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Thanks, Charlie

Charlie Sheen is starting a new charity, and his new charity's first priority is to raise money for the Giants fan who was beaten up at Dodger Stadium.

Victims of violence, of all things.

You'd think he'd pick something safe like the environment or homelessness, something that wasn't quite so on the nose.

But if he had, would I have noticed? Would whatever news story I read have been written? Sad to say, but how many of us just see a quick laugh in a violent guy supporting victims of violence? (This, in turn, is sure to be met by defenders pointing out that Sheen's victims did not suffer brain damage. And what a relief that is, given that they were the mothers of his children.)

The good news, at least for Sheen, is that whatever our motivation, we're all talking about the merchandise sales from a performance of his one-man show in San Francisco, where the "Bryan Stow Fund," being as he was a San Francisco Giants fan, has particular resonance. Clever, huh?

There have been many appealing rascals, especially in the entertainment industry.

But Sheen's popularity and audacity mirror bleakly the extent to which we have become a culture that applies no value judgments to its icons.

There he sits, with utter arrogance, surrounded by his three handmaidens, or whatever they are, a vicious, vile finger in the eye to decency. And he's selling himself and his merchandise for a guy who obviously needs and deserves help. Charlie Sheen, a guy with a good cause. As a press strategy, it clearly worked. But that's not my question. I'm worried about us, not him.

Have we lost a collective screw?

Have we no shame?

I'm all for efforts toward celebrity rehabilitation. No one stays in front of the public forever without requiring some rehabilitation along the way. I'm not expecting perfection. I'm wide open to even a touch of remorse.

But Sheen's whole game is to show none and announce that it is everyone else who has the problem and not him. He might be right.

To find out more about Susan Estrich and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Comments

6 Comments | Post Comment

If one were to substitute the name Barack Obama for Sheen then this might be a worthwhile column. Each are equally reprehensible, obnoxious, narcissistic and wholly dishonest and each blame others indeed any other for the damage they cause.

Comment: #1
Posted by: joseph wright
Sat Apr 30, 2011 5:01 AM

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My take on this is that support for Sheen is really pretty thin. However, I think that some people are repulsed by what they feel are faux acts of contrition by most superstars -- all done in order to rehabilitate their careers. Sheen's rejections of this hollow ceremony has gained him some grudging respect from a public long tired of intentional manipulation. I'm not going to even attempt to claim that this makes up for him hitting his wives or other women. I'm just saying that the primary story at this point is about Sheen being "real" instead of falsely contrite.

Comment: #2
Posted by: scott365
Sat Apr 30, 2011 12:49 PM

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Re: scott365
I do not be;leive we read the same column but that said consider Estrich's words with the following minor changes
"But Obama's popularity and audacity mirror bleakly the extent to which liberal culture applies no value judgments to its icons.
There he sits, with utter arrogance, surrounded by his three handmaidens (Mochelle, Jarret and Oprah), or whatever they are, a vicious, vile finger in the eye to decency. And he's selling himself and his merchandise of hope and change As a press strategy, it clearly worked. But that's not my question. I'm worried about us, not him. Have we lost a collective screw? Have we no shame? I'm wide open to even a touch of remorse.But Obama's whole game is to show none and announce that it is everyone else who has the problem and not him." Grateful to Estrich to this extent. Suitably amended her words describe Obama perfectly. Obama forever the Charlie Sheen of US Presidents.

Comment: #3
Posted by: joseph wright
Sat Apr 30, 2011 1:38 PM

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which route a president is going to take, … Read More.

Consider Estrich's words only slightly amended and see how perfectly she describes the sociopath in the Whitehouse and the negrophiles, Gucci liberals and parasites who voted for him. Estrich's words suitably amanded are: But Obama's popularity and audacity mirror bleakly the extent to which liberal a culture applies no value judgments to its icons. There he sits, with utter arrogance, surrounded by his three handmaidens [ Moochelle, Jarret and Oprah}, or whatever they are, a vicious, vile finger in the eye to decency. And he's selling himself and his merchandise of hope and change and redistribution. As a press strategy for a willing and corrupt press it clearly worked. I'm worried about us, not him. Have we lost a collective screw? Have we no shame?
I'm wide open to even a touch of remorse.But Obama's whole game is to show none and announce that it is everyone else who has got it wrong. My thanks to Estrich for providing the skeleton for a perfect description of Obama, to wit, forever the Charlie Sheen of US Presidents.

Comment: #4
Posted by: joseph wright
Sat Apr 30, 2011 2:22 PM

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The difference between Sheen and Obama, is that Sheen can't force or harm anyone by his actions. It becomes voluntary to be caught up in his circus, or not to be.

With Obama, and his share the wealth, one doesn't get the choice. But it is most interesting that if he was brought up and professes his religion, don't the 10 commandments mean anything. Thou shalt not covet, thou shalt not steal.

When one talks of class warfare, that seems to be pursuing a course that is in contradiction with the 10 commandments. Because that is coveting what your neighbors have. And when laws are designed to take from those and give to others, I sometimes fail to see the difference between the government and the bank robber as they are both redistributing the wealth of others, as they see fit. Not a very Christian thing to do

Comment: #5
Posted by: barry1817
Sat Apr 30, 2011 6:52 PM

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Who cares about Sheen? Except his father.

Comment: #6
Posted by: Early
Mon May 2, 2011 8:06 AM

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