Charlie Sheen was arrested. Again. He spent part of Christmas in a Colorado clink for allegedly trying to choke his wife Brook Mueller.
Between basketball and NFL, I feel like I saw the Charlie Sheen/Michael Jordan Hanes commercial at least a dozen times on Christmas Day. So while he was behind bars, he was still shilling underwear! God bless America!
Charlie Sheen's troubled life has played out in the press over many years now. It's been almost 20 years since he "accidentally" shot Kelly Preston, his fiance' at the time in the arm (unsurprisingly, the relationship ended soon after).
Sheen always seems to wind up getting a pass, and I don't think it will be much different here. I think in the end, and sooner, rather than later, he'll get more of pass with the media and the American public than Tiger Woods is going to get.
These are just some quick Christmas time thoughts, but if it it works out that he gets more of a pass than Tiger Woods it a.) won't surprise me at all and b.) isn't fair (yes, I know nobody ever said life is fair!).
Why won't I be surprised if Sheen gets a pass where Tiger doesn't? Because Sheen is like a real life Hank Moody from Californication. He's got the lovable rogue thing down in spades. Where Woods comes off surly and aloof, Sheen is charming and likable. Some will say it's because Tiger is much more famous than Sheen, and I think Woods is more famous, both in the USA and throughout the world, but still think Woods' getting more scrutiny is more a result of his surly and aloof image than his fame.
It's perfectly natural to like people who are charming and likable more than people who are surly and aloof! While it's fair to like Sheen more as a result, it's not fair to give him more of a pass. Why? Well, if the allegations against Woods are all true, what he did was sleazy (and apparently sleazy over and over and over and over again), but not illegal. If the allegations against Sheen prove true, trying to choke a person is definitely illegal.
What does that say about us if we are willing to cut more slack to someone who allegedly tried to wring his wife's neck simply because in general the person is more likable? It probably speaks more to simple human nature than anything else. But as with Tiger Woods, in the end, money will prevail. Hanes might pull the Sheen spots, but there's no chance CBS is going to cancel Two and Half Men over this.
In Sheen’s case there’s an element of “been there, done that” that makes it less of a draw than the Woods situation, but the tabloids can thank Sheen since the Woods-o-rama was definitely on the downtrend for now.
So who is going to get into a domestic dispute with their spouse over New Years? Or will we have to wait for President’s Day?
Well since the wife recanted her story and she was legally drunk (Charlie was not), Yeah I think he well get more of a pass than Tiger the man whore Woods
Agreed that he’ll get more of a pass, but I guess I’m the “some will say it’s because Tiger is much more famous than Sheen.” Sheen is not nearly as big a deal as Tiger, so his problems won’t be either.
I also agree with Bill that the shattering of Tiger’s “squeaky clean” image is more compelling than Sheen’s “been there, done that.” I think that’s a bigger deal than a difference in personality/likability… it isn’t like Tiger was widely disliked before this all started.
That’s a good point about “been there, done that,” not only is turmoil not surprising it is perhaps expected, which was not the case with Woods.
edit: I initially had the outbound link to the Sheen story botched. it has been fixed.
he’s gonna get a free pass for 1 reason.
He’s white.
Johnthemon: I don’t buy that. two words: CHARLES BARKLEY. Also fits the bill of lovable rogue and I’m not sure anyone ever even so much as mentions his wife when they discuss his gambling or drinking problems. In his DUI last year he reportedly told the officer who stopped him that he was in a hurry to do something that involved sexual relations (of the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky variety) with someone other than his wife.
I think Sheen will get a pass. I don’t recall any relationship he has been in where there hasn’t been widely publicized issues. I am surprised it took this long with hos current wife.
Whereas Woods is a role model who had a squeaky clean image and the respect and admiration of millions
I think it is the prevalent mentality in our society and media that “sinners” should get a pass when they “sin”, whereas a “holier” person should face the music. Our society is also more tolerant of people with perceived imperfections or second-bests, and winners are held to higher standards. That kind of behaviour runs within families as well. Even the Bible tells us so, look at the parable of the prodigal son. Although Tiger Woods didn’t preach living a “clean” life, his image projected such, I’m afraid.
What matters most in scandals is usually hypocrisy. If you have a squeaky clean image like Tiger, or Hugh Grant in the early 90s or for that matter any number of conservative politicians, and then tarnish it you can become a laughingstock. But Sheen is already generally seen as a scumbag.
Lots of good points made here.
I think Sheen is #1 when it comes to being the highest-paid per episode sitcom star, though that might be outdated. But though he is a winner, he definitely has a long history of perceived imperfections.
Prostitution is illegal in all states except Nevada. Tiger paid for prostitutes in other states so he indeed do something illegal.
Chris Brown is black so the white media wants to mess blacks money up as much as possible even though he was 19. Tiger Woods didn’t break the law or do anything that all the athletes don’t do except be an uncle tom and a sellout so that white people that buy golf products would like him more. That is not the same thing as sqeeky clean. The White Media likes to give the perception that black are the only one’s that do bad or get in trouble because we are thugs and they just make mistakes. SQEEKY CLEAN MY A**!!!!! You kracker crack me up. P.S. we may be slow but we get their.
His underwear ads are still tunning right now.
Of course because Sheen is a real life dirt bag and people expect this of him to beat women and drink and drive or whatever he has done in the past like do drugs
This is why MJ won’t hang out with you, Charlie.
Now that Charlie Sheen is a winner, made possible by free passes received for past transgressions, people will determine if this latest one rises above his pay grade as sins go. Maybe the perception of preferencial treatment will be less forgiving in the eyes of the public.
“Friendly Judge Frees Charlie Sheen Hours After Wife Assault”: http://www.theimproper.com/?p=2106
Joe the Plumber – So let’s see here, you’re saying white men always get a pass in the media? Elliot Spitzer – chased out of office by the press after patronizing prostitutes.. Harry Stonecipher – forced to resign as CEO of Boeing after having an affair. John Edwards – political career dead after admitting affair. These guys were all pilloried in the press, especially Spitzer and Edwards. Sheen’s case is getting covered, but because he’s already been busted for this stuff before, it’s less shocking. Tiger has always been perceived as a completely under control, disciplined guy, both on the course and in his advertising, so it’s the disconnect between that image and the behind the scenes stuff that is getting so much attention.
Charlie Sheen wouldn’t get as much flack as Tiger Woods, he isn’t as well know as him. Remember when MJ died? He went from being a possible-50-year-old-virgin to being the only guy that can conceive 7000 children, a high percentage of which were actually older than MJ himself. Tiger Woods’ case got way out of hand, every blonde 20-something working a dead end job apparently nailed Tiger Woods.. if they really did, why spend two years keeping it a secret…?
Charlie SHeen will pretty much get a mouthful from CBS, then they’ll remember why they’re paying him 800k+per episode of 2.5men and then they will tape their mouths shut when it comes to him.
The thing is, I don’t think there are many people who even like Charlie Sheen in the first place, so most people won’t care simply because it’s Charlie Sheen, an already-established douchebag that plays funny characters on TV but no one really likes in real life. Who cares when someone irrelevant does something bad? Hell, I don’t think anyone would care about what horrible stuff any sitcom star does, besides maybe Steve Carrell, but then he’s also starring in movies.
Tiger Woods is popular as hell and draws tons of people to golf, and his reputation only makes him more loved. That’s certainly more notable than Charlie Sheen doing Douchebag Action #877.