Dear members of the media including but not limited to ABC, TMZ, NBC:
You make me sick. Sick, angry, and sad.
A celebrity is in the midst of a dire emergency and you’ve erected circus tents around him replete with cameras.
ABC? You get a special mention here because you even allowed his CHILDREN to be present at one of the many interviews you filmed with Charlie Sheen. His children.
On what planet is it okay to be cool with nearly two year old children around someone who claims to have “tiger blood?”
But it’s okay, you say.
Okay because Charlie says he’s okay.
Right.
You drug tested him. Drew blood.
Nothing there.
Guess what, ABC?
Mental illness?
Yeah. That’s not diagnosable via test tube or pee cup.
Now that you’ve “ruled out” drugs, are there plans for you to play Psychiatrist too as America watches?
I feel heartbroken for his family. For his ex wife, Denise Richards, who has now had to assure the American public that her kids have not been with Charlie these past two weeks. I feel for Brooke who is clearly in a state of confusion. I know where she’s at …. somewhat. I’ve been there. It sucks. You don’t know which way is up or down. It’s a vortex in which you do the best you can do just to stay afloat but mostly you want to collapse and scream and ask WHY?!?! But instead you go numb and trudge forward toward safety. You hope.
Charlie, a father with four children, is clearly struggling with a multitude of issues.
Instead of offering help to Charlie, you’re putting on a show for the rest of us with him as the star. You ask him things like “Do you worry about your kids learning about this?” To which he replies, “God no! What a lesson!” What kind of a lesson, exactly? That it’s okay to go crazy, seek attention, shout inane things from the top of the world, and demand that you get paid more for services you’re clearly not capable of at the moment? There is a lesson in all of this – it’s that when you hurt, you get help. When you see someone hurt, you GET them help. You don’t put them on display.
Wait. You’re the media. You do put it all on display. No matter what the moral and ethical bounds are – it’s all about the ratings. The wilder the better, right?
I’m not watching. Many people I know are not watching.
But many are… and the damage being done to those who are mentally ill and struggling with addiction by your organizations is atrocious. Here, let me serve up some stigma on a silver platter. Watch.
Have we, as a society, taught you this behaviour, through our obsession with reality TV?
Has reality TV finally blurred the line? Have we really come to this?
Is our society so starved for entertainment we are willing to watch, in real time, as a celebrity implodes live on the air?
I know it’s about ratings. If people watch, you make money on advertising, etc. Have you no soul? No decency left among you?
In my opinion, the only company that has done something right is CBS. I stand with them in canceling the rest of the season of Two and a Half Men. It’s unfair to the rest of the cast and the crew, but not to Charlie.
There needs to be someone holding him accountable for his behavior. Yes, he is an adult and shouldn’t have to have anyone treat him like he’s 12. Unfortunately, he’s also a very ill person in crisis right now. Sometimes we have to take steps back in order to regain our footing.
I sincerely ask you to stop exploiting Mr. Charlie Sheen’s tragic situation.
Your exploitation of his situation is possibly even more tragic and disturbing than Charlie’s fall from grace.
Warmest,
Lauren Hale
Yep, totally agree. I understand it’s hard to step back when a celebrity’s asking them to publicize his mania, but it’s time. He needs help.
I found it interesting to watch at first. But he seems to be getting worse and worse, and I totally agree with you now. I feel so bad for his family.
Here’s the question, is he really mentally ill in the way everyone expects (bipolar is being slapped all over the place) or is he doing it all for attention, for a moment in the spotlight. After all, why else would you publicize your mania? Because you crave the spotlight…because you adore the attention… What’s worse? Rock stars and movie stars have been getting away with this for years. Career taking a dive? Life not going the way you want it to? Throw a temper tantrum, but make sure the media is there to watch it. Make sure everyone is capable of seeing. After all, what’s the point if no one is there to watch you implode. You’re not going to get what you want then.
Honestly, I think the media is the one failing Charlie right now, because from everything I’ve seen, he’s eating it up like a gourmet meal. He’s loving it from everything I’ve been told, and I’m not watching the coverage, so I can’t honestly say. It’s really kind of disturbing. What’s worse is he’s giving a bad name for people who are mentally ill and need the help because he’s shown mentally ill people to be manic, over the top, and proud of it. It’s disturbing, even sickening…
Yes, the media screwed this one up, but I think everyone taking sympathy on poor Charlie? Well, he needs to atone for his actions. What he’s doing is hurting a lot of people. His little game for attention needs to be brought out of the spotlight. After all, what’s the best way to encourage a small child to throw a tantrum? Pay attention to them. Yes, maybe he does need real help, but encouraging his manic nature, real or affected, they’re not going to highlight the real problem, nor are they going to get him the help he obviously needs.
I’m not watching any of the coverage. It bothers me how often the public forgets celebraties are REAL PEOPLE too. I hope if he truly is suffering from mental illness that someone has the sense to put down their camera long enough to get him help.
I agree with you 100%, Lauren! Thanks for blogging about this! Way too many people are focusing way too much on him when it’s clear he has some issues and he needs help before something tragic happens.