Showbiz: Charlie Sheen and the Chronic Meltdown Factory
Bzzz...Charlie, Hotel, Alfa, Romeo, Lima, India, Echo, Come In? Are you there Charlie? Come In? No, this is not the script from one of his most celebrated films Platoon. This is the united global chant heard from Charlie Sheen fans around the world.
What the hell is going on with Charlie Sheen? Has he finally lost it? I know that question isn't new and has been the resounding tone of many a showbiz commentator's report over the past two decades right across the globe. And undeniably, Mr Sheen has been actively causing havoc in his personal life and showbiz circles for three decades now since his acting career took off and he became an international star, yet he shows no signs of cleaning up his act.
3 marriages, 2 divorces (with another currently pending to Brooke Mueller) and 5 miniature Sheens later, unfortunately he's showing no signs of domestic bliss or even improvement. But then in retrospect Charlie Sheen was an extension of the bratpack alongside brother Emilio Estevez and was characterised as a sort of Hollywood wildchild during this era.
His film career began in 1984 with a role in the Cold War teen drama Red Dawn with Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson and Jennifer Grey. Sheen and Grey reunited in a small scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) where he played the druggie in the police station very well indeed (see left). Hilarious. 
But it was very much the success of both his roles in two 80's Oliver Stone movies - 'Platoon' and 'Wall Street' that really escalated his career and personally enabled him step into the crazy alcohol and drug-fuelled party world of Hollywood. It seems the mid-late eighties is when the trouble began for Charlie Sheen..
After becoming a dad to baby girl Cassandra Jade Estevez in 1984 with his then girlfriend Paula Profit, his life took a bleak turn when a few years later he shot his then-fiancee Kelly Preston (now John Travolta's missus!) in the arm after which she ended the relationship. Charlie went on to date a couple of former pornographic actresses Ginger Lynn and Heather Hunter around this time, before marrying Donna Peele in 1995. The same year he was named as one of the many clients who visited Heidi Fleiss' brothels in her court case. 
In 1998, Charlie Sheen gave himself an overdose after injecting himself with cocaine and was hospitalised, but soon after discharged. His father, fellow acting legend Martin Sheen issued a public appeal for fans to pray for him and reported him for
violating his parole. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was
subsequently sent to rehab.
In 2002, Charlie married actress Denise Richards and went on to have two daughters Sam and Lola with her. In 2005 while she was pregnant on Lola, Denise filed for divorce on grounds that he was abusing drugs and alcohol, threatening her with violence and as she minimally explained on an Oprah show later (for legal reasons, her lawyer was present), generally imposing an "inappropriate lifestyle" on her and her young children. She insinuated this "inappropriate lifestyle" apparently incorporated watching pornography and having strippers and porn stars over to their family home. Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards were engaged in an acrimonious custody dispute over their two daughters, but have since made peace with each other, with Sheen stating in April 2009 that "we had to do what was best for the girls". 
Charlie went on to marry real estate investor Brooke Mueller in 2008 and consequently she gave birth to their twins Bob and Max in 2009. Unfortunately third time unlucky, his violent and abusive marital displays continued when he was arrested on domestic violence charges, including second-degree assault and menacing, against Mueller in December 2009. After his release from jail after posting an $8,500 bond and in a court appearance in February 2010, Sheen was formally charged with felony menacing, third-degree assault and criminal mishief, both misdemeanors.
In August 2010 the Charlie Sheen machine pled guilty to misdemeanor assault as
part of a plea bargain that included dismissal of other charges
against him, and according to a story written by Associated Press
reporter Solomon Banda he was "sentenced to 30 days in a rehabilitation
center, 30 days of probation, and 36 hours of 'anger management' and will be unable to legally possess a gun for the rest of his life". (Good news for most of us!!)
On the career front however Charlie has been extremely successful to date with movies (particularly comedy - Hot Shots, Scary Movies 3 & 4) and television (Spin City), particular his popular sitcom "Two and a Half Men" in which he plays the lead role of Charlie Harper, a character loosely based on himself! While in its 7th season however, he decided to take a break from the show to enter a rehab facility. In May 2010, he signed an agreement to return to the sitcom (now in its 8th season) for another two years for a reported $1.8 million per episode. 
Well you'd like to think it was all plain sailing from here eh? Is anything this complicated really that simple? But of course not! After admitting to another drink/cocaine session in October 2010, the police removed Charlie Sheen from his suite at the Plaza Hotel, L.A., after he reportedly caused $7,000 worth of damage. He was sent to hospital for observation but soon after released.
In January 2011, not long after filing for divorce from Brooke Mueller, he was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles with "severe abdominal pains" and from there began undergoing a substance rehabilitation program in his home. CBS then announced the hit show Two and a Half Men would go into hiatus after producing 16 episodes out of the contracted 22. The TV network have subsequently announced cancellation of the remaining episodes of the eighth series after Sheen made offensive comments about the creator and lead writer of Two and a Half Men, Chuck Lorre, on the February 24th edition of a radio broadcast hosted by Alex Jones. 
Charlie's rambles included "There's something this side of deplorable that a certain 'Chaim Levine' - yeah that's Chuck's real name - mistook this rock star for his own selfish exit strategy, bro. Check it Alex: I embarrassed him on front of his children and the world by healing at a pace that his unevolved mind cannot process". Regarding these rants about writer Lorre, he said "My passion is misinterpreted as anger... I don't think people are ready
for the message I'm delivering and delivering with a sense of violent
love... If people think I'm insane or if they don't think what I'm
saying is true, I have no interest in their retarded opinions. I'm going
to live my life the way I want and I'm going to win every moment!"
Apart from blasting the CBS network and Chuck Lorre, Sheen answered questions in a bizarre fashion and asserted insulting remarks towards fellow industry colleagues. He trashed James Franco as this years' Oscars host, avoided questions about his drug connections and when asked in light of his status as a father if he was ashamed of his behaviour, he declared "God no. Talk about an education!" He said he is a role model! This from a guy who just came out of rehab to jet off to the Caribbean with his ex-wife, new girlfriend and a porn star!
Martin Sheen has offered continuing support to his troubled son following his latest meltdown. Presently in Dublin for the Jameson Film Festival screening of his film The Way in which he stars alongside his other son Emilio Estevez, he told the Evening Herald "If he (Charlie) had cancer, how would you treat him? This disease of addiction is a form of cancer. You have to have an equal measure of concern and love and lift him up". I wonder if that's any comfort to his fellow Two and a Half Men cast members, exes or kids? It's a shame, I have to admit I do like this mischievousness guy, I enjoyed his acting abilities in many roles he has played. It's a pity part of me wants to kick his ass too! As Eddie Murphy says in his early stand-up movie Raw "Have a coke and a smile and shut the f**k up!" Charlie Sheen.. By Coke I mean 'a-Cola' by the way..!