Crew to be paid for half of episodes after Sheen show canned

WARNER Bros Television has to pay the crew of Two And A Half Men for half of the eight episodes of the top-rated TV comedy cancelled by producers upset about the off-screen antics of its star Charlie Sheen.

The actor called the agreement a “start” in his escalating battle against the show’s producers.

“Clearly my efforts are paying off,” Sheen said. “I won’t sleep until I get all eight.”

Warner Bros cancelled the remaining episodes of this season of the show last week, citing Sheen’s public behaviour and negative comments about executive producer Chuck Lorre.

Sheen, 45, dominated the entertainment media yesterday with threats of a lawsuit, two riveting morning show interviews and a rambling live stream on an internet website.

His veteran publicist has quit.

In Sheen’s interviews with ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s Today show, he boasted about his “epic” partying, said he was fuelled by “violent hatred” of his bosses, claimed to have given up drugs at home in his “Sober Valley Lodge” and demanded $3 million (€2.17m) an episode to return to work.

Warner Bros spokesman Paul McGuire confirmed the crew payments but denied that Sheen’s war of words against the studio and series producers prompted the move. “False,” Mr McGuire said of Sheen’s claim of credit.

Sheen said he was not concerned with his own sizeable pay cheques at the moment, reportedly worth $1.8m an episode. “I don’t care about me right now,” he said.

Asked about reimbursements for fellow series actors Jon Cryer and Angus T Jones, Sheen said: “They’re next.”

There is a strong likelihood that Two And a Half Men will never be back, putting fellow cast and crew members out of work and costing producers Warner Bros Television tens of millions of dollars.

“I’m supposed to be out there all humble and asking for my job,” Sheen said during an interview at his home with Mike Walters that was streamed live on TMZ.com. “No, I don’t do that. I don’t understand what I did wrong except live a life that everyone is jealous of.”

Sheen’s publicist Stan Rosenfield resigned shortly after the TMZ interview. Rosenfield has been with Sheen through three hospital admissions in three months related to the star’s wild behaviour.

In the interview, Sheen implied that Mr Rosenfield had lied to the media by saying he had been admitted to hospital for an allergic reaction after trashing a room in New York’s Plaza Hotel.

“I have worked with Charlie Sheen for a long time and I care about him very much,” Mr Rosenfield said. “However, at this time, I’m unable to work effectively as his publicist and have respectfully resigned.”

Sheen told NBC interviewer Jeff Rossen that he spent years trying to be the “nice guy” on his show and get along with everybody, but now that was over.

“I’m tired of pretending I’m not special,” he said. “I’m tired of pretending I’m not a total bitchin’ rock star from Mars.”

“I am on a drug,” Sheen added. “It’s called Charlie Sheen. It’s not available because if you try it, you will die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body.”