charlie Sheen" T-shirts. “Pulling a Charlie Sheen” will no doubt become part of our vernacular. I am sure that "troll" T-shirts are on the way. Maybe there will even be a cartoon series and a reality show or even a film called “Charlie's Trolls." The point is that Charlie has reached the tipping point in a good way, and his money-making machine has become viral with his Charlieisms.
With social media and good old marketing, Charlie doesn’t need CBS. If he doesn’t kill himself with drugs or end up in prison for hurting or killing someone, Charlie has a lucrative future ahead of him. Even though CBS gave him the boot, Hollywood being what it is and seeing how much he can make will give him yet another chance. Someone else will offer him a show, either cable, NBC or ABC. No doubt it will be a hit. Film offers will come in, and people will flock to see train wreck, crazy Charlie.
But as I said, Charlie is not crazy. He may be manic and angry and hostile, but Charlie is still a funny, talented, consummate actor, as we have even seen in his over-the-top ratings on his own reality show. Charlie clearly knows what he is doing. Charlie is bigger than ever and is here to stay, unless he does himself or someone else in.
