NEW YORK — Warner Bros. Television agreed Monday to pay the crew of “Two and a Half Men” for half of the eight episodes of TV’s top-rated comedy that were canceled by producers upset about the off-screen antics of star Charlie Sheen.
The troubled star called the agreement a “start” in his escalating battle against the show’s producers.
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“Clearly my efforts are paying off,” Sheen said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “I won’t sleep until I get all eight.”
Warner Bros. last week canceled the remaining episodes of this season of “Men,” citing Sheen’s public behavior and negative comments about executive producer Chuck Lorre.
The troubled actor dominated the entertainment media Monday 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 Sheen’s interviews with ABC’s “Good Morning America” and NBC’s “Today” show, he boasted about his “epic” partying, said he’s fueled by “violent hatred” of his bosses, claimed to have kicked drugs at home in his “Sober Valley Lodge” and demanded $3 million an episode to return to work.
Come evening, he popped up on CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight” in a live appearance – airing opposite “Men” in some time zones – and waffled on whether he was serious about that pay raise.
“I was joking about being underpaid. But to come back for Season 10,” he added, looking beyond his current two-year contract, “that’s all negotiable. You can’t talk about this stuff on television.”
Those expecting Sheen to go silent at some point will likely be disappointed. Cameras crews were seen throughout the afternoon entering the gated community where Sheen lives.
“The more he does, the more insane he looks,” said Michele Cohen, a technical editor from Cary, N.C., an occasional viewer of the CBS sitcom who has been watching the offstage drama with interest.
Warner Bros. spokesman Paul McGuire confirmed the crew payments but denied that Sheen’s war of words against the studio and series producers prompted the move. “False,” McGuire said of Sheen’s claim of credit.
Sheen said he’s not concerned with his own sizable paychecks at the moment, which are reportedly worth $1.8 million per episode. “I don’t care about me right now,” he told the AP.
Asked about reimbursements for fellow series actors Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones, Sheen said, “They’re next.”
Sheen’s dueling interview with morning news shows managed to upstage the post-show buzz for the Oscars.
However, what may be amusement for fans is serious business in Hollywood. There’s 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.
“I’m supposed to be out there all humble and asking for my job,” Sheen said during an interview at his home with Mike Walters that was streamed live on TMZ.com. “No, I don’t do that. I don’t understand what I did wrong except live a life that everyone is jealous of.”
Sheen’s publicist, Stan Rosenfield, resigned shortly after the TMZ interview. Rosenfield has been with Sheen through three hospitalizations in three months related to the star’s wild behavior.
In the interview, Sheen implied that Rosenfield had lied to the media by saying he had been hospitalized for an allergic reaction after trashing a room in New York’s Plaza Hotel.
“I have worked with Charlie Sheen for a long time and I care about him very much,” Rosenfield said in a statement. “However, at this time, I’m unable to work effectively as his publicist and have respectfully resigned.”
Both the ABC and NBC morning shows carried excerpts of Sheen interviews conducted over the weekend, and promised more today. ABC aired the interview excerpts before even wrapping up the Academy Awards results.
Sheen told NBC interviewer Jeff Rossen that he’s spent years trying to be the “nice guy” on his show and get along with everybody, and now that’s over.
“I’m tired of pretending I’m not special,” he said. “I’m tired of pretending I’m not a total bitchin’ rock star from Mars.”
Young stars picked as SNL’s guest hosts
NEW YORK — NBC says Miley Cyrus will be making her first appearance as guest host of “Saturday Night Live” this week.
The network said Monday that the multiplatinum-selling singer will be joined by musical guests The Strokes.
A week later on March 12, Zach Galifianakis makes his return visit to “SNL” as guest host with musical guest Jessie J.
Galifianakis stars on the HBO comedy series “Bored to Death.” He has just finished filming “The Hangover 2.”
“Saturday Night Live” airs Saturdays on NBC at 11:30 p.m. Eastern.
Actor urges solidarity
INDIANAPOLIS — Actor and activist Danny Glover has urged labor union members protesting at the Indiana Statehouse to stand in solidarity against what he called an organized campaign attacking American workers.
Several hundred union members cheered Monday as the star of the “Lethal Weapon” action movies told the protesters they are part of a nationwide battle to stop a “vicious attack” to take more from the middle class.
The protesters responded to other speakers with chants such as “We will not be moved!”
Democratic legislators have been boycotting the House since last week to prevent a vote on a slate of GOP-backed proposals.
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