Media: Is it fair for the media to exploit Charlie Sheen?
"If there's a symbol of everything wrong with television news, it's the focus on Charlie Sheen," New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof wrote on his Facebook page Tuesday morning. Indeed, there are bigger issues that should take precedent, but judging from the many commercial spots during Sunday's Academy Awards for Tuesday's "20/20" ("I am on a drug. It's called Charlie Sheen.") the actor is good for business.
Which brings up another question about news judgment: Is it fair to interview Sheen if he doesn't have the mental capacity, as his behavior suggests, to know what he's doing right now? From Time.com:
His recent ranting behavior has led viewers to question whether the actor was still on drugs and denying addiction. Or whether he was exhibiting manic symptoms of bipolar disorder. Or some combination of the two. Sheen's negative drug test suggests that addiction is unlikely to be his only problem.
Audiences love a public fall, but this isn't Christina Aguilera getting busted for public intoxication; it isn't even Martha Stewart going to a white-collar prison. It's a man flying off the rails, a man with young children who desperately needs help. And I don't think he should be exploited for ratings. (Unless that show is "Intervention.")
UPDATE: I just came across this wonderful roundup of Opinion pieces on Poynter about the media's coverage of Sheen: Media acting as enablers with excessive coverage of "Two and a Half Men"star Charlie Sheen.
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--Alexandra Le Tellier
GET A HAIR CUT AND GET A REAL JOB, CAUSE YOU DONT WORK FOR CBS ANYMORE, OH SORRY , CBS DOESNT WORK FOR YOU ANYMORE
Posted by: BLAKE | March 01, 2011 at 11:34 AM
GET A HAIR CUT AND GET A REAL JOB, CAUSE YOU DONT WORK FOR CBS ANYMORE, OH SORRY , CBS DOESNT WORK FOR YOU ANYMORE
Posted by: BLAKE | March 01, 2011 at 11:34 AM
What did Michael Jackson try to say?
Charlie Sheen questions Obama about 9/11
despite AIPAC controlled media censorship.
Mel Gibson does not play dumb about 9/11 either.
Posted by: NadePaulKuciGravMcKi | March 01, 2011 at 12:02 PM
Wow...apparently some of the people posting here are as insane as Charlie Sheen. Yikes! Creepy losers.
Posted by: Pam | March 01, 2011 at 12:15 PM
Wow...apparently some of the people posting here are as insane as Charlie Sheen. Yikes! Creepy losers.
Posted by: Pam | March 01, 2011 at 12:15 PM
The networks/producers are waiting it out, hoping Charlie will further damage himself and get them off the hook. If Sheen hits the talk circuit again this week he'll be history. If he keeps his mouth shut for a little while he might salvage something.
Posted by: Charles Morris | March 01, 2011 at 12:49 PM
Charlie made himself fair game when he chose his career path. It's just the downside of making 2 million/episode for contributing so little to society.
Posted by: lausan | March 01, 2011 at 01:20 PM
Charlie made himself fair game when he chose his career path. It's just the downside of making 2 million/episode for contributing so little to society.
Posted by: lausan | March 01, 2011 at 01:20 PM
so much for the comment moderation.
Posted by: Charles Morris | March 01, 2011 at 02:02 PM
So who isn't exploited by Hollywood?
Posted by: Peter Mallard | March 01, 2011 at 02:14 PM
I felt his points were pretty good and there's institutional bias to anyone called 'Dr Drew' as their persona who isn't a rapper (i.e. Dr Dre) so of course he thinks the best course is to subdue Charlie and get him to confess he's 'been crazy' n 'additcted' .. lol .. screw the j doc and any haters of Charlie in LA :p
-P
Posted by: P Herz | March 01, 2011 at 02:55 PM
Hi, Alexandra. Thanks for the shout-out on the Poynter piece. Glad it worked for you! -- Julie Moos, Director of Poynter Online
Posted by: Julie Moos | March 01, 2011 at 03:44 PM
The die was cast when "the news bureaus" were placed under the entertainment wings of broadcasting corporations and killed when the Supreme Court ruled that "news" shows didn't have to tell the truth.
Americans are at heart, a stupid people.
Posted by: Joseph | March 01, 2011 at 03:59 PM
Joseph..the truth isnt nearly as black or white as you would like to believe.
Posted by: madsircool | March 01, 2011 at 04:27 PM
New World Order blog
thecomingnewworldorder.blogspot.com
Posted by: jjsmith | March 01, 2011 at 08:07 PM
"Media: Is it fair for the media to exploit Charlie Sheen?"
Apparently it's all good if you take the 'meta' angle.
Posted by: Mitchell Young | March 01, 2011 at 08:23 PM
@Mitchell Young
I think it's more a commentary on how the news is handling Charlie Sheen, and not really about Charlie Sheen. We've seen the same thing with other celebrities; Britney Spears comes to mind. I personally don't think it's right.
Posted by: Alexandra Le Tellier | March 02, 2011 at 12:16 PM
I personally think charlie sheen is sick and is in need of medical attention,also that all this media attantion is only making things worse. At the present I fear for his life he is more than some dancing monkey,he is a person. Who deserve's our compassion not judgement.I think people forget that actors an musicans are just people that perform, would you treat a dentist or soical worker the way we've treat people like charlie sheen or britney spears ? chances are that you wouldnt remember this guys a person a sick person at that. think about that the next time you laugh at his lastest rant.
Posted by: ashley | March 12, 2011 at 05:27 PM