Rambling Sheen blasts TV bosses

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

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

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

Mr 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.

By midday, his veteran publicist had quit.

In Mr 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 £1.85 million an episode to return to work. Those expecting Mr Sheen to go silent at some point will probably be disappointed. Cameras crews were seen throughout yesterday afternoon entering the gated community where he lives.

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

Mr Sheen said he was not concerned with his own sizeable pay cheques at the moment, reportedly worth $1.8 million 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, Mr Sheen said: “They’re next.”

Mr Sheen’s duelling interview with morning news shows managed to upstage the post-show buzz for the Oscars, but what may be amusement for fans is serious business in Hollywood.

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.