Charlie Sheen has not finished the media tour that’s taking him from print to television to online media; interviews from TMZ to last week’s People, in which he spoke about his mental state and the state of the relationships around him.
It’s all a big indulgent mess and it somehow scored him a Life&Style cover (I’m going to pretend they’re not lying about anything this week as they’d hardly need to with the overwhelming crazy Sheen’s spewing in every interview). Sheen’s cover headlines are supposed to be alarming, but I think they’re the words of a ham. They’re provocative and seem disingenuous to the point of trivialising the issues faced by people who are really suicidal and have genuine mental illness.
‘Charlie Sheen Admits: I’m Losing My Mind,’ that’s what they’re leading with and I guess it’s a start after spending the week trying to think up catchphrases rather than seeking the help of a mental health professional. ‘After Charlie Loses His Job And Kids, Friends Fear He’s Suicidal. He tells Life&Style: My Lawyer Wants To Take The Bullets Out Of My Gun.’ The whole thing’s so suggestive and leading I don’t know what to make of it. ‘I’m really starting to lose my mind,’ Sheen tells the magazine, admitting, finally, ‘I’m ready to call anyone to help.’ Sources are quoted as fearing for Sheen’s life and in the same paragraph sounding like enablers because they’re being so passive about the whole thing. ‘Anything could happen at any minute. He’s a danger to himself; a really big danger,’ says some random insider. Sheen’s quotes sit somewhere in the middle; floating between ‘suicidal’ and not. For example, ‘I’m really trying to contain myself right now,’ Sheen says. ‘My lawyer wants to come over to my house and take the bullets out of my gun.’ I don’t even… unless he’s headed to rehab on the next cover (proper rehab, not one in his porn star-filled house) I think I’m just about done with him.
