(Edited).
Let me just start by saying I haven't read his book myself - and I don't think I'm going to, considering the fallout that's occurred since its release this past week.
So last week, I had written a post about CBS's odd moves in general lately, which included his hilarious clapback to Trump, after Lorre's non-publicly-televised speech that the White House apparently heard about, commented publicly on, and then Chuck Lorre clapped back.
(Although admittedly, his original non-publicly-televised speech was a bit crude and I don't think wishing anyone to die is EVER okay, but the rest was funny.)
This week, however, Lorre's new memoir came out called "Sitcom" - and it has me changing my tune about him.
Okay, so - we all knew Charlie Sheen was/is an A-hole, partly caused by substance abuse and partly because he's just an a-hole with a huge ego.
We knew this because many of his antics played out in public for the world to see on film, including antisemitic rants - we couldn't help but see it.
We also know that Chuck Lorre finally fired him from Two-And-A-Half Men after several chances to get clean and sober and be more respectful of himself and his castmates.
However, at the same time, Chuck knew what he was getting into when he hired Charlie Sheen already, right?
I also wondered at the time why Chuck Lorre let Charlie get under his skin so much, how he could push his anger buttons so easily, such that it spilled out so publicly, when others just quietly either refused to hire him/fire him.
I speculated that there was alcoholism around him already somewhere, such that it had this deep of an emotional effect on him.
I mean, I know myself that there are certain personalities that I avoid because I will "trigger" if I'm around them too long, so I get it.
And his new book reveals it, but only to a point - he doesn't appear to have any true insight into that yet or what that's really about.
Hold that thought for a moment, though.
First, let's talk about what famous people should and should not talk about in either interviews or a memoir book.
Talking about his side of the public feud with Sheen is fine - it was already public and he deserves to tell his side.
Talking about your side of a story that hasn't been heard is fine - as long as you're not just dissing other people in the business that you just don't like (which he borders on doing in his book).
Talking about how somebody screwed you over when you were coming up can be okay - *IF* - you're calling out power abuse or predatory behavior in Hollywood.
Then there's a couple of things you should NEVER do in a memoir regarding still living/working people in the business:
- You do not out someone's sexuality.
- You do not out someone's private substance abuse struggles that they have not disclosed themselves publicly - ESPECIALLY if they have said nothing negative to or about YOU (which Sheen did, but the others I'm about to discuss that he just dissed - have not).
- You do not diss someone else's lack of talent from your own opinion.
You *ESPECIALLY* should never do the above if you're in a greater position of power than the people you're dissing - like a producer, director, filmmaker or multi-sitcom creator - because it destroys careers (and likely the person themselves, already struggling.)
For example, Quentin Tarantino calling out Paul Dano as being a terrible actor in Django Unchained was cruel and unnecessary - and fellow actors flocked to defend him and Tarantino ended up looking like the huge power-drunk a-hole he has become.
(Paul Dano can play some really good psycho creepers, though.)
Sometimes people just aren't right for a certain role, but they do great in other roles - and it doesn't mean they're a terrible actor overall.
Other actors aren't so great, but we love them anyway and they work great in action movies (Keanu Reeves).
Even the best actors have taken on some roles they couldn't deliver on, they were just miscast.
There are a few directors that have said "I don't think we'll be working together again," which is fine - it leaves it with the idea it wasn't a good fit between them.
In particular, Chuck Lorre calling out Anna Faris on "Mom" - a show which ran for 7 years (which I never watched, btw) for her private substance use and actually leaving the show because of it rather than "pursue other projects" as was publicly stated.
He also went onto say her doing so proved him right about his reluctance to hire her.
(After several years on the show?)
Most of us had no idea she had substance abuse issues!
I mean, we did wonder because sometimes she acted loopy on interviews, but some actors are just loopy, with or without substance use lol.
Now, just know that I have no feelings or opinions about Anna Faris, other than I found her hilarious in "Just Friends" and the Scary Movie franchise - but what he just did was NOT cool.
