In a fast developing story Hollywood is holding its breath about the possible imminent shut down of production on the hit sitcom Two and a Half Men starring Charlie Sheen.
With numerous personal battles, drunk out-of-control behaviour and disappearing again this weekend in Las Vegas where Hollywood's bad boy was seen sipping vodka in the company of porn actresses, the Hollywood biz is isn't wondering if but when Warner Bros Television and the CBS network is going to shut down production on the sitcom that's halfway through its 8th season. Charlie Sheen was in rehab exactly a year ago.
The powers that be has been reluctant to intervene. Charlie Sheen is the golden goose of a hit show. In Hollywood's de riguer yet different from our value set, execs will look away (as they did Michael Jackson, as they did Marilyn Monroe, as they did Britney Spears and countless others) if you just show up when you need to show up despite the open secret of your self-destructive and dysfunctional behaviour and addictions in your private life. Charlie Sheen gets a reported $1,88 million per episode (he's one of the higest paid stars on television) which in Hollywood economics means the studio and network are willing to pay that because they and the international distribution arm make even more. That explains why studios will look the other way even if you destroy a hotel room before Christmas in New York, scream obcenities and attack people while your life is a complete mess.
There is of course a limit for even the most valuable stars in Hollywood and the pressure a studio or TV channel is willing to take to keep a show on the air once a personality start overshadowing the show. Charlie Sheen would seem to have finally reached his. Just like I wouldn't be surprised if Mara Louw is gone from the next season of Idols because of her behaviour in the last season, I won't be surprised if we hear later this week that Two and a Half Men has suddenly decided to shut down production (temporarily) to sort out the mess that is Charlie Sheen.
In money terms its potentially going to be a bigger loss and unmitigated disaster to simply continue with the haphazard Charlie Sheen in his current state as opposed to not intervening, and in Hollywood money always talks the loudest.
