HOLLYWOOD'S self-appointed hellraiser and chief, Charlie Sheen,broke his silence on his dismissal from America's top TV comedy andunleashed a broadside against his employer.
Sheen, who is the best paid actor in US TV, said his dismissalfrom the Two And A Half Men was "unconscionable".
The 45-year-old lashed out at his former television bosses on hislive internet show Sheen's Korner yesterday, the day after WarnerBros terminated his contract.
At the beginning of his prepared remarks, which lasted about 10minutes, he also said that the decision was illegal.
Using insulting versions of their names, Sheen attacked membersof his "unwanted list": CBS president Les Moonves, Warner BrosTelevision Group president Bruce Rosenblum, and Two And A Half Menexecutive producer Chuck Lorre.
But Sheen seemed to praise Warner Bros Television president PeterRoth, saying that his heart "was always rooted in fairness".
Meanwhile it emerged yesterday that while its main star may haveleft the scene, the phenomenally successful sitcom looks likely tosurvive.
Although the eight-year-old show is ageing and revolved aroundSheen's playboy character Charlie Harper, Warner Bros Television andCBS have every incentive to try to keep it going.
Apart from anything else it is a huge money-maker, it is the mostpopular comedy on the air, and in syndication. But the moreimportant question might be whether viewers will buy a remade shownext autumn.
There are numerous examples of shows losing stars and carrying onwith other actors, although not necessarily in the same roles.
It has happened to Sheen before. He worked for two years on SpinCity, essentially replacing original star Michael J Fox in 2000 whenParkinson's disease made it impossible for Fox to continue in therole.
Farrah Fawcett-Majors was television's biggest new star when sheleft Charlie's Angels in 1977, although she made guest appearancesafterwards. Cheryl Ladd joined the cast the same year, with the showrunning another four seasons.
Even if Two And A Half Men returns, it is highly unlikely thatthere will be a new Charlie Harper. The hard-partying Sheen embodiedthe character; some suggested it was written with his real-lifepersona in mind.
Viewers would not buy into it, said Robert Thompson, director ofthe Bleier Centre for Television and Popular Culture at SyracuseUniversity.
"It would be like if your mother said 'the role of your father isnow being played by so-and-so', and not 'I've left your father andhere is my new guy,"' he said.
Mr Sheen's fellow cast members have not commented about thepublic drama involving their colleague -- to the point where Sheenexpressed disappointment in one of his interviews that he had notbeen receiving support.
CAPTION: Hellraiser: Charlie Sheen
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