I get it that after Charlie Sheen, you'd be wary of ever hiring anyone else with substance issues.
But then again - Anna Faris is no Charlie Sheen.
We're not dealing with a Hollywood legacy dynasty like the Sheen family.
We never saw or heard about HER throwing public tantrums and shouting antisemitic rants at castmates, refusing to show up for work- because apparently, she didn't.
And the fact that she wasn't like Sheen at all is proven by the fact that all of her castmates have rallied around her after this public diss on social media, saying they loved her and every minute they spent with her on the show.
(That is something Charlie Sheen's castmates did NOT ever do for him - they were glad to see him go!)
In fact, the public at large didn't even know Anna had substance abuse issues until you just told us!
To her credit, Anna has responded by saying she "didn't see this coming" and "can't pretend she's not hurt," and also that she has been "sober for a year-and-a-half now," and then actually expressed gratitude to him and everyone involved with the show for her time there.
Can't think of a better way to respond to that, go Anna!
Also, Mayim Bialik, from The Big Bang Theory, has just publicly said it was difficult time working with Chuck himself during that feud with Charlie.
Chuck - take note of Mayim's compassion and mercy towards you - are you giving others as much compassion and mercy as Mayim is showing YOU, right now?
Then we discover that Chuck Lorre was an alcoholic himself, sober for many years now.
Aha - now we have a bit more insight into why he'd ever out Anna's private substance abuse issues - because he's never learned to forgive himself or have compassion for himself for his prior alcoholism - and thus has no patience or tolerance for anyone actively using.
Also, alcoholism is NOT just about drinking - it comes with a whole set of other behaviors that need to be addressed including boundary issues, abandonment issues, and unlearned coping skills; thus, just because you quit drinking doesn't necessarily mean you don't have other stuff going on that needs work.
Then he supposedly goes on to diss Cybil Shepard, on the show Cybil in the 90s.
He say she wanted "total creative control."
Cybil has famously said she DID want "more" creative control, but but not total control - and I mean, she has a point - the show WAS named after her and her experiences - shouldn't she have a say?
Regardless, why you dragging these actresses from years ago through the mud, Chuck?
As IF actresses already don't have a hard enough time in Hollywood?
In fact, wasn't that what the show "Cybil" was about, how aging actresses are treated in Hollywood?
Plus, you DO seem to have a hard time writing female characters - perhaps you could use the feedback?
Oh, I see - he says he's been married 3 times and has issues with his mother - NOW we get it - he has no clue about women. 😂
Dude - perhaps you shouldn't write women until you understand them better and actually listen to them?
Then he tells this story about how the execs wanted him to cast a "hot, young, thin" actress in a fat suit for Mike and Molly (!) instead of Melissa McCarthy, but he stood his ground, saying she was a once-in-a-lifetime talent.
I guess we're all supposed to applaud him for that, but on the heels of the other stuff he's said about actresses, it falls a bit flat.
So ... maybe no, on Chuck Lorre, after all.
Though never an alcoholic/addict (other than cigarettes), I was married to one previously, and I DO still have compassion for addicts and alcoholics.
And I do get refusing to enable them - that's not love or compassion, that's enabling. Sometimes with addicts/alcoholics, you have to love them with boundaries or from afar, to keep everyone safe.
However, when former addicts/alcoholics have no compassion or mercy at all for others still using, it reminds me of the parable of the merciless servant in the bible ... just ... ewwww.
(This behavior also goes against the 12 steps, proving Chuck has not had nearly enough treatment.)
So Chuck Lorre?
Dude, you're in a more powerful position than everyone you just outed/dissed that unlike Sheen, had never said a bad word to or about you - potentially destroying their careers.
What then separates your particular brand of power abuse from Trump, whom you just shot down a week ago?
Methinks you should go back to picking on MEN your own (ego?) size - women in Hollywood have enough critics already!!!






