What Happens to Charlie if Ratings Soar? A Big Bonus and a Short Rehab

By Rob Shuter Posted Jan 31st 2011 09:20AM

Although Charlie Sheen has finally checked himself into an undisclosed rehab facility, no one knows how seriously he's going to take it until the ratings come in for this week's 'Two and A Half Men.'

"If the ratings go through the roof again, as they did after Charlie's incident in New York, CBS and Charlie will be out again in no time and back to his old ways," warns a close friend of the actor. "However, if the public finally stops rewarding Charlie for his bad behavior, then, and only then, can you expect him to take the situation seriously."

Why? It's simple. Charlie makes a substantial bonus on his industry-topping salary ($1.25M per episode!) if the show does particularly well.

[On that subject ... the next highest actor in sitcom land is Sheen's co-star, Jon Cryer, at $550,000 per episode. The 'Half' in the show, Angus T. Jones, is TV's highest paid teen, raking in $250,000 per.]

Mark Burg, the star's manager and an executive producer of his hit show, told PEOPLE, "Charlie knows he has work to do, and he is looking forward to regaining his sobriety."

He added, "Charlie hopes to be back at work in the near future, but there is no time frame. Regaining his sobriety is what is most important."

But insiders familiar with the situation tell me CBS only has two unaired episodes of TV's No. 1 comedy in the can. So although team Charlie claims there is no time frame ("near future"), they mean they hope the troubled actor is back on the set within a few weeks.

That seems to me like a very small amount of time to fix a very large problem.

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See PopEater editors sound off on Charlie's latest fiasco:

Tags: charlie sheen, Two and a Half Men

Comments

(287)

Monday 31 January

By KS.

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Hmm, Courtney, some rant...

By Alan

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It seems silly for anyone who watches the show and enjoys it to quit doing so just to punish Sheen. For what? His antics do not affect his fans in the least. Sheen is only hurting himself. Perhaps what makes his performance so funny is that he is playing himself. It may not speak well for his talent as an actor, but it works for him professionally as an entertainer. If it does not work for him personally, that is none of my concern.

By toohappy10

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well said..i couldnt have said it better

By dani

I guess people will stop watching the show after he kills someone...

By britfan

I PROMISE NOT TO WATCH THE SHOW!!! Until Charlie has been in rehab for a LONG time.

By keleka14

I just love that all human beings are just so perfect. It must be nice. He obviously has a problem that needs to be addressed. We all know by now that addictions are difficult to get rid of as it is a disease. I WOULD HATE TO THINK OF BEING A FAMILY MEMBER OF ANY OF YOU. I AM NOT AN ADDICT NOR HAVE ANY ADDICTIONS...THANK GOD FOR THAT...IN THIS VERY JUDGEMENTAL WORLD WE LIVE. HE IS HUMAN, HE NEEDS HELP ...LOVE HIM UNCONDITIONALLY , THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO DO...NOT JUST WHEN PEOPLE ARE PERFECT! READ WHAT YOU GUYS WRITE THEN LOOK AT YOUR OWN LIFE AND SEE IF YOU NEVER DID ANYTHING WRONG!!!!!
Sorry to get so upset it is just that people should walk in his shoes or anyone's shoes before they judge. Many people think because he has tons of money he should be so happy and perfect. Money does not buy happieness....read the news and you will see the simple things in life can bring you such joy. Please try to be kind to Charlie and others facing difficult problems....he is Human and he has feelings too!

By New York

There is a very thin line between Unconditional Love & being an enabler. Enabling someone in the destructive path they are going will eventually kill them.

By Liz

and i suppose you would give a drug addict cocaine because you hate to see them in pain. With enabling friends like you one sure doesn't need enemies.

By Harpo

Keleka, You sound black and on crack, welfare too!

By ERNEST NUNEZ

PERHAPS IT'S TIME TO CLOSE THE CHAPTER ON SHEEN AND LET JON CRYER TAKE OVER,JON IS MORE THAN CAPABLE.

By Barby

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Hopefully he will od soon, he is a sleazeball.

By Nancy

Ok, I need someone to please tell me what is sooo great about this douche......he is not good-looking, he is not a good actor,
he is only good for all his addictions....so why is he news?????

By Ellen

I have a "fix" for Charlie's problem: Charlie has a cocaine habit. The purchase of cocaine is illegal. So, arrest Charlie for cocaine possession and sentence him either to a nice long jail time OR to house arrest with the stipulations that he not purchase cocaine or other illegal drugs and that he can be let out to go to work. Which would you choose? (Of course, if he can't have the cocaine, then he'll probably get drunk.)

By WILL

the show got redundant years ago , and who the hell would pay a porn "star" for sex , how do you know if shes faking it?

By dbrns124

Do u care!!

By booger

This guy is great! Please, do not stop watching the show. Even if there are only one or two new episodes left, the reruns have little gems already in them so watching them again over and over will be great. leave him alone. You are all just jealous!

By turbogtrmstr

Ignorant Enabler

By Shirl

We as viewers need to black out cbs and the show.. Stop watching it. Just stop for a few months. Maybe then the network will realize a human life is worth more than ratings..and Charlie might realize a life is worth more than money...

By YellowRose3218

Barby wrote, Hopefully he will od soon, he is a sleazeball.

Real nice barby, Theres a special place in he** for your kind.

By JC

Let's see...Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, John Candy, John Belushi, Chris Farley. That's a short list of talented people who surrounded themselves with "Yes-men" who would not tell them to knock off their self-destructive behavior. Charlie Sheen appears to be the next such train wreck, and his enablers will have blood on their hands.

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