This was going to be an editorial reflecting on the mess Charlie Sheen has made of his life and career, but he’s become such an embarrassment to himself that it really doesn’t bear comment any longer.
It’s sort of like pointing out that someone you used to respect has shown up in public without cleaning off the regurgitation they spewed on themselves after a drunken spree. It’s so obvious and sad that it’s not worth mentioning.
What is worth mentioning is the continuing down-ward spiral of American network television.
Let’s face it, if Sheen can be forced to shut up off stage and his on-screen persona continues to sell mouthwash, he’s be on TV until he ends up face down in a gutter.
Could it be that we have finally reached a low point that Americans will respond to?
Unlike when TV stars have thumbed their noses at our morals and ethics and laughed at our beliefs all the way to the bank and then made even more money by putting each other on their network talk shows to drone on and on about how stupid and pedestrian working-class Americans are for not believing in THEM.
Americans have been insulted by TV for decades now — at least since the 1970s — and we are lazy enough to lap it up. And we go on buying the products that pay for the insults.
Amazing.
Some of us may not routinely watch Charlie Sheen’s TV program, which has been canceled for the rest of this season, but is shown in syndication something like 24-7 on cable TV.
In case you haven’t, suffice to say, his character is basically like his public persona, except they keep the rants down to a funnier drone.
And America just laps it up — and pays the bill.
At least he was getting paid — getting paid the most of any actor on TV until he was fired — for his nonsense.
Sheen is sick.
America is sicker.
— Chuck Smith